Cricket: Fleming poised to score one-day double-century

DAMBULLA - For New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, it's another day, another milestone when he takes the field against Sri Lanka tonight.

When he walks on to Rangiri Dambulla Stadium, Fleming, 30, will become only the second New Zealander to play 200 one-day internationals.

Team-mate Chris Harris, who made his debut in 1990 against Australia in Sydney, will play his 228th match tonight, while Adam Parore is third with 179 matches.

Fleming, who made his debut with an innings of 90 against India in Napier in 1994, has scored 5425 runs at an average of 31, including 33 half-centuries and four centuries.

Only Nathan Astle has scored more one-day runs, with 5540 from 174 matches.

Fleming said the milestone was not a big one in his career and was inevitable considering the huge volume of one-day cricket now played.

"It's a tick in the column," he said.

"Harry's the only other person to have done it ... it's a nice one to achieve. But we do play more cricket these days than past New Zealand players."

Harris, meanwhile, is closing in on 200 one-day international wickets, although he has almost become anchored in the 190s.

At the end of the West Indies tour last July, Harris had 192 wickets, but has managed just three more scalps from 13 matches to sit on 195.

Harris, though, expects several more chances to complete the milestone if he does not do it in Sri Lanka, with one-dayers coming up in India and possibly Pakistan later this year.

Harris is well clear of second-placed Sir Richard Hadlee's 158 wickets.

Chris Cairns is third on 156, but is unable to bowl on this tour because of a side strain.

- NZPA

The top 10

Those who have made the most one-day international appearances for New Zealand:

227: Chris Harris.

199: Stephen Fleming.

179: Adam Parore.

174: Nathan Astle.

162: Chris Cairns.

149: John Wright.

143: Martin Crowe.

130: Craig McMillan.

121: Ken Rutherford.

121: Gavin Larsen.