Samaraweera century takes Sri Lanka to 216
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Daryl Tuffey and Shane Bond, on their 50-over reappearance, teamed up like the old days and turned in a disciplined new-ball display to keep Sri Lanka to 68 for 4 after 25 overs. Tuffey and Bond bowled very straight and hackled the Sri Lakan top order early in the piece, and the fielders were energetic and predatory as well. There were only two boundaries by the half-way mark - both inside the first three overs - and a run rate of 2.72 indicated how much New Zealand had made the Sri Lankans struggle, according to website cricinfo.
Conventional wisdom and statistics at the Premadasa strongly indicate you bat first in day-night matches, and when Kumar Sangakkara won the toss it was greeted with loud cheers as the crowd anticipated a quick start. But this was an unusual two-faced track that wasn't encouraging for blazing shots and when Sri Lanka slipped to 22 for 3, New Zealand didn't look perturbed at having lost the toss.
Tuffey's reputation as a first-over specialist preceded him on his international return after over two years, and it was a special wicket to celebrate too. After three good deliveries, Tuffey drew an inside-edged four off Tillakaratne Dilshan's bat before repeating the shot, which on the second attempt crashed into the base of the stumps. From the other end, with his fourth delivery, Bond dismissed Mahela Jayawardene for a second-ball duck when the batsman steered a rising delivery to slip.
Scorecard
Sri Lanka innings:
TM Dilshan b Tuffey 4
ST Jayasuriya c
Butler b Bond 7
DPMD Jayawardene
c Taylor b Bond 0
KC Sangakkara
c Oram b Butler 18
TT Samaraweera
b Butler 104
SHT Kandamby
c Taylor b Vettori 15
AD Mathews b Bond 51
KMDN Kulasekara
not out 6
T Thushara not out 6
Extras (lb 3, w 2) 5
Total: 216 (4.32 runs per over)
Conventional wisdom and statistics at the Premadasa strongly indicate you bat first in day-night matches, and when Kumar Sangakkara won the toss it was greeted with loud cheers as the crowd anticipated a quick start. But this was an unusual two-faced track that wasn't encouraging for blazing shots and when Sri Lanka slipped to 22 for 3, New Zealand didn't look perturbed at having lost the toss.
Tuffey's reputation as a first-over specialist preceded him on his international return after over two years, and it was a special wicket to celebrate too. After three good deliveries, Tuffey drew an inside-edged four off Tillakaratne Dilshan's bat before repeating the shot, which on the second attempt crashed into the base of the stumps. From the other end, with his fourth delivery, Bond dismissed Mahela Jayawardene for a second-ball duck when the batsman steered a rising delivery to slip.
Scorecard
Sri Lanka innings:
TM Dilshan b Tuffey 4
ST Jayasuriya c
Butler b Bond 7
DPMD Jayawardene
c Taylor b Bond 0
KC Sangakkara
c Oram b Butler 18
TT Samaraweera
b Butler 104
SHT Kandamby
c Taylor b Vettori 15
AD Mathews b Bond 51
KMDN Kulasekara
not out 6
T Thushara not out 6
Extras (lb 3, w 2) 5
Total: 216 (4.32 runs per over)