Cricket: Seven runs separate the teams in second test

KANDY - New Zealand claimed a first innings lead of just seven runs as offspinner Paul Wiseman denied Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillekaratne back-to-back test centuries tonight.

Wiseman took the last two wickets to dismiss Sri Lanka for 298 shortly after tea on the fourth day of the rain-marred second test in reply to New Zealand's 305.

It gave Wiseman figures of four for 104 off 32.3 overs as New Zealand took much longer than they wanted to dismiss the home side in pursuit of an unlikely series win.

Tillekaratne moved to 93 as he smashed Wiseman through the covers for four, but next ball tried to push him into the off side and was bowled, ending a 335-minute, 232-ball innings whioch included 12 fours.

New Zealand got an unexpected bonus during the tea break when Marvan Atapattu decided he was unfit to continue and retired hurt for two after colliding with Daniel Vettori on Monday.

Jacob Oram was the next best New Zealand bowler with three for 54 off 20 overs to go with his test-best 74 on Monday.

New Zealand's last hope of a useful first innings lead came with the new ball at 80 overs with Sri Lanka 235 for six.

But Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey were largely ineffective.

As the pitch turned, New Zealand were rueing the absence of Vettori whose badly sprained left ankle saw him watching from the sidelines. He is hopeful of being fit for the first match of the one-day tri-series in Dambulla on Sunday.

"I'd be surprised if I play again in this test," Vettori said.

"It's quite sore at the moment, but the physio seems to think in a couple of days I'd have a chance of coming right."

- NZPA