New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka, 2015 4th ODI: Highlights, Scorecard, Report

New Zealand grabbed a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI of the series in Nelson, winning with 11 balls to spare in a thrilling victory at the Saxton Oval.

Sri Lanka opted to bat first and were 276 all out three balls before their 50 overs were out, fired principally by a 76 from Kumar Sangakkara and a 94 from Mahela Jayawardene.

New Zealand looked to be in control of the run chase during Kane Williamson's century, but wickets at crucial moments took the game down to the wire. The ICC noted Williamson's performance:

In the end, however, Luke Ronchi and Daniel Vettori got the hosts over the line and gave New Zealand a 2-1 lead in the series.

Batsman	Dismissal	Bowler	Runs	Mins	Balls
Karunaratne	lbw	b Southee	5	18	16
Dilshan	c Guptill	b Williamson	44	86	57
Sangakkara	c Guptill	b Milne	76	105	83
M Jayawardene	c Ronchi	b Anderson	94	102	82
Mathews	c Ronchi	b Milne	0		1
Thirimanne		b McClenaghan	19	54	31
T Perera	c B McCullum	b Southee	5	12	6
J Mendis	c Vettori	b Southee	12	14	10
Kulasekara	run out (B McCullum)		4	11	7
Senanayake	not out		1	8	3
Herath	c Williamson	b McClenaghan	0	3	1
Extras	0nb 14w 0b 2lb	16
Total	all out (49.3 ovs)	276
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Southee	10.0	1	59	3
Milne	7.0	0	28	2
McClenaghan	9.3	0	58	2
Anderson	3.0	0	19	1
Elliott	3.0	0	19	0
Vettori	10.0	0	41	0
Williamson	7.0	0	50	1

For much of the Sri Lanka innings a huge score looked possible. The early loss of Dimuth Karunaratne was put aside as veterans Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan laid a foundation for the innings at a decent pace.

The small ground offered some tempting boundaries, but for the most part, the strokeplay was kept on the ground rather than over the top.

The Black Caps had to bide their time—and they had a mistake to thank for Dilshan's tame exit, picking out the man at short mid off when attacking Williamson's part-time spin.

It only brought Sangakkara and Jayawardene together, however, and as they have done innumerable times in the past, they came together and scored runs.

Jayawardene overcame a slightly inelegant start with some aggression, hitting wide of long-on three times for maximums as the pair put on a partnership worth 67.

His best work came once Sangakkara had departed, caught driving Adam Milne. A guided ramp shot over the slips was particularly glorious, and it looked nearly inevitable he would end with a century. Alt Cricket noted Jayawardene's contrasting reactions:

"

Jayawardene stares wide-eyed in disbelief as clear-cut wide not called. Didn't react that way when he nicked behind & given not out! #NZvSL

— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) January 20, 2015"

New Zealand, meanwhile, had their own problems, with Milne suffering a rib injury which prevented him bowling out his overs and Corey Anderson too appearing to struggle after crashing into an object on the boundary while fielding.

But platform for the innings laid, and Jayawardene's century looming, Sri Lanka collapsed. The right-hander managed to guide a shot fine only as far as Ronchi's gloves, and no pair thereafter could settle.

From 253-5 before that stroke, with four-and-a-half overs to go, Sri Lanka added just 23 runs before the innings closed.

Batsman	Dismissal	Bowler	Runs	Mins	Balls
Guptill	c Sangakkara	b Mathews	20	33	27
B McCullum	c T Perera	b Kulasekara	11	21	11
Williamson		b T Perera	103	153	107
Taylor	c Sangakkara	b Herath	8	30	23
Elliott	c Thirimanne	b J Mendis	44	61	58
Anderson	run out (Dilshan)		47	57	44
Ronchi	not out		32	19	15
Vettori	not out		7	10	4
Extras	0nb 7w 0b 1lb	8
Total	for 6 (48.1 ovs)	280
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Kulasekara	9.0	0	51	1
Mathews	4.0	1	16	1
Herath	9.0	1	39	1
T Perera	8.0	0	58	1
Senanayake	9.1	0	57	0
J Mendis	7.0	0	40	1
Dilshan	2.0	0	18	0

The momentum boost for New Zealand did not carry through into their batting. The run rate was steady, but three key men in the top order—Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor—all fell without making a great impact.

The skipper picked out mid on, while Guptill's bright start was ended by an edge to slip. And Taylor's 23-ball stay was an unsettled one, bringing just eight runs before he gave wicketkeeper Sangakkara a catch.

But Williamson, abetted by forties from Grant Elliott and then Anderson, turned the contest back the hosts' way.

His century was evenly timed and methodical, relying on good running and picking gaps rather than extravagant strokeplay. His 103 represented his fourth ton for his country in ODI cricket, and even his exit at 230-5 did not appear to have any bearing on the result with Anderson well set.

Dilshan's quick-thinking run out of Anderson, however, looked to have levelled the contest. With 26 balls to go and two fresh batsmen in the middle, 32 runs to win could suddenly have looked tricky.

Ronchi closed out the game in style, hitting over the top three times to turn what could have been a nervy finish into a canter with a 15-ball 32 not out.

The two sides next meet in Dunedin on January 23.