Cricket: NZ left in dark as Sri Lanka get away

Scoreboard

Bad light stopped play in the first test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand 25 minutes early ... but the lights went out much earlier for Daniel Vettori's team yesterday.

After a strong start that had Sri Lanka down two wickets for only 16 runs, the tourists quickly lost control as opener Tillakaratne Dilshan blazed his way to 92 from only 72 balls.

His departure after he played an Iain O'Brien delivery on to his stumps brought no relief for New Zealand.

Instead, it opened the way for Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera to continue the Sri Lankan run harvest.

At stumps, Sri Lanka were comfortably in command at 293 for three. Jayawardene was on 108 and and Samaraweera on 82.

Dilshan's departure shortly after lunch when he chopped an enticing O'Brien delivery onto his middle stump was greeted with only muted celebration by a New Zealand team who knew the damage he had inflicted might already be irreparable.

Opening an innings for the first time in his 56-test career, the explosive right hander dragged Sri Lanka out of early trouble by blasting Sri Lanka's swiftest test 50, from 30 balls.

A shortened opening session, after morning showers delayed the start by 90 minutes, probably prevented Dilshan becoming test cricket's fourth centurion before lunch on an opening day.

The 32-year-old was within range of what would have been a big century, overtaking Jayawardene's 81-ball whirlwind at Bangladesh's expense in Colombo seven years ago, when O'Brien's luck changed momentarily.

The Wellingtonian had borne the brunt of Dilshan's full-frontal assault - his four overs with the new ball conceded 40 as the right hander took the long handle to New Zealand's attack.

Chris Martin justified Daniel Vettori's attack to bowl first by removing Tharanga Paranavitana for a third-ball duck and captain Kumar Sangakkara for eight in his next over.

But Dilshan led the recovery by stroking a dozen effortless boundaries and a six as he posted 118 for the third wicket at a fast clip with Jayawardene.

Sri Lanka's former captain was content to assume a support role until he took control of a fourth wicket stand with Samaraweera worth an undefeated 159 at stumps.

Dilshan's demise slowed a scoring rate that had taken on one-day dimensions but New Zealand's five-pronged attack was never able to cause any anxiety.

Jayawardene's century came from 201 balls - the 201st a short one from O'Brien that gave him his 13th boundary and the ton.

Earlier, Paranavitana was powerless to prevent the third ball of the morning angling in and clipping his bat en route to Brendon McCullum.

Martin then claimed his 162nd victim when Sangakkara clipped a half volley to Daniel Flynn at mid-wicket.

The fast bowler had the leading figures of two for 59 from 15 overs.

Vettori did his utmost to apply the brakes, and his 24 overs cost an economical 40 runs. O'Brien's 14 overs cost 90 runs.

- NZPA