Sri Lanka topple NZ in final ODI

The Black Caps had already sewn up the series, but Sri Lanka ensured the final score read 4-2 thanks to a 21st ODI century from Kumar Sangakkara and two debut wickets from Dushmantha Chameera.

Kane Williamson top-scored for New Zealand with 54, and a late rally from Luke Ronchi and Daniel Vettori was suppressed in the final 15 overs before Sri Lanka's 287 for six was really threatened.

The Lions' innings was built around Sangakkara's unbeaten 113 - he put on 104 for the second wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan (81).

Sri Lanka won the toss and openers Dilshan and Lahiru Thirimanne put on 71 in 15 overs, seeing off the hosts' new-ball attack in disciplined fashion.

But the first over after the drinks break ended with Corey Anderson pinning Thirimanne lbw for 30.

Dilshan reached his half-century from 62 balls with a scampered single having hit only four boundaries, the pick of them a whip over backward square leg off Mitchell McClenaghan and a back-foot blast in front of point off Tim Southee.

He celebrated with two more in the next over from Vettori, though, including a slog-sweep for his first six.

Sangakkara found the rope seven times in a 52-ball half-century before Dilshan, with a century in sight, edged Southee to wicketkeeper Ronchi.

Mahela Jayawardene made 13 before fending Southee to the tumbling Ronchi, and Seekkuge Prasanna and Dinesh Chandimal fell cheaply to leave Sri Lanka 231 for five and in danger of wasting their platform.

But Thisara Perera hammered a quick 20 and Sangakkara then took over once more.

A powerful cover drive off McClenaghan looked to have taken him to his century, but some brilliant boundary fielding by Anderson delayed the inevitable.

A pull for his 12th four later in the over took Sangakkara to the landmark, from exactly 100 balls. Two more boundaries in the last over brought the innings to a good finish.

New Zealand lost Martin Guptill to the first ball of their reply, pinned lbw by Nuwan Kulasekara's inswinger.

And when Shaminda Eranga bowled Tom Latham off bat and pad they were deep in trouble at 11 for two.

Ross Taylor followed as he chopped debutant Chameera onto the stumps for 11 with the fastest ball of the day.

The 23-year-old's strong start continued as he picked up another wicket when getting Grant Elliott to carve high to the fielder at deep cover, a steady knock of 24 coming to an end before Dilshan removed half-centurion Williamson on 54 as Jayawardene took the catch at short backward square.

When Anderson edged Eranga's delivery to Sangakkara, it looked like New Zealand's race was run, but Ronchi and Vettori would steady the ship for a while.

The former put on 47 runs - including four fours and a six - from 42 balls while the veteran Vettori found the boundary rope six times on his way to clubbing 35 runs off 30 balls.

Ronchi would eventually fall to a perfect yorker from Nuwan Kulasekara and Prasanna removed Vettori as the former Black Caps captain played down the wrong line.

The removal of Southee for a single by Perera sounded the death knell to New Zealand's challenge, and the match was over when Kyle Mills was run out for 30 by Sangakkara off Prasanna.