Ferguson’s hattrick heroics steer Black Caps to unlikely T20 win

Lockie Ferguson’s hattrick and another near hattrick from Glenn Phillips in the final over have inspired New Zealand to a thrilling Twenty20 victory over Sri Lanka with one ball to spare at Dambulla.

Sent into bat first, the Black Caps lost opener Tim Robinson with the first ball, failed to bat out their overs and never established a substantial run rate, eventually dismissed for just 108.

Opener Will Young led the batting effort with 30, while allrounder Josh Clarkson (24) played his part near the end, before he was bowled with an over remaining.

“Slightly slower wickets than we’re used to at home, but we need to find a method and dig in,” reflected captain Mitch Santner. “Today, we went too hard too early, assumed the par score to be more than what it was.”

In normal circumstances, that total is not defendable, but these Black Caps — even these second-stringers — have shown their ability for the impossible.

In their chase, the home team were never challenged by the required run rate, but could not build partnerships. Opener Pathum Nissanka anchored the innings with 52 runs, before he was one of the last to fall, but his teammates struggled to support him.

Ferguson had Kusal Perera (3) caught behind off the final delivery of the sixth over, before adding Kamindu Mendis (1) leg before wicket and Charith Asalanka for a duck with the first two balls of the eighth over for his hattrick — his first in T20 internationals and the fifth by an NZ bowler. Sri Lanka were suddenly 34/4 and reeling.

“He’s a world class bowler with his thunderbolts,” said Santner. “That was his role — few wickets in the middle and break up the spin.”

Nissanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa put on 29 runs for the fifth wicket to keep their hopes alive, but Sri Lanka were down to their tailenders, needing eight runs off the final over, with three wickets in hand.

Spinner Glenn Phillips took those three scalps in the space of four balls, dislodging Nissanka with a catch to Henry Nicholls and then coaxing an edge from Matheesha Pathirana to wicketkeeper Mitch Hay with his next delivery.

Maheesh Theeksana survived the hattrick chance, but could not resist the next ball, top-edging for Hay to take the catch, with his team still five runs short.

Hay enjoyed a record day behind the stumps, taking five catches and a stumping to set a new world T20 international record.

“At the change of innings, I just wanted the team to fight as a unit,” said Santner. “There was a bit there for seam and spin, and we spoke about taking wickets up top.

“We wanted a few more runs with the bat, but we knew it was a tricky surface. We wanted to apply pressure, bowl in right areas and let the pitch do the work.

“Lockie and GP were fantastic.”

The two sides now face each other in a three-match one-day series, starting Wednesday (NZT).

NZ 108 (Young 30, Clarkson 24, Santner 19; Hasaranga 4/17) Sri Lanka 103 (Nissanka 52, Rajapaksa 15; Ferguson 3/7, Phillips 3/6)

NZ win by five runs, series drawn 1-1