PALLEKELE, Monday – Mitchell Santner said that New Zealand were lucky to win the first T20 International against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Stadium on Sunday after they chased down a target of 175 to win by five wickets with three balls to spare.
Shortly before the rain came New Zealand had lost the last of their recognised batsmen Ross Taylor for a dominant 48 off 29 balls and required 31 off the last 19 balls.
Santner scored 14 not out of those runs off eight balls and with Daryl Mitchell (25 n.o.) knocked the runs off with each of them hitting a six.
“It was a good contest out there it was a hard ball game ebbs and flows throughout. We were lucky to get on the right side of a tough one. Come two days time Sri Lanka is going to come back strongly and it is going to be another good game,” said Santner.
“We were confident of the target of 175. In the past it has been quite high scoring here and saying that the way the Sri Lankans finished their innings with the bat it was 168 for a while and there was some good strikes in the end that took some momentum into the second innings.
“We knew we had to bat deep and try and build partnerships. In this kind of chase you need a couple of nice partnerships we are lucky enough that (Ross) Taylor and (Colin) de Grandhomme set up a nice little partnership and gave us a little bit of target to try and chase,” he said.
Santner put down the win to the 79 runs partnership off 37 balls between Grandhomme and Taylor.
“We know how hard De Grandhomme can hit the ball and he showed that tonight. He also rotated the strike very well with Ross Taylor. That partnership set us up for the win tonight. If we had lost another wicket it would have been tough,” said Santner. “De Grandhomme batting for us is a really good thing, when he gets going it’s tough to stop. Ross is turning back the clock he is hitting boundaries like he used to do so.”
Santner said they were wary of the wiles of Lasith Malinga and the way to be successful against him is to see his four overs off without conceding a wicket.
“He’s been a legend and he’s been very good for a long time. It’s one of those things the yorkers come in but you still can’t help it. He bowled outstandingly in his first spell but we managed to bat throughout the middle. But he came back and took a wicket which he has done throughout his whole career,” said Santner.
Malinga got the wickets crucial wickets of two powerful hitters of the ball Colin Munro (0) and de Grandhomme (44) with his traditional yorkers to finish with two wickets for 24.
“It’s one of those things we have to try maybe to take him for six runs an over and make him go for 24 off his four and not try to give wickets and go at the other bowlers. But credit to the way he bowled upfront swinging the way he is, it’s hard to play, you ask the other batters,” said Santner.
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