Cricket: Vettori stands alone as Sri Lanka sweep series

COLOMBO - Ever the optimist, Daniel Vettori had hoped to preside over a drawn test cricket series with Sri Lanka.

Instead New Zealand's captain could only reflect on a string of personal milestones as his worst fears were realised at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground yesterday.

Sri Lanka predictably completed a 2-0 series sweep on the final day, winning by 96 runs though not before Vettori's career-best 140 caused some genuine agitation.

Another high-quality innings from his lowly position at No 8 at least ensured the losing margin was respectable - an improvement on the 202-run capitulation in Galle.

New Zealand's second innings finally ended on 397 with Vettori's dismissal - an admirable fourth innings score though well short of the 494 needed to secure an unlikely series-levelling victory.

It is the second time this year a Vettori ton could not stave off defeat. In March on his Seddon Park home ground 118 was insufficient to prevent a 10-wicket loss to India.

The eighth allrounder to complete the test double of 300 wickets and 3000 runs - he joined the elite few on Wednesday - Vettori admitted his latest batting exploit had a hollow ring to it.

"You want to celebrate a performance that leads to a win," he said after a 189-ball vigil studded with 16 boundaries.

"You still take satisfaction in your own personal performance, you still should have pride in what you do, but that's tainted by the loss."

Vettori did his utmost to glue the second innings together after New Zealand were tottering at 182 for six at stumps on day four.

He featured in two partnerships that held Sri Lanka in the field longer than expected.

Vettori and Jacob Oram added 124 for the seventh wicket and had the allrounder not played a loose drive seven balls before lunch when on 56, New Zealand might have caused Sri Lanka even greater anxiety.

"If we hadn't lost Jacob then it could have been a real interesting last couple of sessions," Vettori mused.

"If we could have kept batting and batting .... funny things can happen when you put a team under pressure."

Vettori's counterpart Kumar Sangakkara took the catch to remove Oram and agreed it had soothed the nerves.

"At that time it was possible they could get close but when he (Oram) got out it was going to be a matter of time."

Iain O'Brien also added 69 for the eighth wicket, his contribution a 75-ball 12 that shamed some of the specialist batsmen that preceded him.

Emphasising the batting unit's collective failure to apply themselves, Vettori was the most productive batsman with 272 runs at 68.

Ross Taylor had the next best aggregate of 159; Sri Lanka's Thilan Samaraweera matched that in one sublime knock at Galle and was judged man of the series after amassing 347 at 86.25.

Vettori acknowledged the reliability of Sri Lanka's top and middle order was a massive advantage for the hosts.

Although Martin Guptill, Taylor and Jesse Ryder always made double figures, Taylor's 81 was the trio's most substantial score of the series.

"It's obviously a concern but I still back the guys that are there," Vettori said of his strokemakers.

"They've still got an immense amount of talent, we just have to turn that talent into scores.

"We've been given a great example in how to do that with (Mahela) Jayawardene, Samaraweera and Sangakkara."

Vettori reiterated his admiration for man of the match Jayawardene, and implored his batsmen to follow the right hander's lead.

"He never took a risk, he never gave his wicket away and when we made mistakes he crucified us."

Inevitably Vettori also ended the series as New Zealand's top wicket taker with 10, though fellow left arm spinner Rangana Herath was the match's stand out slow bowler with a career-best match analysis of eight for 209 from 82 overs.

He also took the catch to dismiss Vettori and provide Muttiah Muralitharan with his 82nd and final New Zealand test scalp.

The world's leading wicket taker retires from that format of the game in 2011 so test specialists Tim McIntosh and Daniel Flynn can rest easy.

However, the 37-year-old will still be a presence when Sri Lanka and New Zealand switch to Twenty20 mode on Wednesday here at R Premadasa Stadium.

- NZPA