Cricket: Slow and steady approach for Black Caps

COLOMBO - Daniel Vettori has implored his batsmen to adopt Mahela Jayawardene's game plan as New Zealand's cricketers return to the daily grind against Sri Lanka today.

Ideally the second test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground will last five days and New Zealand can secure at least a draw, but that seems unlikely given Sri Lanka's almost total domination of last week's series opener.

Tillakaratne Dilshan's stunning 92-run counter attack and then rapid century helped condemn New Zealand to a heavy defeat.

But Vettori was adamant New Zealand's strokemakers must not attempt to follow Dilshan's lead, though Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder share the same enterprising tendencies.

Instead he wants his inconsistent top order to mirror Jayawardene's practically unheralded 114 in Sri Lanka's first innings as crease occupation is again the priority.

New Zealand were locked in damage control mode once Sri Lanka posted 452, marking time by being content to plod along at 2.5 runs per over in a first innings that fell 153 short.

Asked if New Zealand might be more attacking, Vettori was straight on the defensive.

"No, I think that's where we'll get ourselves into trouble, we have to sustain ourselves longer in the game," he said, identifying patient run construction as crucial.

Opener Tim McIntosh met those expectations in the New Zealand's first innings, using 74.1 overs to make his 69. Vettori then assumed the role before New Zealand folded a second time, his 67 took 122 balls - more than twice the amount any other of the specialist batsman faced.

In stark contrast to Dilshan's near-century, Jayawardene's ton and a controlled 159 from Thilan Samaraweera, New Zealand's biggest top order contributor in the first innings - outside of McIntosh - was Jesse Ryder's 42.

"I think we proved we can bat periods of time but we have to get away from the 30s and 40s," Vettori said.

"We need to turn them into hundreds or that's going to be the main difference between the two sides."

Vettori, who has put his specialist batsmen to shame by averaging 54.83 this year, yearned for a style of run accumulation that has been a hallmark of Jayawardene's 106-test career.

"We're selling ourselves a little bit short with performances, guys aren't grinding it out to get that result," he said.

"Look at Jayawardene, he almost dead batted his way to a hundred. He made sure he got the job done, that's the responsibility our guys have to take on board."

New Zealand will be praying Jayawardene doesn't provide another master class when Sri Lanka bat, though given his record at his home ground it seems likely the elegant right hander will prosper.

Nine of his 26 test hundreds have been acknowledged at the SSC, including his career-best 374 against South Africa three years ago when he was captain.

Kumar Sangakkara has that role now and was suitably cagey when quizzed on the configuration of his bowling attack, refusing to make a definitive call between Ajantha Mendis and left armer orthodox spinner Ragana Herath.

Mendis was consigned to a containment role in Galle as his amazing introduction to test cricket against India 13 months ago continued to lose its wicket-taking lustre.

The 24-year-old was omitted from last month's final test against Pakistan after nailing a moderate five wickets at 43.40.

New Zealand, notoriously flaky against quality slow bowling, then limited him to a match analysis of three for 135, figures at odds with his stunning debut series.

However, Sangakkara was quick to defend Mendis.

"He may not have looked as dangerous as we would have wanted or how he is perceived to be, but one thing he did was put an enormous amount of pressure on the batsmen not to play strokes," he said.

"They didn't look to attack and that created a lot of pressure."

Herath, unfortunate to make way for Mendis once Muralitharan returned from injury, doesn't have the same array of variations but he still succeeded in undermining the Pakistanis by taking 15 wickets.

Allrounder Angelo Mathews won't be asked to risk his strained hamstring as Sangakkara needs him for the limited overs component of the tour and especially next month's Champions Trophy in South Africa.

He is replaced by batting allrounder Chamara Kapugedera. New Zealand are expected to alter their seam attack by bringing in Daryl Tuffey for Iain O'Brien.

- NZPA