Cricket: Black Caps crushed by Sri Lanka

Scoreboard

GALLE - New Zealand's heavily medicated batsmen could not find the remedy required to defy a Sri Lankan attack that preyed on their weakened focus before easily claiming the first cricket test at Galle International Stadium today.

Sri Lanka took an unassailable series lead by winning the first of two tests by 202 runs, New Zealand's sickly team finally capitulating 25 minutes before tea on the final day.

Set an outlandish 413 for victory, New Zealand's only goal was to survive the 98 overs spread over three sessions today, a task they fell well short of achieving.

They cobbled together 210 in their second innings and were a massive 41.1 overs from safety when a rare direct hit by Muttiah Muralitharan ran out Brendon McCullum to signal the end of a lopsided contest that tilted further in the hosts' favour when a virus swept through New Zealand's ranks yesterday.

New Zealand's batsmen were clearly underpowered today as they attempted to bat time against an opponent that only showed signs of agitation once McCullum and Daniel Vettori combined after lunch.

The captain typified New Zealand's forlorn defiance with a dogged 67 during which he regularly spent time on his haunches, exhausted as the stomach bug continued to sap his reserves.

He still maintained enough energy to wage a brief verbal battle with Thilan Thushara after the fast bowler made an outrageous leg before wicket appeal, a stand-off that prompted Australian umpire Daryl Harper to remonstrate with Vettori's counterpart Kumar San gakkara.

Vettori spent 148 uncomfortable minutes in the middle, faced 122 balls and struck seven boundaries - though crucially he was unable to construct a significant partnership.

His 48-run stand with a similarly-distressed Jesse Ryder for the sixth wicket was as substantial as it got for New Zealand; three-figures were the prerequisite once it became apparent forecast rain would not eventuate.

The end of Vettori's 20th test half century - and the separation of New Zealand's last two recognised batsmen - made Sri Lanka's triumph a formality.

Vettori's patient vigil was undone by Ajantha Mendis, the skipper walking, head bowed, when he edged the offspinner to Prasanna Jayawardene's safe gloves to leave New Zealand beyond hope at 167 for seven.

A debilitating opening session set the tone for Sri Lanka's victory as four wickets were clinched for the immaterial concession of 95 runs.

Tropical showers and fading light combined to trim 63 overs from the first four days play but when New Zealand arrived at a venue bathed in sunshine the outlook was grim.

Martin Guptill was the first pallid batsman to return to the sanctuary of the dressing room, in the sixth over of the morning he had no defence to a Thushara peach that ducked off the seam to clip the top of off stump.

Guptill laboured 22 deliveries to add a single to his overnight 17, the elegant right hander reduced to a shadow of his usual strokemaking self.

Thushara wisely changed his line to around the wicket with immediate success.

Sangakkara's instincts were also razor sharp, a curious ploy to employ occasional offspinner Mahela Jayawardene ahead of Muralitharan and Mendis also proved a tactical masterstroke.

The former skipper seemed to relax a watchful Ross Taylor who tickled his second delivery to the keeper and exacerbate New Zealand's horrific beginning.

Once Guptill had added only a single to his overnight 17, the onus was on Tim McIntosh to shrug off the debilitating effects of a stomach bug that prevented him facing the new ball yesterday evening and again plug up an end.

Unfortunately for McIntosh, who faced 226 deliveries while top scoring with 69 in New Zealand's first innings, the opener's knock was only eight balls old when he directed a thick outside edge low down to Thilan Samaraweera at third slip.

Umpires Nigel Llong and Daryl Harper could not confirm whether the ball had carried but after Sri Lankan third umpire Asoka de Silva viewed inconclusive replays McIntosh retreated without scoring as New Zealand slid to 39 for three.

Taylor's 16 from 57 balls ended three overs later then Mendis had allrounder Jacob Oram plumb leg before wicket on the sweep for 21.

Oram and Vettori added 41 for the fifth wicket after both were prompted up the order after Ryder and McCullum were held back to serve a time suspension after spending day four in the sick bay.

Muralitharan, who claimed his 100th test scalp at the venue yesterday, supplemented his sharp fielding with three for 88; left armer Thushara added two for 37 to his first innings haul to have six for 118 for the match - the best analysis of his eight-test career.

Yet for all their bowling prowess, it was Tillakaratne Dilshan's quick fire double of 92 and 123 not out that earned the man of the match award and gave New Zealand plenty to ponder before the second starts at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club on Wednesday.
- NZPA