COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera scored undefeated fifties to lift Sri Lanka to 262 for three against New Zealand at stumps on the first day of the second test yesterday.
The pair shared an unbroken 147 run fourth-wicket partnership to leave Sri Lanka with a solid first innings platform on a dry pitch.
Jayawardene batted the longest, facing 210 balls for his workmanlike 79, an innings of patient accumulation that included just seven boundaries.
Samaraweera was left unbeaten on 78 from 139 balls having hit 10 boundaries by the close.
Earlier, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori became the first left-arm spinner and second New Zealander after Richard Hadlee to take 300 test wickets.
Vettori passed the milestone when he dismissed Tharanga Paranavitana (19) and Kumar Sangakkara (50) either side of lunch.
The left-arm spinner was New Zealand’s best bowler, finishing the day with two for 65 from 30 overs.
Although disappointed not to have taken more wickets, Vettori would have been pleased with the efforts of his bowlers, who showed greater discipline than in the first test.
Sri Lanka had to graft for runs and scored only 146 in the first 56 overs in the morning and afternoon before Jayawardene and Samaraweera raised the tempo in the final session.
