Cricket: First test ends in draw

Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (C) celebrates after getting the wicket of NZ's Brendon McCullum. Picture / Reuters

Sri Lanka faced just nine balls in their second innings before bad light stopped play early and the first test against New Zealand ended in a draw at McLean Park in Napier today.

Set an unlikely 302 to win off 29 overs, the tourists reached seven without loss off 1.3 overs before play was halted for bad light at 4.05pm (local time).

Earlier, captain Stephen Fleming returned from a hand injury to score 41 in 155 minutes and guide New Zealand to safety as they were dismissed for 238 in their second innings.

He saved New Zealand from trouble at 148 for seven at lunch, a lead of just 211.

Sri Lankan paceman Lasith Malinga was the bowling standout, taking his first test bag of five wickets, five for 80, to end with nine wickets for the match.

The second and final test starts on Monday in Wellington.


New Zealand

First innings 561

Second innings (64-2 overnight)

C Cumming lbw b Malinga 16
J Marshall lbw b Jayasuriya 39
H Marshall lbw b Malinga 6
P Wiseman lbw b Malinga 0
S Fleming c Kulasekara b Malinga 41
N Astle run out 19
L Vincent b Chandana 52
B McCullum c Samaraweera b Jayasuriya 7
J Franklin b Malinga 7
K Mills c Jayasuriya b Herath 22
C Martin not out 4

Extras (6b, 7lb, 10nb, 2w) 25

Total (92.4 overs) 238

Fall: 51 (Cumming), 64 (H Marshall), 69 (Wiseman), 85 (J Marshall), 115 (Astle), 128 (McCullum), 148 (Franklin), 181 (Vincent), 222 (Mills), 238 (Fleming).

Bowling: C Vaas 17-4-38-0 (5nb), L Malinga 24.4-4-80-5 (2nb, 2w), N Kulasekara 11-2-19-0 (3nb), R Herath 11-4-29-1, S Jayasuriya 21-8-41-2, T Samaraweera 1-0-6-0, U Chandana 7-2-12-1.

Sri Lanka

First innings 498

Second innings

M Atapattu not out 2
S Jayasuriya not out 5
Extras 0
Total (for 0 wkts, 1.3 overs) 7

Bowling: C Martin 1-0-1-0, J Franklin 0.3-0-6-0.

Result: Draw.
- NZPA