Sanga, Malinga shine after batting debacle

Rex Clementine reporting from Wellington

Malinga successfully appeals for the wicket of New Zealand’s Jamie How. (AP Photo/NZPA, Ross Setford)

On numerous occasions pace and bounce has proved to be the downfall of Sri Lanka’s batting line ups and again it was against this combination Sri Lanka’s top order collapsed at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on the first day of the second and final Test Match against New Zealand. While his team-mates were having an awful day, Sri Lanka’s hero in the first Test in Christchurch, Kumar Sangakkara came up with a special effort making an unbeaten 156 which helped the tourists reach a respectable first innings score of 268.

Compared to the wicket in Christchurch, this was a far better batting stripe and coach Tom Moody and captain Mahela Jayawardene both vowed that the batsmen will come up with an improved performance. The hopes of squaring the series were further lifted when Jayawardene won the toss and decided to bat first in perfect conditions, but soon hopes of a huge a first innings score faded away. Only three Sri Lankans got to double figures while five batsmen were out without scoring.

When New Zealand resumed, they got a taste of their own medicine as seamer Lasith Malinga got rid of the cream of Kiwi batting. While Malinga picked up three wickets, Farveez Maharoof claimed the wicket of opener Craig Cumming. Malinga trapped opener Jamie How leg before wicket and two overs later came up with a special delivery to see the back of Stephen Fleming (0) as wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene completed a brilliant catch. The bowler could have picked up a fourth wicket but Sangakkara at first slip dropped a chance off Matthew Sinclair when he was on two. New Zealand were 66 for four at close.

Sangakkara who hit a thrilling hundred in the first Test was in super form yesterday coming up with an even better performance and ended unbeaten on 156. Having come to bat in the second over of the morning the left-hander started off aggressively, momentarily taking the initiative away from the Kiwi seamers. The only thing that was out of his control during his chanceless knock was the regular fall of wickets at the other end.

Relieved of wicketkeeper’s duties in July this year, Sangakkara has been coming up with big scores at number three. His batting statistics when not keeping wickets, makes interesting reading! As a wicketkeeper batsman Sangakkara has made 3093 runs in 47 Test Matches at 41:24 and while not keeping wickets he has scored 1963 runs in 17 Tests at 81:79.

His 12th Test hundred came soon after lunch when he swept Daniel Vettori for four. That stroke also took him past 5000 Test runs in his 64th Test Match. He is the sixth Sri Lankan to reach the landmark after Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene. Of the six players, Sangakkara is the quickest to get there.

Sangakkara batted for over four hours facing 192 balls and hit 21 fours and a six. The six came when the batsman took on two deep fielders and hooked seamer Chris Martin early on in his innings.

Chamara Silva paid back for the faith the tour selectors had on him with his maiden half-century at crucial stage. The 27-year-old started off his Test career in the worst possible manner as he got a pair in the opening Test. Here too he showed nerves early on desperate to get off the mark, but once he got settled steadied the innings with Sangakkara. The pair added 119 runs for the fifth wicket and took the total past 200.

Having done the hard work, Silva too perished when he pushed tentatively at a delivery that he should have left alone and was caught at first slip by Fleming off James Franklin. Silva made 61 off 83 balls and hit seven fours and hoisted Vettori for a straight six.

With 114 for four at lunch Sri Lanka recovered and lost only the wicket of Silva in the afternoon session before wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene perished in the last ball before tea. He made 25 with three fours and a six.

At tea, Sri Lanka were safely placed at 239 for six, but within 40 minutes after the break they lost the last four wickets for the addition of 29 runs.

Earlier Sri Lanka lost Sanath Jayasuriya without a run on the board when the veteran was caught by Fleming at first slip off Martin. The seamer also picked up Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga as he bowled unchanged for 90 minutes in the morning. Jayasuriya and Jayawardene were out without scoring.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka 1st Innings

U. Tharanga ct McCullum b Martin 07
S. Jayasuriya ct Fleming b Martin 00
K. Sangakkara not out 156
M. Jayawardene b Martin 00
C. Kapugedara ct Sinclair b Oram 05
C. Silva ct Fleming b Franklin 61
P. Jayawardene lbw b Vettori 25
C. Vaas ct McCullum b Bond 00
F Maharoof ct McCullum b Vettori 04
L. Malinga ct Sinclair b Vettori 00
M. Muralitharan ct & b b Bond 00

Extras: (b 1, lb 1, nb 10

Total all out 268

Overs: 65

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-41, 4-81, 5-202, 6-239, 7-240, 8-251, 9-267.

Bowling: Bond 16-1-85-2 (3nb), Martin 13-2-50-3 (1nb), Franklin 12-2-46-1 (4nb), Oram 3-0-10-1, Vettori 14-1-53-3, Astle 7-2-22 0.

New Zealand 1st Innings

C. Cumming b Maharoof 13
J. How lbw b Malinga 26
M. Sinclair not out 06
S. Fleming ct P. J’wardene b Malinga 00
N. Astle b Malinga 17
Extras: (lb 3, nb 1) 04
Total (for four wickets) 66

Overs: 22.4

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-40, 3-40, 4-66.

To bat: Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin,

Shane Bond, Christ Martin.

Bowling: Vaas 4-0-8-0, Malinga 9.2-2-37-3, Maharoof 5-2-10-1 (1nb), Muralitharan 4-1-8-0.

Toss: SL

Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) Brian Jerling (RSA)

Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

-The Island-

Sangakkara thrilled to join 5000 club

Rex Clementine reporting from Wellington

Sangakkara celebrates his century.

Sri Lanka vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara said yesterday that he was thrilled to be the sixth Sri Lankan to score 5000 Test runs. The left-hander, who completed back to back unbeaten hundreds, rescued his team after a bad start with an entertaining 156* on the opening day of the second Test Match here in Wellington.

The exclusive 5000 club features some of the biggest names in Sri Lankan cricket and prior to the left-hander the other Sri Lankans to get there were Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene.

"It’s a nice club to be in. There are some great players in that list and some of my cricket heroes whom I admired as a youngster. It’s a nice feeling and it makes you proud. Hopefully I’ll be able to score more runs for Sri Lanka," he told journalists after yesterday’s play.

His unbeaten hundred in Christchurch and this one took the side out of trouble and Sangakkara said that he was happy to convert starts into big hundreds.

"It feels pretty good. It’s a result of all the hard work I have put in.

Sometime I haven’t converted starts and I have been working with the coaches and it’s really satisfying when that pays off."

While Sangakkara was enjoying batting the rest of the batting with the exception of Chamara Silva failed as five Sri Lankans were out without scoring. "If you get the balls in the right areas it’s going to be difficult. As the day progressed the wicket got settled in and it was easier to bat on," Sangakkara said.

Asked whether his present role in the team, where he plays only as a specialist batsman, has been the factor for big scores, the 29-year-old said that he was happy to do any role for the team.

"I have always enjoyed keeping wickets. Prassana has done a good job. He’s been the most consistent batsman in the ‘A’ team and his presence is like us having an all-rounder. He’s a good keeper as well and gives lot of options for the captain."

Sri Lankans to score 5000 Test runs

Name                  Mat       I          Runs     HS        Ave       100s     50s

S. Jayasuriya      106     180     6760        340      40.72      14          30

A. de Silva             93     159     6361        267      42.97      20         22

M. Jayawardene   84     138     6258        374      48.89      16         29

M. Atapattu           88     152     5330        249      38.90      16         15

A. Ranatunga         93     155     5105        135*   35.69       4          38

K. Sangakkara       64     106      5051       287     49.49      11         22

-The Island-