The New Zealand women's cricketers have clinched the inaugural bilateral series against Sri Lanka with a 188-run victory in the third one day international at Lincoln.
The White Ferns made 326 for five batting first, after captain Suzie Bates won the toss, then they dismissed the tourists for just 138 at Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
Suzie Bates (L) celebrates Rachel Priest's 100 during the third ODI match vs Sri Lanka Photo: Photosport
Bates put on 80 in a national record opening stand with Rachel Priest, who top-scored with a career-best 157 off 146 balls to earn Player of the Match honours.
The Ferns now hold an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-ODI series.
Priest's second ODI century in just three games, after the 30-year-old came into the series never having scored a ton for the Ferns, was highlighted by her belting four consecutive fours off Inoka Ranaweera.
She hit 23 boundaries (remarkably without one six), and the powerful Wellingtonian had threatened to eclipse Bates' New Zealand record for the highest individual women's score in an ODI.
But Priest fell at the death just 11 runs shy of Bates' mark of 168 - set against Pakistan in 2009.
It was the fifth time the pair had combined in a 100-run stand in one-dayers - another New Zealand women's record.
Canterbury spinner Erin Bermingham took three wickets for 16 off just under eight overs.
The match was the last in the series to carry International Women's Championship points and the hosts are now just one victory away from joining Australia and the West Indies at the top of the IWC table.
The fourth match is at the same venue on Tuesday.
