Auckland: Sanath Jayasuriya scored 70 from 44 balls, hitting seven fours and five sixes, to lift Sri Lanka to 262 for six in the fourth limited-overs cricket match against New Zealand today.

Opening the Sri Lankan innings after it had won the toss and batted, Jayasuriya attacked the New Zealand bowlers mercilessly, dashing to his half-century from 32 balls.

 He took full advantage of Eden Park's short boundaries, hitting four of his five sixes within five balls to carry Sri Lanka to 102 before he was out in the 15th over.

Sri Lanka's innings tottered briefly as it lost three wickets for one run to the bowling of Mark Gillespie in two overs, slipping to 103 for three before Kumar Sangakkara recovered the innings with a heady 79.

While Jayasuriya scored his runs at a blistering pace, Sangakkara batted sensibly through the middle of the innings, putting on 91 for the fourth wicket with Marvan Atappatu (34) and 38 for the fifth with Chamara Kapugedera.
 

The Sri Lankan run rate fell away sharply after Jayasuriya's spectacular start as Sangakkara and Atapattu relied on singles to build a partnership which spanned 24 overs.

Sangakkara had picked up the rate again before his dismissal, caught in the deep by Ross Taylor off Shane Bond, in the 47th over when Sri Lanka was 232.

  He took his 79 runs from 103 balls with eight fours and a six. Farveez Maharoof then smashed 21 from 10 balls, hitting a four and two sixes, to accelerate Sri Lanka's scoring even further.

 Gillespie finished with three for 39 from 10 overs and Bond two for 47.