Black Caps in Sri Lanka

Donny · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:30 pm

Ahhhh Tilla can keep a bit, HAL, and Dena is a Sunday school teacher.

SL are 4/267 with Tillakaratne racing on to 71 and Jayawardene on 58. These two have added 133 for the 5th. wicket and are looking faily safe.

They need another 49 to avoid the follow-on.

Only 10 wickets have fallen in three days. Starting to look drawish.

Donny · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 7:23 pm

Jayawardene didn't add to his overnight score but Tillakaratne completed his century (debut as captain) as he and the recalled Kaluwitharana (76 in 90 balls) slammed on 133 for the 6th. wicket.

Tilla has moved on to 126 and has added 50 with Dharmasena (19) and Sri Lanka is 6/424 and may well lead on the first innings.

Donny · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 5:54 pm

Daniel Vettori had other ideas.

He took wickets with the first, second and sixth balls of his 33rd. over to end the innings on 483, 32 behind the NZ total.

Tilla was out for 144 and Lokuarachchi was 28 n.o.

Bond took 3/97 and Vettori, 3/94.

NZ are 0/35 after 18 overs as this game dawdles to stumps.

Donny · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 6:02 pm

Well, it is only lunch, I suppose. Let's look at the slim possibilities of a result.

For the Black Caps, they would need to 'go the bash' till about tea. They'd be 150-200 ahead and would have just the last session to dismiss the Sri Lankans.

For SL, they'd need a NZ collapse with a possible run chase of not too many more than 130 odd. Whatever they were chasing, they could open with Jaya and Kalu, treat it like a one-dayer and go for it.

Both scenarios are unlikely but stranger things have happened in this wonderful game of Test cricket.

Donny · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:01 pm

New Zealand certainly don't look interesred in going for a win. They've crawled to 3/129 from 56 overs.

Fleming is on 50 and the impossibly named Lokuarachchi has 2/35 from 14 overs.

Donny · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 10:41 pm

Ho hum. New Zealand got to 5/161, declared and the Test was called off. A draw.

Personal milestones: Fleming - 274 n.o. and 69 n.o.
Muralitharan - another 5 wickets.
Tillakaratne - century on debut as Sri Lanka captain.

Donny · Posted: Mon May 05, 2003 5:50 pm

In the rain marred second Test, New Zealand are 5/171 with Oram on 50.

Richardsonson made 55 and Styris, 32. Fleming was out for a duck.

Vaas has 2/33.

Donny · Posted: Mon May 05, 2003 9:34 pm

New Zealand made 305. Oram made 74 and Vettori, 55. Murali took 3/90.

Sri Lanka are 1/36 with Jayasuriya on 20.

Donny · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 2:17 am

At stumps, SL are 2/94. Jayasuriya is 53 n.o.

Donny · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 4:24 pm

Jaya out for 82. SL are on 3/158.

Donny · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 5:47 pm

SL are 5/195 at lunch with Tilla fighting hard on 44 n.o.

HAL · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 5:48 pm

All of them?

Donny · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 10:29 pm

I was wondering why Atapattu didn't open the innings and Vettori wasn't bowling. Here's why.

Vettori and Atapattu escape serious injury after collision
Charlie Austin - 5 May 2003

Daniel Vettori and Marvan Atapattu have escaped serious injury after a gruesome fielding collision on the third afternoon of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at Kandy.

However, the participation of both players in the last two days of the Test match is in doubt. The teams will wait until the morning before deciding whether they are fit enough to continue.

Both players were carried from the field and rushed to hospital in an ambulance following a collision after Atapattu ran out Vettori to end the New Zealand first innings.

Fortunately, x-rays have revealed no serious damage to Vettori's ankle or to Atapattu's neck, which was fitted with a precautionary neck brace, although Atapattu, the Sri Lanka vice-captain, was mildly concussed.

The players were discharged from hospital and sent back to their hotel, where they were advised to rest by doctors.

Jeff Crowe, the New Zealand team manager, said: "The good news is that Dan [Vettori] does not have a fracture. His left ankle is heavily swollen and is in a splint."

"We can make an assessment of it only after 24 hours," Crowe added. "We would err on the side of caution rather than rush him back into action."

Ajit Jayasekera, the Sri Lanka team manager, said: "Marvan had two injuries, a spiked ankle and mild concussion after being hit behind the ear by Vettori's helmet. He should be okay in a day or two."

Donny · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 10:37 pm

Tillakaratne's 5 hour 35 minute innings ended on 93 as Sri Lanka made 298, 7 behind the NZ total

Wiseman took 4/104 and Oram, 3/54.

NZ are 1/65 in the second innings.

Donny · Posted: Wed May 07, 2003 12:15 am

Looks like a draw. NZ are 1/92 at stumps on the 4th. day with Richardson on 51.