Auckland, January 6:

New Zealand crashed to their worst ever one-day cricket loss in a humiliating 189-run defeat conjured by some magic from Sri Lankan veterans Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas.

New Zealand could only muster 73 runs — their second lowest ever one day total — in chasing the tourists’ solid 262-6.

A whirlwind 70 off 44 balls by Jayasuriya provided the fireworks in the Sri Lankan innings. Another important contribution came from Kumar Sangakkara (79). In reply New Zealand had no answer to a great spell of in-swing bowling from 32-year-old Vaas. He trapped Stephen Fleming (0), Ross Taylor (0) and Hamish Marshall (3) in successive overs to finish with 3-10.

The series is now tied at 2-2 with one match left to play on Tuesday. Jayasuriya brought the crowd alive with his seven fours and five sixes. He hit three consecutive sixes off Michael Mason and another off the first ball of the next over from Mark Gillespie to sc-ore four consecutive sixes.