Maddy Green’s Hundred Powers New Zealand To A Thumping Win Over Sri Lanka In 2nd ODI

In a thrilling encounter at Saxton Oval, Nelson, New Zealand Women’s team registered a convincing 78-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series.

The star of the day was Maddy Green, who delivered a match-winning century, anchoring New Zealand to a formidable total. Her brilliant knock was complemented by an impressive bowling effort led by Hannah Rowe, who dismantled Sri Lanka’s batting lineup with a four-wicket haul.

With this emphatic win, New Zealand takes a 1-0 lead in the series, after the first match was washed out due to rain.

Match Summary: 2nd ODI – New Zealand Women vs Sri Lanka Women

Venue: Saxton Oval, Nelson
Date: March 7, 2025
Result: New Zealand won by 78 runs
Player of the Match: Maddy Green (100 off 109 balls)

New Zealand’s Dominant Batting Performance: Maddy Green Leads the Charge

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, New Zealand aimed to put up a competitive total on a surface that initially favored seamers. The decision proved to be a wise one, as the home team navigated through early setbacks before building a strong foundation for a match-winning total.

Early Struggles for New Zealand

The innings started with Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer opening for the White Ferns. However, Bates fell early, scoring just 5 runs, providing an early breakthrough for Sri Lanka.

Plimmer, however, held her ground, playing a steady knock of 28 off 47 balls, hitting four boundaries before she was dismissed. New Zealand then faced another hiccup as Emma McLeod (9) and Brooke Halliday (12) departed cheaply, leaving the team at 67/3 in 18 overs.

Maddy Green’s Spectacular Century Holds the Innings Together

With wickets falling around her, Maddy Green stepped up and played an exceptional knock, scoring 100 runs off 109 deliveries. Her innings was a blend of patience and aggression, as she found the gaps beautifully and kept the scoreboard ticking.

She struck seven boundaries in her knock, ensuring that New Zealand had a strong base to build upon.

Late Flourish: Kerr and Inglis Provide the Final Push

After Green’s departure, New Zealand needed a strong finish, and Jess Kerr (38 off 44) and Polly Inglis (34 off 21) provided just that. Their aggressive stroke play in the final overs helped the team cross the 240-run mark, ensuring a competitive total of 245/7 in 50 overs.

Sri Lanka’s Bowling Efforts

Despite getting some early breakthroughs, Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to restrict the runs in the later stages.

Chamari Athapaththu was the most successful bowler, picking up 2 wickets for 42 runs in her 10-over spell.
Sugandika Kumari and Achini Kulasuriya picked up a wicket each but were unable to contain the batters effectively in the middle overs.

Sri Lanka’s Struggles in the Run Chase

Chasing 246, Sri Lanka had a challenging task ahead on a surface that was still assisting the bowlers. They needed a solid start, but early wickets derailed their momentum, putting them on the back foot from the very beginning.

Sri Lanka’s Top Order Collapse

The visitors suffered a major blow early in their innings, losing Vishmi Rajapaksha Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu within the first 10 overs.

Gunaratne fell for just 8 runs, failing to provide the strong start her team needed.
Captain Chamari Athapaththu, the team’s most reliable batter, departed for 15, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 34/2.

With their key players back in the pavilion, the chase became an uphill task for the visitors.

Harshitha Samarawickrama’s Fighting Knock

Amidst the wickets tumbling at the other end, Harshitha Samarawickrama played a valiant innings, scoring 59 runs off 77 balls. She fought hard to keep Sri Lanka in the contest, striking boundaries at regular intervals.

However, she lacked adequate support from her teammates, as wickets kept falling at crucial moments.

Middle-Order Resistance: Dilhari & De Silva Chip In

Kavisha Dilhari played a composed knock of 25 off 42 balls, attempting to build a partnership with Samarawickrama.
Nilakshi de Silva contributed 20 off 44 deliveries, but both batters failed to convert their starts into big scores.

As the required run rate climbed, pressure mounted, and Sri Lanka’s middle-order crumbled under New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack.

Hannah Rowe’s Bowling Brilliance Seals the Victory

New Zealand’s bowling attack was led by Hannah Rowe, who delivered a match-winning performance with the ball.

She picked up 4 wickets for just 31 runs in 10 overs, consistently troubling the batters with her accuracy and movement off the pitch.
Rowe’s ability to extract bounce and seam movement made life difficult for the Sri Lankan batters.

She was well supported by:

Bree Illing (2/45 in 10 overs), who chipped in with crucial wickets in the middle overs.
Eden Carson (2/30 in 8.4 overs), who wrapped up the tail to complete a dominant performance.

Sri Lanka was eventually bowled out for 167 in 46.4 overs, falling 78 runs short of the target.

Player of the Match: Maddy Green

With her magnificent century that held New Zealand’s innings together, Maddy Green was rightfully awarded the Player of the Match.

Her composed 100 off 109 balls, under pressure, was the defining factor in New Zealand posting a winning total.

Key Takeaways from the Match

New Zealand’s Strengths:

Maddy Green’s batting masterclass: Her knock proved to be the match-winner.
Jess Kerr and Polly Inglis’ late acceleration: The finishing touches ensured a strong total.
Hannah Rowe’s phenomenal bowling: She led the attack with precision and effectiveness.

Sri Lanka’s Concerns:

Lack of partnerships in batting: Barring Samarawickrama, no one played a substantial innings.
Early wickets: The quick dismissals of Gunaratne and Athapaththu hurt the chase.
Inability to contain runs: The bowlers struggled in the death overs, allowing New Zealand to build a winning total.