New Zealand battle for survival as Sri Lanka presses for a win

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: August 22, 2009

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Galle: Bad weather may be the biggest factor in Sri Lanka’s bid to win the first test match against New Zealand at Galle after the visitors were pushed into a corner by Dilshan’s outstanding hundred on the fourth day.

The tourists, set an improbable target of 413 following an unbeaten century by Tillakaratne Dilshan, managed to reach 30-1 in 13 overs by stumps on the fourth day at the Galle International Stadium. Dilshan made 123 not out as Sri Lanka declared their second innings at 259-4 at the stroke of tea.

A sharp shower during the tea break interrupted play by 40 minutes but New Zealand lost the wicket of Daniel Flynn before stumps when he was caught in the slips off Nuwan Kulasekara.

Martin Guptill was unbeaten on 17 and Ross Taylor was on eight when bad light stopped play with 14 overs remaining in the day.

To make matters worse for them, New Zealand may be without hard hitting batsman Jesse Ryder and wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum in their second innings after the duo suffered a stomach bug and were confined to their hotel rooms on Friday.

“They are very sick and I am not sure if, and at what stage, they will take part in this Test,” Black Caps manager David Currie told reporters.

Sri Lanka quite graciously accepted New Zealand’s request to field reserve wicket-keeper Reece Young on Friday since Ryder had been nominated to don the gloves if McCullum got injured. Rules do not normally allow anyone outside the playing XI from keeping wicket.

Earlier, Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan finished with four wickets each as New Zealand, replying to Sri Lanka’s 452, were bowled out for 299 in their first innings.

Dilshan, promoted to open the innings in this Test for the first time in his career, followed a brilliant 92 in the first innings with 12 boundaries and a six in his ninth Test century off just 115 balls. He smashed all the Kiwi bowlers all around the ground.

With three more sessions to play out on a turning pitch, and New Zealand without two of their frontline batsmen, even drawing this test match seems like a distant reality for the Kiwis.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 30 for 1 (Guptill 17*) and 299 (McIntosh 69, Murali 4-73, Thushara 4-81) need another 383 runs to beat Sri Lanka 452 and 259 for 4 dec (Dilshan 123*, Sangakkara 46*)

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