Date-stamped : 12 Mar97 - 06:17 ===> Preview (The Christchurch Press) 7 March 1997 Sri Lankans Capable Of Repeating Success by Geoff Longley Sri Lanka won its first overseas test series two seasons ago at New Zealand's expense, and at Carisbrook today it takes the first step on its path to becoming a test match power when the first of two BNZ tests begin. Sri Lanka has already proved itself adept at the one-day game as its World Cup success last season testifies, but is now embarking on a plan to boost its test ranking to top bracket status by the year 2000. Judging by the experienced squad it has brought to New Zealand, even though under prepared and unacclimatised, it is capable of repeating its 1-0 series win of two years ago. That came at the end of New Zealand's centenary season, a summer fraught with turmoil after the scandals in South Africa. In some ways, little has changed two years on with further drama surrounding the team after the controversial dumping of captain Lee Germon. At least New Zealand is coming off two wins in the just concluded one-day series against England which will have boosted confidence after losing the test matches, 2-0. Kiwis more relaxed Incoming New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said while the side was outwardly more relaxed at a low-key practice yesterday it was still "keyed up" for the game ahead. Interest centred on the pitch which was covered for half of the day before temporary groundsman Peter Domigan unveiled a well grassed strip. That is likely to have both sides leaning more towards a seam attack than spin with New Zealand perhaps likely to leave out one of its two slow bowlers, probably Dipak Patel, while Sri Lanka is expected to follow that line. Domigan said he was satisfied with the pitch preparation and would be tempted to bat first with the wicket settling down after some initial movement in the pre-lunch session. Sri Lankan coach Bruce Yardley said despite the complete wash-out of the only first-class build-up match at Gisborne earlier this week his side would still be cricket fit. "They have just come out of playing in their domestic season. While it is not that strong they have been performing regularly. It is a bit cool here though compared to home and we have to work at keeping the boys thoroughly warmed up." New Zealand coach Steve Rixon believes his side has an edge on the Sri Lankans having won one and tied one match when the teams last met at a one-day tournament in Sharjah. New Zealand will need to show greater batting consistency than it achieved against England to be competitive. Certainly the inclusion of wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Parore at No. 7 gives the appearance of a deeper batting line-up, which the selectors were obviously seeking, but the regular failure of the top six was not Germon's fault nor has he had the extensive opportunities available to Parore who is in his 33rd test. Sri Lanka possesses a demanding bowling attack which includes the well-performed left-arm pace bowler Chaminda Vaas and dangerous spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan. Muralitharan, whose bowling action has caused considerable conjecture because of a seeming bent arm at delivery, was called for throwing in Australia last season, but his action has not been deemed illegal by International Cricket Council officials. Sri Lanka is likely to plunge promising 18-year old Nuwan Zoysa into the match and the 2m tall lithe left-armer looked promising at net practice yesterday. Apart from the unavailable No. 3 Asanka Gurusinha, who is at loggerheads with Sri Lankan officialdom, the visitors batting line-up also warrants respect -- it includes Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama and Hashan Tillekeratne. Wicketkeeper-batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana has scored 1000 runs in the domestic competition at an average of 100. Teams.-- New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Bryan Young, Blair Pocock, Matt Horne, Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Adam Parore, Dipak Patel, Daniel Vettori, Simon Doull, Heath Davis and Geoff Allott. (One to be omitted). Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan Mahanama, Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillekaratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Nuwan Zoysa and Kumar Dharmasena. (One to be omitted). Umpires: Chris King (Otago) and Ian Robinson (Zimbabwe). Match referee: Peter Burge (Australia). Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) ===> Day 1 (Electronic Telegraph, UK) Test Match: Young enjoys plunder By Nelson Clare in Dunedin BRYAN YOUNG scored 154 not out to steer New Zealand into a strong position on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Dunedin yesterday. The opener took full toll on a disappointing Sri Lankan bowling performance for his second and highest Test century as New Zea- land made 343 for four by the close at Carisbrook. On a pitch suiting batsmen, Young, Matt Horne, who scored a fluent 66, and Stephen Fleming, at his best in compiling an elegant 51, made Sri Lanka`s captain Arjuna Ranatunga regret his decision to field first. The tourists were clearly short of match play entering the Test and it showed as their bowlers struggled to maintain a consistent line on a pitch demanding accuracy. Young and his colleagues cashed in, Young reaching three figures after tea when he drove a short delivery from the off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for his 16th boundary. He reached his centu- ry in 272 minutes after facing 203 balls. He and Horne, who was playing in only his second Test, put on an entertaining 140 in 146 minutes to establish a New Zealand second-wicket record against Sri Lanka. Fleming, dropped on 40 by Pramodya Wickremasinghe at mid-off, looked set for something special. But he perished on 51 off just 59 balls when he attempted to hit the seamer Wickremasinghe through midwicket only to miscue and offer Nuwan Zoysa an easy catch at mid-on. Earlier, New Zealand suffered a setback when fast bowler Geoff Allott withdrew with back trouble. An X-ray having failed to reveal the extent of the problem, he was re- placed in the side by the all-rounder Chris Harris. