Rain washes out New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI

Auckland, New Zealand: Rain forced the abandonment of Saturday's one-day game between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, leaving the seven-match series tied at 1-1.

Opener Martin Guptill had made a timely return to form, scoring an unbeaten 66 as New Zealand reached 145-3, before rain washed out the match in the 29th over.

Players were chased from the field when New Zealand was 88-1 after 18 overs and again at 131-1 after 25 overs before the final deluge.

Guptill's 20th one-day international half century was timely, as his place in New Zealand's World Cup squad had been questioned after a run of low scores.

The right-handed opener made a duck in the first match at Christchurch, which New Zealand won by three wickets, and 10 in the second at Hamilton which Sri Lanka won by six wickets. He had been past 50 only once in the past year.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was out cheaply for the first time in the series, making 28, and a more confident Guptill then blossomed, reaching his half century from a 64 balls with his third six.

Gutill share a 99-run partnership with Tom Latham for the second wicket. Latham had also been under pressure as 11 innings had elapsed since his last ODI half century.