|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 27 April 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Unbeaten double 'ton' by Kiwi skipper Fleming puts visitors on top by RANJAN ANANDAPPA A maiden double Test 'ton' by New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming (274 n.o.) put his side in an impregnable position as they relentlessly marched past the 500 run mark on the second day of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium yesterday. Fleming's previous best Test innings was also against Sri Lanka when he struck an unbeaten 174 at the R.Premadasa Stadium in 1998. New Zealand fully justified their decision electing to bat first as the Sri Lankan bowlers were made to toil in the sweltering heat prior to the declaration of the Kiwi innings at 515 for 7 after facing 174.5 overs. The Lankans who had to face six overs to complete the day, started disastrously losing opener Marvan Atapattu in the fifth ball of the first over bowled by Daryl Tuffey when he was judged lbw. Chaminda Vaas joined by Sanath Jayasuriya avoided further embarrassment when bad light ended the day's play with both batsmen unbeaten on 2. At the close, Sri Lanka were 4 for one wicket. Fleming batted with ease and distinction to flay the Sri Lankan attack for 653 minutes facing 476 deliveries and reaching the pickets on 28 occasions and once over it. He found two useful allies on his way to his double hundred, Mark Richardson and Scott Styris rendered valuable support as New Zealand piled up the runs without alarm. Fleming was associated in a 172 run stand for the second wicket with opener Mark Richardson (85) and there-after a further 157 run stand for the fourth wicket with Scott Styris (63). Skipper Hashan Tillekeratne in a desperate effort to get a breakthrough switched from one bowler to another seeking to lure the batsmen into error with the partnerships reaching menacing proportions but it was of no avail as Fleming, Richardson and Styris batted with growing confidence to systematically dismantle a tired looking Sri Lankan attack. Fleming had one or two pieces of good fortune when he was dropped twice by Mahela Jayawardena when he was on 121 and 140 in the seventh and 18th overs off Prabath Nissanka and debutant Lokuarachchi who was unlucky not to claim his first Test wicket, but Fleming batted splendidly. Sri Lanka had a fair attack but not by any means a great one - steadiness and accuracy without the touch of venom on a pitch that favoured the batsmen. Sri Lanka's catching was atrocious besides Dharmasena's catch to dismiss Horne in the first innings and the one that Vaas took to send back Styris. The fielding lapses coupled with some decisive batting by the New Zealanders particularly by Fleming who carried his plan through after electing to bat first has the match well under his control. Within a few short overs New Zealand lost three quick wickets for 28 runs, Muralitharan and Dharmasena picking up two wickets apiece and the innings which had been moving steadily was brought into abrupt halt as Fleming decided to close his innings. NEW ZEALAND - 1ST INNINGS (overnight 207-2) M. Richardson b Vaas 85 M. Horne c Dharmasena b Nissanka 4 S. Fleming not out 274 M. Sinclair c Sangakkara b Dharmasena 17 S. Styris c Vaas b Dharmasena 63 J. Oram c Lokuarachchi b Muralitharan 33 R. Hart c Jayawardena b Muralitharan 9 D. Vettori lbw b Dharmasena 7 P. Wiseman not out 16 Extras (W-1 NB-1 LB-4 B-1) 7 TOTAL (for seven wkts declared, FALL OF WICKETS: 1-20, 2-192, 3-235, 4-392, DID NOT BAT: D.Tuffey, S.Bond. BOWLING: Vaas 29-8-73-1, Nissanka 23-9-53-1, Dharmasena 40-7-132-3, Muralitharan 58.5-16-140-2 (NB-1 W-1), Lokuarachchi 18-2-83-0, Jayasuriya 6-0-29-0. SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS M. Atapattu lbw b Tuffey 0 S. Jayasuriya not out 2 C. Vaas not out 2 Extras 0 Total (for one wicket, FALL OF WICKETS: 0-1. TO BAT: K. Sangakkara, H. Tillekaratne, M. Jayawardena, R. Kaluwitharana, K. Lokuarachchi, M. Muralitharan, P. Nissanka, K.Dharmasena. BOWLING: Tuffey 1-0-1-1, Bond 0.4-0-3-0. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
