24 May 2010

Sri Lankans square series with win in Florida

11:21 am on 24 May 2010

The Sri Lankan cricketers have tied their two-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand with a seven-wicket victory in a low-scoring second game in Florida.

The victory by the Sri Lankans over the Black Caps came with more than four overs to spare.

Nuwan Kulasekara ripped through the New Zealand top order as he took three wickets in the second over of the game, removing openers Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond and Rob Nicol with some excellent swing bowling.

Another slow and low track made scoring difficult but, as in Sunday's game, New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori got to grips with conditions, making a stabilising 27.

Nathan McCullum's unbeaten 36 took New Zealand to 81 before they were bowled out in the 18th over.

Sri Lanka, who lost the opening game, were never in trouble with Tillakaratne Dilshan's unbeaten 33 guiding his team to a comfortable victory.

The tied series was the first time that two Test-playing nations had met in an official game in the United States.