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Ronchi blasts New Zealand to victory

Williamson hundred puts Black Caps on track before Ronchi smashes 24 off an over

New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi slammed 24 runs off the 48th over to secure a four-wicket win in the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka in Nelson.

Chasing 277 after Sri Lanka won the toss and batted first at Saxton Oval, the Black Caps won with 11 balls in hand to take a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.

Ronchi's unbeaten 32 off 15 balls provided the finishing flourish, but Kane Williamson set up Tuesday's win with his fifth ODI century after New Zealand's run chase looked shaky when they lost openers Brendon McCullum for 11 and Martin Guptill for 20.

Ross Taylor's dismissal for 8 left the Black Caps 63-3 after 15 overs, but an 88-run stand for the fourth wicket rebuilt the innings until Grant Elliott's dismissal for 44 early in the 33rd over.

Williamson then built another solid partnership with Corey Anderson, adding 79 for the fifth wicket before he was clean bowled by Thisara Perera for 103 with the last ball of the 44th over.

New Zealand still looked in a good position, needing 47 to win from 36 balls, but a direct hit left Anderson (47) short of his ground an over later and the pressure was back on until Ronchi let fly with three sixes in the 48th over.

The Kiwi bowlers had earlier reined in a strong Sri Lankan start, choking the lower order after a 102-run stand for the second wicket between Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara set them up for a 300-plus total.

The visitors looked set for a big finish, but lost six wickets in the final five overs for just 31 runs.

Dilshan, whose 116 off 127 balls set up Sri Lanka's six-wicket win in the second ODI, was dismissed for 44 by Williamson in the 21st over.

Adam Milne broke up a promising partnership when he removed Sangakkara for 76 then skipper Angelo Mathews without scoring with consecutive balls in the 34th over.

Mahela Jayawardene set about regaining the initiative, combining with Lahiru Thirimanne in a 65-run stand for the fifth wicket.

But it was all downhill for the visitors once Thirimanne was clean bowled by Mitchell McClenaghan for 19 halfway through the 45th over.

Jayawardene edged a faint touch from Corey Anderson to Ronchi's safe gloves an over later, out for 96 hunting his second century of the series after stroking 104 in the first ODI.

The final four wickets fell for 23 runs as Tim Southee finished with 3-59 off his 10 overs, with Milne (2-28) and McClenaghan (2-58) also providing valuable contributions.