WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 16 Black Caps sweep ODI series Tons for Taylor, Nicholls as New Zealand seal series 3-0 against

Ross Taylor’s 20th New Zealand • M. Guptill c Mendis b Malinga 2 century tightened the C. Munro b Malinga 21 34-year-old’s grip on the K. Williamson c de Silva b Sandakan 55 New Zealand record R. Taylor c de Silva b Malinga 137 for one-day tons that H. Nicholls 124 J. Neesham not out 12 he already holds Extras: (b1, lb5, nb1, w6) 13 Total: (for 4 ; 50 overs) 364 AFP | Nelson, New Zealand Sri Lanka N. Dickwella c Ferguson b Neesham 46 eteran D. de Silva lbw Southee 36 and rising star Henry K. Perera c Seifert b Ferguson 43 VNicholls both smashed K. Mendis run out (Williamson/Seifert) 0 centuries as New Zealand beat D. Shanaka lbw Sodhi 2 Sri Lanka by 115 runs in the third T. Perera c Guptill b Ferguson 80 one-day international in Nelson M. Gunathilaka b Ferguson 31 yesterday to complete a 3-0 se- P. Chameera c Southee b Ferguson 1 ries whitewash. L. Malinga (Seifert/Sodhi) 0 Taylor top-scored with 137, L. Sandakan not out 0 and Nicholls was unbeaten on N. Pradeep b Sodhi 0 124 off just 80 balls, lifting the Extras: (lb4, w7) 10 hosts to 364 for four after they Total: (all out; 41.4 overs) 249 lost the toss and were sent in Result: New Zealand win by 115 runs to bat. Series: New Zealand 3-0 It was a record ODI score at Nelson’s Saxton Oval, where the average is just 275, and Sri Lanka overs. never looked like reaching the Sri Lanka made a bright start mammoth total. to the run chase, scoring free- They were all out for 249 in ly before Tim Southee trapped Dhananjaya de Silva lbw on 36. The run rate then slowed to a crawl when the tourists lost New Zealand’s Ross Taylor plays a shot three wickets for 10 runs to the 42nd over, throwing away this year’s World Cup. he said. on 55, Taylor and Nicholls plun- slump to 117 for four, with Niro- their final four wickets without It was Nicholls’ maiden ODI dered the Sri Lanka attack with shan Dickwella and Kusal Men- KNOW WHAT scoring a run as the series ended ton and the 27-year-old will hope Tail-end collapse an aggressive 154-run stand. dis departing within the space with a whimper. his strong Test form is finally In his last 11 ODI innings Tay- Sri Lanka Lasith Ma- of two balls. , who scored a transferring to the limited overs lor has scored three centuries linga had ousted openers Martin Worse was to come after New Zealand batsman blistering 140 in the second ODI, format. and six half centuries. Guptill and Colin Munro cheap- Perera fell to a spectacular Ross Taylor went past was again the tourists’ standout Taylor’s 20th ODI century He came to the crease with ly but was expensive in the long one-handed catch from Guptill, India’s Virat Kohli and performer, racing to 80 in 63 tightened the 34-year-old’s grip New Zealand struggling at 31 for run, leaking 93 runs from his 10 triggering a tail-end collapse. Sachin Tendulkar in balls. on the New Zealand record he two but combined with skipper overs. Dushmantha Chameera went the list of most consec- With the series already decid- already holds for one-day cen- Kane Williamson for a 116-run Sri Lanka’s senior bowlers with Sri Lanka on 249, only for ed, Nicholls and Taylor used the turies. partnership to steady the in - were all wayward, particularly Danushka Gunathilaka, Malinga utive 50+ scores in ODI dead rubber to send a message to “I’m getting old and hopefully nings. at the death, as the tourists con- and Nuwan Pradeep to all depart New Zealand selectors ahead of I’ve got a few more left in me,” When Williamson departed ceded 57 runs in the final three without furthering the score.

Solari in the dark about VAR Tomic warms up for Kyrgios clash, after Madrid penalty controversy Slam with season-opening win

I’m looking forward to playing Nick, for practice it’s unbelievable. I’ve had some stuff I’ve had to work on during the last couple of weeks BERNARD TOMIC

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid is tackled by Geronimo Rulli of Real Sociedad ranked 142nd and apparently fed up with tennis, now seems AFP | Madrid then decided against con - to have settled down. sulting the VAR team, which The same may not apply to eal Madrid coach Santia- did not refer the incident to Kyrgios, who finished his season Rgo Solari yesterday called Munuera. in October through an elbow for the video assistant referee “The rules have to be clear,” injury. rules to be made clearer after Solari told reporters. “If the He has spent recent months at admitting he has no idea how rules are clear and we know home in Canberra, playing bas- the system works following when it can be used, that’s ketball and doing charity work penalty controversy at the going to help everyone’s un- while speaking with mental weekend. derstanding, not just for the Bernard Tomic of Australia (L) looks at Jack Sock of the US during the first day of the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne health professionals in hopes of Madrid fell to a limp 2-0 de- players but the fans as well. AFP | Melbourne bounced back after on-and-off “Nick and I have played many regaining the competitive spirit feat 2-0 at home to Real So - “It happens to me as a spec- court issues to win his first ATP many times in practice, we’re which once took him to 13th in ciedad in La Liga on Sunday, tator too. I’m not even sure ernard Tomic won his first title since 2015 at Chengdu in good friends. This will be our the world. and were denied a penalty in what the process is with VAR.” Bcompetitive outing of the September -- overcame Sock in last opportunity to practise be- On Monday, he played in a the second half while they still FIFA rules state that VAR can season yesterday, beating Amer- three tight sets. cause in five days it’s the Aus- Fast4 exhibition event in Sydney trailed by a single goal. be used in relation to goals, ican Jack Sock in a pre-Austral- After winning 5-7, 6-4, 10-6, tralian Open,” Tomic said after along with Rafael Nadal. Solari was incensed after penalties, red cards and cases ian Open tune-up that will also Tomic is looking ahead to his putting in what he termed a de- “I’m looking forward to play- referee Jose Munuera ruled of mistaken identity. see him take on fellow livewire clash today against Kyrgios, who cent performance against the ing Nick, for practice it’s un - that Madrid forward Vinicius The referee can either re- Australian Nick Kyrgios. has also been struggling with 106th-ranked Sock. believable. I’ve had some stuff Junior was not fouled by So- quest a review from his video In the opening match of the form and motivation. The pair The formerly troubled Tom- I’ve had to work on during the ciedad goalkeeper Geronimo assistant or the video assistant Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, have never played on the ATP ic, who failed to qualify a year last couple of weeks,” Tomic Rulli while bearing down on can recommend a review to 83rd-ranked Tomic -- who Tour. ago for the Open when he was said. goal in the 65th minute and the referee.