Cricket: Vettori nears rare all-rounder target

COLOMBO - In Daniel Vettori's perfect world, his imminent rise to the top echelon of test cricket's allrounders would allow him to savour the moment should it arrive against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

But deep down New Zealand cricket's man for the occasion probably realises any satisfaction derived by taking 300 wickets and scoring 3000 runs will be lessened by another incomplete performance by his team.

Vettori needs two dismissals when today's second and final test begins to become only the eighth cricketer to achieve a notable double-triple.

The 30-year-old will emulate the deeds of the club's founding member Sir Richard Hadlee and rightly so as, like his predecessor, Vettori has often carried the New Zealand team.

Vettori, New Zealand's leading bowler, most reliable batsman, tactician and now selector-in-waiting, will likely require another superlative individual performance in his 94th test to celebrate the achievement in a meaningful way.

The omens, however, count against him.

Vettori, a self-confessed stats-driven player, would not have to delve too deeply into Sri Lanka's recent test history against his team - and at this ground - to realise a draw constitutes a moral victory, and just a 0-1 series loss.

For every milestone a New Zealand player has completed on this tour, a millstone has been quick to outweigh it.

Take Chris Martin's improvement to outright fourth on New Zealand's test wick et-taking list - it was swiftly over-ridden by Tillakaratne Dilshan's momentum-shifting strokeplay last week in Galle.

Sri Lanka's 202-run victory with a session to spare emphasises the challenge New Zealand confront in rebounding from a test down to square a series for the first time since England visited in 2002.

The ease of Sri Lanka's coast home on Saturday matched the outcome o f their previous test against New Zealand - a 217-run drubbing at the Basin Reserve in 2006.

Regardless of how the numbers are crunched, New Zealand rarely emerge on the positive side of an equation.

Approaching tomorrow's toss Vettori has experienced 14 losses, seven draws and not a solitary victory against top-eight opposition on foreign pitches since the West Indies were trumped at Bridgetown in 2002.

And New Zealand's record at the SSC suggests the wretched road trip is poised to reach another luckless destination.

The draw in 1984, when Sri Lanka were just starting out as a test nation, has been followed by two heavy defeats - a nine-wicket margin in 1992 and 164-run deficit six years later.

Inevitably Muttiah Muralitharan left his imprint on both victories at a venue that has been the happiest hunting ground of his career.

The legendary spinner secured his 100th wicket at Galle International Stadium last weekend; at the SSC he has a staggering 160.

Muralitharan added seven wickets to his world record tally of 777 test scalps on a damp, discouraging surface in Galle so he can be guaranteed to cause more angst if sunshine event ually cracks up the SSC pitch.

Yet despite Muralitharan's haul, Vettori was encouraged by New Zealand's efforts against a two-pronged spin attack.

The nullifying of Ajantha Mendis amounted to a minor victory.

Mendis was a complete mystery when New Zealand's batsmen first faced him during June's ICC World Twenty20 but a radically different test line-up deciphered his deliveries fairly comfortably.

He recorded three for 135 from 57.5 economical overs, vindicating New Zealand Cricket's appointment of former Pakistani spinner Saqlain Mushtaq as a technical adviser.

"Most of the guys were pretty comfortable with picking them (Muralitharan and Mendis) and understanding what they were trying to do," Vettori said.

"That's the one positive we'll take lead ing into the next test match."

It is possible New Zealand has spiked the offspinner's short-lived recall to the test 11 after a lack of wickets saw him axed from last month's dead rubber against Pakistan.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Ragana Herath is apparently under consideration in wake of Mendis' moderate returns.

Herath, who took 15 Pakistani wickets while deputising for an i njured Muralitharan, was considered unfortunate to be culled in the first place.

Sri Lanka confirmed one change today when allrounder and third seaming option Angelo Mathews was ruled out with a hmastring strain. He has been replaced by batting allrounder Chamara Kapugedera in the 12.

Captain Kumar Sangakkara was coy on the final make-up of his attack saying the use of three spinners, as Sri Lanka did successfully here in 1998 - was an option.

New Zealand also has one selection issue to finalise.

Does Daryl Tuffey warrant his first test in five years at the expense of seamer Iain O'Brien?

Allrounders to have completed the 300-wicket/3000-run double in test matches

Richard Hadlee (NZ) 431 wickets at 22.59; 3124 runs at 27.16; 86 tests 1973-1990

Ian Botham (England) 383 wickets at 28.40; 5200 runs at 33.54, 102 tests 1977-92

Kapil Dev (India) 434 wickets at 29.64; 5248 runs at 31.05; 131 tests 1978-94

Imran Khan (Pakistan) 362 wickets at 22.81; 3807 runs at 37.69; 88 tests 1971-92

Shane Warne (Australia) 708 wickets at 25.41; 3154 runs at 17.32; 145 tests 1992-2007

Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 421 wickets at 23.11; 3781 runs at 32.31; 108 tests 1995-2008

Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) 315 wickets at 29.58; 3089 runs at 24.32; 111 tests 1994-2009

- NZPA