Tailender Michael Mason hit the last ball of the match for four to give New Zealand [ Images ] a thrilling one-wicket win over Sri Lanka [ Images ] in their second limited-overs international at Queenstown on Sunday.

Mason drove Sri Lankan spinner Sanath Jayasuriya [ Images ] over his head for a boundary to help New Zealand finish with 228 for nine in reply to Sri Lanka's 224-7 as the home side squared the five-match series.

New Zealand needed just one run off the final over but with James Franklin unbeaten on 45 at the non-striker's end, Mason was left with the responsibility.

The number 11 batsmen failed to score off the first five balls from Jayasuriya, including a gifted waist-high full toss outside off-stump, before dancing down the pitch and chancing his arm off the last delivery.

New Zealand always looked to have the match in control until a late stutter with the bat.

They restricted the visitors to 224-7 despite a fine 89 off 122 balls from Kumar Sangakkara [ Images ], 31 from Chamara Silva and 29 from Farveez Maharoof.

James Marshall (50) and Brendon McCullum [ Images ] (32) provided New Zealand with the perfect platform to chase victory with an opening stand of 57 before Muttiah Muralitharan [ Images ] struck three times.

The Sri Lankan off spinner trapped Peter Fulton [ Images ] lbw for two, had Craig McMillan [ Images ] caught for the same score then trapped Andre Adams lbw for six to leave New Zealand in deep trouble.

Franklin, 26, came in with the score on 141-6 and began cautiously until he was forced to take on the senior role once the last recognised batsman had gone.

Franklin, who has a test century to his credit but had never made more than 29 in his 45 previous one-day-internationals, batted with the perfect mixture of poise and aggression to get his team across the line.

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the series opener in Napier [ Images ] on Thursday. The third match is in Christchurch on Tuesday.

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