KEY POINTS:
Brendon McCullum's resurrection as an opening batsman succeeded last night, though the belligerent Black Cap was his own harshest critic after Sri Lanka won their weather-affected Twenty20 cricket clash at Westpac Stadium.
McCullum followed the game plan almost to the letter after New Zealand won the toss and
opted to set the target, blasting the sixth ball of the innings into the seating at extra cover.
The trademark strike to his favourite hitting zone from Chaminda Vaas signalled the start of a flurry of boundaries that saw McCullum and Stephen Fleming fast forward the score to 80 within eight overs before the New Zealand captain was bowled for 38 by a relieved Farveez Maharoof.
Although a sparkling opening stand was severed, the Black Caps were still on course for an imposing score around the 200 mark providing McCullum pared back his aggression.
But five balls later he was trailing Fleming back to the Black Caps dug out, taking with him the home side's momentum.
"Once we both get a start invariably you'll lose a wicket at some stage so it's up to the other person to make sure you get some sort of partnership going through the middle.
"A little bit of responsibility for that (not happening) goes my way," said McCullum, who clubbed 39 of 22 balls.
"It was nice to get a start but it was frustrating to get out after the fielding restrictions came off (sixth over). The only thing I'd change is try and consolidate a touch more."
James Franklin, promoted to first drop, made 18 off 15, Ross Taylor marked his return to the international fold with a run-a-ball 21 and veteran Nathan Astle (19 off 13) chimed in but the scoring rate dipped after the midway point as six wickets tumbled for 52.
New Zealand had to settle for a respectable 162 and Sri Lanka were enroute to eclipsing that target when swirling rain swept the bitterly cold arena, forcing the contest to be abandoned 5.5 overs into the tourists' chase.
Sri Lanka were awarded the match by 18 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis system and could thank evergreen opener Sanath Jayasuriya for sealing their first international Twenty20 victory.
Jayasuriya made the McCullum/Fleming partnership look positively pedestrian as he savaged Shane Bond, James Franklin and especially Andre Adams as he racked up an unbeaten 51 runs off just 23 balls.
The 37-year-old's darting slow left arm orthodox deliveries also stemmed the tide when New Zealand were batting as he removed Franklin, Astle and James Marshall for a single to record the impressive figures of three for 21 off his maximum allocation of four overs.
Muttiah Muralitharan, who suffered the indignity of swivelling to see his first ball clear the rope and bounce towards the players' tunnel, conceded 14 off his first over but soon settled on to a length and snared two for 13 off the remainder of his spell.
New Zealand blooded Wellington pace bowler Mark Gillespie - who avoided a rampant Jayasuriya as the game was called off before he was required - and Northern Districts wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan, whose contribution was also hard to gauge behind the stumps.
Sri Lanka rested yorker exponent Lasith Malinga, though he may get a burst at Eden Park on Boxing Day.
Both sides headed to Auckland today hoping they won't require their thermal clothing for the final slog before a five-match one-day series.
New Zealand coach John Bracewell was to name his squad today (1pm) for the games in Napier on Thursday and Queenstown on New Year's Eve.
Scoreboard
New Zealand
B McCullum c Tharanga b Muralitharan 39
S Fleming b Maharoof 38
J Franklin lbw b Jayasuriya 18
R Taylor lbw b Muralitharan 21
N Astle b Jayasuriya 19
J Marshall c Silva b Jayasuriya 1
P McGlashan std Sangakkara b Silva 5
A Adams not out 6
S Bond b Vaas 0
M Gillespie not out 3
Extras (8lb, 4w) 12
Total (for 8wkts, 20 overs) 162
Fall: 80 (Fleming), 82 (McCullum), 107 (Franklin), 131 (Taylor), 135 (Marshall), 150 (Astle),
156 (McGlashan), 159 (Bond)
Bowling: C Vaas 4-0-28-1, F Maharoof 3-0-30-1, D Fernando 3-0-36-0, M Muralitharan 4-0-27-2 (2w), S Jayasuriya 4-0-21-3 (2w), M Jayawardene 1-0-8-0, C Silva 1-0-4-0.
Sri Lanka
(target 163)
S Jayasuriya not out 51
U Tharanga c Fleming b Bond 6
M Jayawardene not out 2
Extras (1lb, 2w) 3
Total: (for 1 wkt, 5.5 overs) 62
Fall: 36 (Tharanga)
Bowling: S Bond 3-0-24-1 (1w), J Franklin 2-0-19-0 (1w), A Adams 0.5-0-18-0.
Result: Match abandoned because of rain. Sri Lanka win by 18 runs on Duckworth Lewis system
- NZPA