Corey Anderson scored a composed 81 as New Zealand lurched to a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday in the first of seven one-day matches between the two sides before next month's World Cup.
Anderson strode to the crease with New Zealand 77 for four at Hagley Oval in Christchurch and steadied the innings in a partnership with Luke Ronchi.
He then guided them to within the sight of victory alongside Nathan McCullum before he was dismissed with 10 runs needed as the hosts made 219-7 in 43 overs, chasing Sri Lanka's 218-9.
Mahela Jayawardene had anchored Sri Lanka's innings with his 18th one-day century, before their spinners Sachithra Senanayake and Tillakaratne Dilshan showed how dangerous they could be in the World Cup as they put the middle order under pressure.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum had got his side off to a blistering start with a 19-ball half century before he was deceived by Senanayake and stumped by Kumar Sangakkara for 51.
The dismissal of the captain, who belted three sixes and six boundaries in his 22-ball stay, sparked a slump as two further wickets fell for 14 runs to leave New Zealand in trouble at 77-4.
Sri Lanka's innings had been built around Jayawardene, though the 37-year-old did get some middle order assistance from Lahiru Thirimanne (23) and Jeevan Mendis (23) in partnerships worth 118 runs.
Jayawardene appeared effortless in his innings working the ball into space, though he did tempt fate with several short singles that would, had the fielders' throw at the stumps hit, have run him out comfortably.
The veteran, who will retire after the World Cup, was dismissed for 104, which included 12 boundaries and a six.
New Zealand's Mitchell McClenaghan took three wickets in the 47th over and finished with figures of 4-36, while Adam Milne, who had dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne and Kumar Sangakkara cheaply to reduce the visitors to 16 for two, finished with 2-37.
