Batting all-rounder Corey Anderson's splendid knock of 81 runs guided New Zealand to a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the nation's first ODI of the year. This is the second year in a row that Anderson has helped New Zealand grab a win in their first ODI of the year, as earlier on January 1, 2014 the all-rounder remained unbeaten on 131 off just 47 balls. That ton came off 36-balls, making him a world record holder.
However, it was a different kind of innings from Anderson on Sunday that that helped New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by three wickets with seven overs to spare, at Christchurch's Hagley Oval, Stuff.co.nz reported. Sri Lanka had set a total of 219 to win after opting to bat first. Former skipper Mahela Jayawardene's amazing knock of 104 runs off 107 deliveries helped the tourists put up a respectable score of 218 in their allotted 50 overs. Four other Sri Lanka batsman managed to get past ten runs, with opener Tillakaratne Dilshan scoring just 19, skipper Angelo Mathews scoring 15, and Lahiru Thirimanne and Jeevan Mendis scoring 23 each.
Rest of the tourists all fell before crossing the double-digit stop. After New Zealand went in to bat they lost their opener Martin Guptill for a duck. Skipper Brendon McCullum stabled New Zealand's ship with his half-century, which came off just 22 balls. However, the pressure remained on New Zealand and wickets rapidly fell before Anderson came to the crease with the hosts at 77-4.
McCullum equalled his own record, one that he already shared with Ross Taylor, for the fastest New Zealand ODI 50, off 19 balls and his blitz included six fours and three sixes. Anderson first teamed up with Luke Ronchi (17) to put on 48 for the sixth and then went on to score 81 off 96 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six. New Zealand needed just 10 more to win when he was trapped LBW by Tillakaratne Dilshan. Eventually the hosts won the match, thanks to Nathan McCullum who remained unbeaten on 25 and Adam Milne who remained unbeaten on seven runs, with seven overs to spare.
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