Cricket: Samaraweera ton sets steep target for NZ

Thilan Samaraweera resumed his torment of New Zealand's bowling attack as the occasional one-day international cricketer's maiden hundred guided Sri Lanka to a respectable 216 for seven in the Tri-Series opener at R Premadasa Stadium overnight.

Until Samaraweera produced a superbly timed 104 from 124 balls, New Zealand had applied a sleeper hold on Sri Lanka's ponderous batting line-up as Daryl Tuffey and Shane Bond marked their return to ODI duty for the first time since the 2007 World Cup with stunning early success.

But Samaraweera, man of the test series last month, ensured New Zealand face a tense pursuit under lights for 217 -- after the Sri Lankans rallied from dire straits at 69 for five in the 26th over.

Thanks to Samaraweera and able deputy Angelo Mathews, an early flurry of wickets was stifled and the boundary flow increased as New Zealand's anxiety levels rose.

They added a demoralising 122 for the sixth wicket, denying New Zealand a breakthrough for 22.2 frustrating overs while taking the score to 196.

An asking rate of 4.34 is not usually considered steep though it does have an asterix attached.

In the last 10 ODIs at the venue, the team batting first has always prevailed.

New Zealand attempt to follow England's example in October 2007 and chase successfully -- that night 212 was required.

Samaraweera -- one of five reinforcements rushed into the squad yesterday after Sri Lanka was blanked 2-0 in the Twenty20 series -- made his debut against India in 1998 but has rarely featured in the ODI squad since.

Sri Lanka's previous ODI series against Pakistan marked the end of five year's exile and contained Samaraweera's previous best score of 38 not out in 21 matches.

He eclipsed that with ease today, the compact right hander coaxing his maiden fifty from 78 balls.

Crucially young allrounder Mathews stuck around to protect a flimsy tail till the death, his 51 also providing nuisance value.

Samaraweera, who compiled 159 and 143 in the test series, became the oldest ODI cricketer to make his first hundred at 32 years and 351 days when he reached the milestone off 122 balls with nine boundaries.

He was dismissed two balls later, bowled by Ian Butler.

Initially Sri Lanka's relief at winning a key toss was short lived when the dashing Tillakaratne Dilshan (4) chopped on the last ball of the first over to give Tuffey's shock recall a perfect start.

The right-armer was promoted to the ODI squad two hours before the toss when Kyle Mills had not recovered sufficiently from illness.

Bond's ODI comeback was always scripted and he duly delivered when Mahela Jayawardene (0) was caught at slip by Ross Taylor after being surprised by a ball that lifted off a dead slow wicket.

Sanath Jayasuriya's woes then continued when he top edged Bond to Butler for seven then captain Kumar Sangakkara miscued to square leg to close a turgid 18 from 47 balls.

Sri Lanka were in strife at 38 for four and then lost another call-up Thilina Kandamby (15) before Samawareera and Mathews knuckled down.

Samaraweera, who scored two centuries in the test series, played another crucial anchoring role once arriving at the crease when Sri Lanka were 22 for three in the eighth over.

After a cautious start marked by deft placement Samaraweera added 10 boundaries, five times the amount Sri Lanka managed in their first 25 overs.

New Zealand's bowling figures never blew out but there was a steady deterioration fro m a start that was almost too good to be true.

Bond's first five overs conceded just nine as he took two wickets; his next two over burst leaked 14 and he closed with three for 43 from 10.

Butler's first four cost eight runs including a maiden -- he finished with two for 55 while Tuffey was tight throughout, his nine costing 35.

- NZPA