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CHRISTCHURCH - Sri Lanka did their best to prolong the festive season by gifting New Zealand a series-leading one-day cricket win today.
But the Black Caps again appeared infuriatingly reluctant to accept their visitors' generosity before stumbling punch drunk to a four-wicket victory in the third one-day international at Jade Stadium.
After skittling an under strength Sri Lanka for 112 - a record low in a rivalry spanning 28 years and 64 matches - New Zealand mirrored their chase in Queenstown on New Year's Eve by suffering yet another batting implosion before overhauling a relatively easy revised target of 110 on an under-prepared pitch that statistics might unfairly suggest was a minefield.
Fortunately, it did not need any last ball heroics from Michael Mason - he made his mark with the ball today - to seal the win.
Peter Fulton and James Franklin spared the blushes by overhauling the scaled down target of 110 under the Duckworth-Lewis system with a massive 21.3 overs to spare.
Fulton brought about an early close to a chilly contest, pared back to 46 overs a side after three rain delays, by hoisting Dilhara Fernando over the ropes at mid wicket to be undefeated on 43.
It was easily his most significant contribution of the series.
The tall Cantabrian made the top score of a low-scoring encounter highlighted by poor shot selection and polished Black Caps fielding - particularly by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
However, New Zealand's batting was again a worry with only prodigy Ross Taylor the only New Zealander justified in feeling aggrieved at his dismissal.
Taylor reluctantly trooped back to pavilion for a four-ball duck after being caught, dropped, then claimed again by a sprawling Tillekaratne Dilshan at backward point.
Dilshan appeared to take a sharp catch but replays showed the ball bobbled from his left hand and hit the ground before he made a second grab while on his back.
Taylor looked unconvinced, but New Zealand umpire Tony Hill had no doubt from his distant station at square leg and did not suggest referring the catch to the third umpire when conferring with unsighted Australian official Steve Davis.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was disappointed at the manner of Taylor's demise. He pointed to the irony of Sri Lanka invoking the "spirit of cricket" argument on their last visit to Jade Stadium when Muttiah Muralitharan was controversially - though legitimately - run out by Brendon McCullum in the first test as he prematurely left his crease to congratulate century maker Kumar Sangakkara.
"In the dressing room we're pretty disappointed because of what happened last time we were at Jade Stadium and the spirit of the game was brought into play," he said.
"Sri Lanka have had numerous opportunities to display their own spirit of the game and this was another let down of it."
However, counterpart Mahela Jayawardene, who was also unsighted, said Dilshan was certain he made the catch until the team watched replays during the lunch break.
He then sought out New Zealand coach John Bracewell to apologise.
"It probably should have gone upstairs (to the third umpire)," Jayawardene said.
"The technology is there and the umpires are there to make those decisions, we thought they'd go upstairs."
Jayawardene said he would have been happy to recall Taylor had a replay been available to him but controversial incidents are not shown on the stadium screens.
"Nothing came out to me in the middle before the next ball was bowled," he said.
While Taylor could curse his luck, most of his colleagues had only themselves to blame for giving Sri Lanka the whiff of a fanciful victory after they were bundled out inside 36 overs.
Nathan Astle, attempting to square drive the third ball of the innings, edged onto off stump while aggressive opener Brendon McCullum went an extravagant shot too far.
He plugged a Ruchira Perera delivery to an airborne Chamara Silva at cover one ball after he deposited the expensive left armer into the stands at mid-wicket.
The imperious McCullum flicked the eighth ball of the innings over long on for six to yet again get off to a cracking start but at two for eight, showed no inclination to temper his approach as New Zealand sought a quick kill.
Although New Zealand were comfortably ahead of the required run rate, wickets in hand again complicated the calculations after Daniel Vettori (11) and the Marshall twins, James and Hamish, departed in quick succession to leave the Black Caps vulnerable at 70 for six before Fulton and Franklin staved off the prospect of a humiliating defeat.
Earlier, Sri Lanka seemed determined to ensure the Black Caps started the World Cup year on a resounding note when Jayawardene called incorrectly for the third time to condemn his side to bat first in chilly, overcast conditions.
They also made the premeditated decision to rest strike bowlers Lasith Malinga and Chaminda Vaas weakening their chances of defending an inadequate total.
The start was delayed 45 minutes due to overnight rain and intermittent showers twice disrupted the flow of a meagre Sri Lankan innings that saw them treading water from the time Sanath Jayasuriya edged Shane Bond's second ball off the day to an athletic McCullum who gloved a sharp chance in front of first slip.
While Jayasuriya's failure was mitigated by being dealt the ball of the innings, the remainder of Sri Lanka's batsmen were undermined by a combination of flawed shot selection and an excellent fielding performance showcased by two run outs and another superb catch by McCullum.
Michael Mason was the main beneficiary as his rehabilitation from a shocking first up effort in Napier took a tentative step forward with a career-best haul of four for 24 off nine overs.
Mason, who conceded 60 off six overs at McLean Park last Thursday, had Marvan Atapattu and dangerman, Kumar Sangakkara, snapped up at square leg by Taylor and when Upul Tharanga feathered a leg-side short ball to an acrobatic McCullum and Chamara Silva patted a return catch to his clasped hands. It was clearly the right armer's day.
"I'm really stoked, a couple of loose ones got wickets but a couple of good ones worked as well," he said.
Silva's demise left Sri Lanka in strife at 61 for five and matters only got worse when Jayawardene was run out by Vettori's direct hit from mid wicket two balls after the match resumed after a 40-minute rain delay.
Dilshan also caught short by James Marshall at cover when his return to McCullum was backhanded onto the stumps.
When Muttiah Muralitharan and Perera fell in quick succession, Sri Lanka were consigned to their worst score since making 114 for nine at Moratuwa in 1984-85.
The series continues in Auckland on Saturday with a day-night clash at Eden Park.
TEAMS
New Zealand: Nathan Astle, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Daniel Vettori (captain), James Marshall, Hamish Marshall, James Franklin, Shane Bond, Mark Gillespie, Michael Mason, Andre Adams (12th man).
Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Marvan Atapattu, Chamara Silva, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chamara Kapugedera (12th man).
- NZPA
