Fleming: We were poor

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The Kiwis mustered 219 for seven on the back of Scott Styris' fourth one-day international hundred - but it proved nowhere near enough as half-centuries from Sanath Jayasuriya (64) and Kumar Sangakkara (69no) saw Sri Lanka home with almost five overs to spare.

"It was a poor performance. It was just a day when we couldn't get anything going," said Fleming. "The whole way through, particularly with our batting, they just stunted any momentum we had."

The Kiwis were four for two in the third over - thanks to man-of-the-match Chaminda Vaas (three for 33) - and then faltered again to 154 for seven.

Only Styris' 111 not out salvaged a total of any substance.

"Pete Fulton's wicket, Jacob Oram's wicket - every time we got near to parity we just lost wickets," added Fleming.

"It was a tough day decision-wise to try to get things right.

"We opted to bat first, get a score on the board and hope it would get lower and slower."

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said: "We got early wickets, and Vaasy bowled brilliantly. Then (Muttiah) Murali(tharan) took wickets in the middle, and we never let them get loose.

"I thought 250-260 probably would have been a tough run chase on that wicket."