Cricket: Samaraweera revives ODI career to help crush NZ

New Zealand are condemned to a do-or-die match after Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera breathed new life into a cricketing career endangered by a terrorist's bullet six months ago in Pakistan.

Samaraweera continued his recovery from a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore when a maiden one-day international century steered his side to a commanding 97-run victory in the tri-series opener at R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

New Zealand must improve if they are to beat India tomorrow and stay alive in the tournament.

Samaraweera's crafty 104 from 124 balls marked another milestone in the most memorable season of his intermittent test and one-day career.

The uncertainty he felt after being struck in the thigh by a bullet in March is now practically forgotten as the compact right-hander continues to reinvent his cricketing repertoire.

Samaraweera's first limited overs century has been a long time coming. At 32 years and 351 days he is the oldest one-day cricketer to reach the mark.

But nearly 11 years after his debut, Samaraweera seems to have finally proved his allround worth, a man-of-the-match performance ensuring Sri Lanka's 216 for seven proved far too good for New Zealand, who managed just 119 with 83 balls remaining.

His one-day statistics showed no cause for alarm for the tourists when he arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka at 22 for three. Since his debut against India in 1998 he had been needed only 21 times; his batting average was a dismal 16.60 at a snail-placed strike rate of 52.42, with a highest score of just 38.

But those unflattering numbers were counter-balanced by his batting exploits during New Zealand's tour.

He scored 159 and 143 against the tourists in last month's test series and after Sri Lanka's batting was exposed in last week's Twenty20s the selectors turned to Samaraweera.

The choice was inspired as Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews revived Sri Lanka with a 127-run stand for the sixth wicket after New Zealand lost the toss.

Samaraweera began cautiously, registering his half century from 78 balls before upping the tempo as he collecting his next 50 in 43 balls.

Not bad for a man who barely rated a mention in the five-match one-day series against Pakistan last month after making just 50 runs in four innings.

"I was under a lot of pressure after Pakistan because people say I can't play one-day cricket," Samaraweera said. "Then I got the two hundreds against New Zealand and the management said 'bat like a test match'."

Ironically, Samaraweera had the freedom to do just that after Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Ian Butler scythed through Sri Lanka's top order to leave the hosts listing at 38 for four in the 16th over. He arrived at the crease in the eighth over and exited in the 48th, job done.

New Zealand's chase was ugly by comparison. Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill succumbed lamely, Ross Taylor was on the wrong end of a rough lbw decision and then Lasith Malinga took three wickets in five balls to have New Zealand in tatters at 41 for six in the 19th over.

- NZPA