PAKMAN
State 12th Man
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu posted a century in the opening test against New Zealand in Napier to become just the fourth player to score hundreds against all nine test opponents.
Atapattu made 127 on Wednesday while his team mate Mahela Jayawardene blazed to an unbeaten 118 to help Sri Lanka reach 351 for three wickets when bad light ended play early on the third day at McLean Park.
The tourists were still 210 behind New Zealand's massive first innings total of 561 but with only two days remaining on a placid pitch that offers little encouragement to the bowlers, a draw is already looming as the most likely outcome.
Sri Lanka began the day 48 without loss and suffered an early setback when New Zealand paceman Chris Martin removed Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara before lunch.
Martin dismissed opener Jayasuriya two runs short of a half-century when he trapped him leg before wicket with the total on 95 then added the scalp of Sangakkara (5) with the first ball of his next over when the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper played on.
Martin's double-strike brought Atapattu and Jayawardene together and the pair quickly set about balancing the ledger with a partnership of 184, setting a new Sri Lankan record for the third wicket against New Zealand.
Atapattu had crawled to his half-century in 119 deliveries but accelerated after lunch, reaching his hundred off 196 balls in 255 minutes when he pulled Kyle Mills to the rope for his 17th boundary.
Atapattu's century was his 16th in tests and his first against New Zealand. He joined South African Gary Kirsten, Australian Steve Waugh and Indian Sachin Tendulkar as the only players to reach three figures against nine different test opponents.
Atapattu scored another three runs after tea to become just the fourth Sri Lankan to reach 5,000 test runs but was caught by New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming off the bowling of Nathan Astle as soon as he reached the milestone.
Jayawardene made a flying start to his innings, reaching his half-century at almost a run ball then went on to register his 13th test hundred from 157 deliveries and survive the day.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
congrats to marvan this is a guy whose 1st 6 test inns where - 0,0,0,1,0,0
to score a test ton v each cricketing nation is a great achievement!
Atapattu made 127 on Wednesday while his team mate Mahela Jayawardene blazed to an unbeaten 118 to help Sri Lanka reach 351 for three wickets when bad light ended play early on the third day at McLean Park.
The tourists were still 210 behind New Zealand's massive first innings total of 561 but with only two days remaining on a placid pitch that offers little encouragement to the bowlers, a draw is already looming as the most likely outcome.
Sri Lanka began the day 48 without loss and suffered an early setback when New Zealand paceman Chris Martin removed Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara before lunch.
Martin dismissed opener Jayasuriya two runs short of a half-century when he trapped him leg before wicket with the total on 95 then added the scalp of Sangakkara (5) with the first ball of his next over when the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper played on.
Martin's double-strike brought Atapattu and Jayawardene together and the pair quickly set about balancing the ledger with a partnership of 184, setting a new Sri Lankan record for the third wicket against New Zealand.
Atapattu had crawled to his half-century in 119 deliveries but accelerated after lunch, reaching his hundred off 196 balls in 255 minutes when he pulled Kyle Mills to the rope for his 17th boundary.
Atapattu's century was his 16th in tests and his first against New Zealand. He joined South African Gary Kirsten, Australian Steve Waugh and Indian Sachin Tendulkar as the only players to reach three figures against nine different test opponents.
Atapattu scored another three runs after tea to become just the fourth Sri Lankan to reach 5,000 test runs but was caught by New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming off the bowling of Nathan Astle as soon as he reached the milestone.
Jayawardene made a flying start to his innings, reaching his half-century at almost a run ball then went on to register his 13th test hundred from 157 deliveries and survive the day.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
congrats to marvan this is a guy whose 1st 6 test inns where - 0,0,0,1,0,0
to score a test ton v each cricketing nation is a great achievement!
Atapattu probably has the highest difference out of those with a reasonable amount of tons though.
. What a terrific result after such a rocky start! Full credit to the selectors for persevering with him all these years.
