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The Recap of NZ Vs SL, 2nd ODI at Queenstown by Mayura Sathiyaselvan, December 31, 2006 (Link to Scorecard)

New Zealand have won a last ball thriller at the picturesque Queenstown Events Centre to even the 5 match ODI series after two encounters. James Franklin was the Kiwis' hero with a calm and collective 45 to steer New Zealand to victory after some middle order jitters against spin whiz Muttiah Muralitharan had the Kiwis languishing.

After being sent in by New Zealand skipper Dan Vettori, the Lankans quickly realized life was not going to be as it was in Napier. Sanath Jayasuriya – who played one of his better one day knocks in recent times, was lucky to be given not out off a leg side delivery that clipped the glove in the first over. However, justice was somewhat served when in the next over, the ball ricocheted off his body into the stumps, and the master blaster was dismissed for only 1 off Michael Mason. The New Zealand seam bowlers rebounded after their slaughtering in Napier with some consistent bowling and were rewarded when Mark Gillespie bowled a corker of a delivery to dismiss the out of form Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene. Gillespie showed why the selectors picked him with the ball swinging a mile through the air and totally baffling the Lankan skipper.

A promising partnership between Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara came to an untimely end, when Tharanga – perhaps over buoyed by consecutive pull shots for boundaries, played loosely outside off-stump and was taken expertly by Ross Taylor at slip off the bowling of Michael Mason. Sangakkara held the innings together with a majestic innings and the forgotten man of Sri Lankan cricket Marvan Attapattu looked like he was finding some form when he was fooled by a Vettori arm ball, and was dismissed for 22. Chamara Silva – the Basin Reserve test match sensation, joined Sangakkara and the two played beautifully until Sangakaara was tragically run out at the non strikers end after backing up too far. At times reminiscent of the great David Gower, his stylish 89 included 10 boundaries. Sri Lanka then lost their way with the quick departures of Silva who flashed at one outside off and guided it to Hamish Marshall for 31, and then the out of sorts Tillekeratne Dilshan who lofted a rank full toss straight to Taylor at deep square leg. A late flurry from Farveez Maharoof (29) and Chaminda Vaas (9) took the Lankans to a fairly respectable 224/7 given their earlier predicament. Vettori was the best of the Kiwi bowlers with 1 for 37 and Gillespie and Mason responded their drubbing in Napier with 2 wickets a piece.

The New Zealand chase started well with two inexperienced openers. Brendon McCullum seems to be warming to his role at the top of the NZ batting order, and played some swashbuckling shots before he was given a horrible LBW decision off Maharoof’s first over. His 32 came off only 24 deliveries and included 5 fours and one lusty six over square leg. James Marshall played his best international innings to date with some nice shots through the offside, and whilst he was together with golden boy Ross Taylor, NZ looked as if they were cruising to victory. However, Marshall ran out Taylor for 15 with a suicidal run and once Peter Fulton was bamboozled by Muralitharan and trapped plumb in front for 2, things were in the balance.

James Marshall then ran himself out just after completing his maiden half century, and when Craig McMillan – back after a year long hiatus – was made to look stupid by a Murali doosra special and was heading back ot the pavilion for 2, Sri Lanka looked to have seized control. New Zealand’s experiment with Vettori batting at 5 didn’t pay off once again when Lasith Malinga came to the party with a gem of a Yorker and the skipper was gone for 19, leaving Hamish Marshall and James Franklin with a lot of work to do to get the Black Caps back into the game. Hamish Marshall played nicely for a crucial 29 before lobbing one back to a gleeful Dilshan, and when Murali trapped Andre Adams in front for 6, the end seemed nigh. Murali finished with the fine figures of 3 for 31 from his allotment.

But there was another twist in this tale and Mark Gillespie and Franklin edged, nudged and squeezed themselves to within 2 runs of victory before Gillespie holed out trying to hit the winning runs. After a Chaminda Vaas wide guaranteed at least a tie for NZ, Sanath Jayasuriya started bowling the last over with NZ needed one run for victory with the number 11, Michael Mason at the wicket. After 5 consecutive dot balls a tie looked imminent, however an unexpected Mason blow down the ground on the last ball sealed a monumental win for the home side.

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