The Blackcaps have started their 2019 Cricket World Cup campaign with a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Cardiff.
Kane Williamson won the toss and chose to field - a decision that would be rewarded in just the second ball of the match - Matt Henry dismissing Lahiru Thirimanne (4) through an LBW.
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Henry had his second eight overs later when Kusal Perera (29) skied a full-ball to Colin de Grandhomme who took a comfortable catch; Henry had his third the very next ball - Kusal Mendis (0) going for a golden duck after edging a lovely ball from the Cantabrian trough to wicketkeeper Tom Latham.
The Sri Lankan batsmen weren't able to gain any momentum with the Kiwi bowlers Henry (3/29) and Lockie Ferguson (3/22) sticking to their game plans and bowling tight lines.
Ferguson had his first wicket three overs later claiming Dhananjaya de Silva (four) with an LBW.
The two pace bowlers bowled well in tandem taking six of the Blackcaps' 10 wickets between them.
All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme got rid of the experienced Angelo Matthews in his first over - getting a faint edge through to Latham to take the score to 5/59.
Thisara Perera (27) and opener Dimuth Karunaratne (52no) put together a partnership of 52 before Perera fell to a loose shot, hitting it to Trent Boult off the bowling of Mitchell Santner.
Isuru Udana (zero), Suranga Lakmal (seven), and Lasith Malinga (one) fell within five overs of each other which left captain Kurunaratne stranded at the other end on 52 not out to become the second man in Cricket World Cup history to carry his bat through an innings - joining the West Indies batsmen Ridley Jacobs from 1999.
In reply, it never looked much harder than a walk in the park for the Kiwis - Martin Guptill (73no) and Colin Munro (58no) cruising to a 10 wicket win.
The pair went about the run chase with power and precision, hitting a combined 17 boundaries including three big sixes to complete the 10 wicket thrashing in a performance that could be rewarded when deciding sides to make the semi-finals based on net run rates.
The Blackcaps sit second on the table, just behind the West Indies - the Kiwis will now head to London where they will take on Bangladesh at The Oval on Thursday, June 6 (NZ time).
Newshub.
