Cricket: Sri Lanka hold aces as NZ bowlers fold

Scoreboard

GALLE - New Zealand already appear to face a grim struggle for survival after day one of the first cricket test against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand's decision to bowl backfired after the tourists captured two quick wickets at the start.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and then Thilan Samaraweera flayed the New Zealand bowlers and despite taking one further wicket, New Zealand was in deep trouble at stumps at Galle International Stadium.

Dilshan's cavalier 92 and Jayawardene's no-frills unbeaten 108 guided Sri Lanka to a position of dominance while Thilan Samaraweera is close to emulating his former captain by also posting a century against a bowling attack that could not capitalise on Chris Martin's morning glory.

Sri Lanka resume on 293 for three today, a total that casts doubt on Daniel Vettori's decision to bowl first in admittedly what should have been a seamer-friendly atmosphere.

Martin's removal of Tharanga Paranavitana and captain Kumar Sangakkara inside 18 balls represented an ideal start but once bad light curtailed play 75 overs later Sri Lanka were clearly on top.

Dilshan's withering 74-ball counter attack instigated Sri Lanka's rejuvenation before Jayawardene and Samaraweera's (82) 159-run unbroken stand for the fourth wicket continued to render those early setbacks meaningless.

With two strokemakers well established and batting conditions expected to improve Sri Lanka will be planning to construct just the one innings - as they did when crushing New Zealand on their previous meeting at this venue in 1998.

New Zealand, meanwhile, may need to rely on more of the bad weather that delayed the start of play for 90 minutes to avoid a heavy defeat; the prospect of a first win on foreign soil outside of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh since 2002 already seems fanciful.

Martin, whose removal of Paranavitana third-ball also rewarded him with outright fourth place on New Zealand's test wicket rankings, acknowledged Dilshan forced the tourists on the defensive.

Nerve-free despite opening for the first time in his 56-test career, Dilshan drove imperiously, punishing anything remotely over-pitched.

He recorded Sri Lanka's fastest test fifty in 30 balls and might well have claimed the quickest ton as well had he not chopped on an Iain O'Brien delivery shortly after lunch.

It needed an ounce of luck to end Dilshan's chanceless 12-boundary onslaught, an innings executed with a severity associated with India's Virender Sehwag.

Martin drew that comparison as he reflected on an ominous day.

"He's in very confident mood. It's not often you run in and bowl to a guy like that in test matches and find he's driving you through the covers and hitting you over the top," he said.

"Basically he's playing a little bit like Sehwag plays for India. He can be hero or zero, and he was a hero."

Dilshan's acceleration also allowed Jayawardene time to settle before advancing to his 26th test hundred from 201 balls with trademark precision.

"Mahela plays with very soft hands and he waits for anything on length to hit through the covers. He's played a very nice innings and put the pressure back on us really. I th ink he out-patienced us," Martin admitted.

Jayawardene and Samaraweera displayed the discipline New Zealand's inexperienced top order will need to replicate after their bowler's control wavered under pressure.

"I think we underestimated how much the wicket was going to do," said Martin, whose figures blew out to two for 59.

"It seemed tacky and soft but they played well on it , we weren't able to build up pressure all day."

New Zealand's six bowlers recorded only 11 maidens between them, illustrating the ease at which Sri Lanka accumulated their runs.

Of the front line bowlers only Vettori was treated respectfully, his 24 overs costing just 48.

But O'Brien is closing in on an unwanted century after leaking 90 off 14; Jeetan Patel's 15 wicketless overs for 60 were also below expectation.

Meanwhile, Dilshan's only gripe was squandering a gilt-edged opportunity to complete his ninth test hundred.

"It's disappointing to miss out but we are still in a very good position," he said.

"I'm also happy because I knew if I could play positively I could reverse the pressure on to the Kiwis."

Top 10 NZ test wicket takers

431 - Sir Richard Hadlee (1973-90) 86 tests, average 22.29
292* - Daniel Vettori (1997-2009) 92, 33.41
218 - Chris Cairns (1989-2004) 62, 29.40
162* - Chris Martin (2000-09) 49, 33.35
160 - Danny Morrison (1987-1997) 48, 34.68
130 - Lance Cairns (1974-85) 43, 32.92
123 - Ewan Chatfield (1975-89) 43, 32.17
116 - Richard Collinge (1965-78) 35, 29.25
111 - Bruce Taylor (1965-73) 30, 26.60
102 - John Bracewell (1980-90) 41, 35.81
(*playing in this match)

- NZPA