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ===> Day 1 (Daily News, Sri Lanka) Young (154 n.o) helps Kiwis to pile up 343/4 wickets Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from New Zealand CARISBROOK, Dunedin, Friday - A chanceless unbeaten 154 from right handed opening batsman Bryan Young took New Zealand to a formidable first day score of 343 for 4 wickets against Sri Lanka in the first Bank of New Zealand Test, here today. It was Young`s second Test century and his highest. His previous best was 120 against Pakistan. Young who batted the entire day - 368 minutes faced 274 deliveries and hit 24 fours. He was in- volved in good partnerships of 55 for the first wicket with Po- cock, 140 for the second wicket with Horne, 76 for the third wicket with Skipper Fleming and 66 for the fourth wicket with As- tle. Young was particularly strong on the off side of the wicket. His driving was the feature. His was a patient knock and was the foundation on which the big Kiwi score was built. Young was lucky because he played and missed a few times and also had the benefit of the doubt, especially off the final delivery of the day bowled by Soysa. Matt Horne who came in to the side after having recovered from injury was in sparkling form and looked set for a big score until Skipper Ranatunga who is now famed for breaking partnerships lured him to edge to Mahanama in the slips for 66. Fleming who made 51 was lucky to survive a chance on 40. New Zealand under public scrutiny over the dropping of Lee Ger- mon, new captain Fleming, born again wicket keeper Adam Parore, that is how he is tagged here after taking over from Germon and a re-hashed top batting order came out with full points on the first day. The wicket had a fair amount of grass on it and when Arjuna Rana- tunga won the toss and put New Zealand in, it looked the correct thing to do, considering that he was flinging in three pacemen in Vaas, Soysa and Wickremasinghe. But as the Kiwi innings progressed it was apparent that there were no snakes underneath. The wicket had even bounce and played easy with the ball coming on nicely to the bat. It was also apparent that the Lankans were sadly short of crick- et. The biting cold which the Sri Lankans experienced throughout the day. also proved a hindrance. The tall and lanky paceman Nuwan Soysa who was given his baptism in the big league came out of it well. With an easy run up and a nice high arm action, he managed to extract pace and bounce, move the ball disconcertingly and beat the bat many a time. But that thing called luck eluded him. He certainly deserved some wickets. Soysa bowled a memorable first ball which was a no ball and had it not been so it would have been signalled a wide. In addition over-enthusiasm made him over-step and be called nine times. Be- ing a new kid and cutting his teeth in the big game these shortcomings were understandable and acceptable. Vaas from whom much was expected bowled well within himself and troubled all the batsmen. Wickremasinghe was pacy but tended to pitch short and suffered punishment. Muralitharan did not seem to have any problems. The wicket was not helpful to him. Yet he varied his deliveries well. There were some hilarious banners on the ground. One read-Who ate all the pies Arjuna? That was in jest. The other called Mural- itharan a chucker. This was done to apparently unsettle him. That was garbage. Muralitharan is made of sterner stuff. He was un- lucky not have Fleming when Wickremasinghe dropped a diffi- cult chance. There were two stoppages for rain and 22 minutes were lost. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net/lakehouse) ===> Day 1 (The Christchurch Press) 8 March 1997 Young At Helm As NZ In Control by Geoff Longley Opening batsman Bryan Young broke through his concentration span barrier leaving the so-so scores behind as he stroked an unbeaten 154 to cap New Zealand's best batting day of the season, against Sri Lanka at Carisbrook yesterday. By stumps on the first day New Zealand had exceeded all expectations scoring a stroke-laden 343 for four from 90 overs to assume a position from where it should dominate the first BNZ series test. New Zealand has seldom scored 300 runs in a day's play; less seldom has a batsman lasted an entire day as Young did in his innings which stretched just over six hours, 274 balls and laced with 24 boundaries. Along with some stylish efforts from Matt Horne, Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle, healthy partnerships were built and New Zealand shed the batting blues which dogged it through much of the England series. For Young, who has 10 times previously reached 50 but only once gone on to a century (120 against Pakistan in Christchurch in 1993-94), it was the fulfilment of turning another promising innings into a memorable one. "Really the most pleasing thing is being able to carry on the concentration after the games against England," Young said last night, after being excused the shuttle fitness runs prescribed for team members after play. Young's series against England typified his 24-test career with knocks of 44 and 3 (Auckland), 8 and 56 (Wellington) and 11 and 49 (Christchurch). "I've been conscious about getting out quite often after making a start. Sometimes I seem to dig a hole for myself, batting for periods with no forward momentum." Young also had to survive a demanding pre-lunch period after New Zealand had been inserted on a cool, cloudy day with a well-grassed pitch offering early seam movement. He and Blair Pocock weathered the new-ball assault from Sri Lanka's dual left-arm pace opening combination of Chaminda Vaas and 18-year-old debutant Nuwan Soysa, before New Zealand embarked on its scoring spree. "I'm not a great reader of pitches and actually didn't bother to have a look beforehand. But I'd heard the odd comment from the boys that it was a bit green and there certainly was some sideways stuff in the first hour or so." All the batsmen adopted a forthright approach to playing Sri Lanka's dangerous off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, none more so than No. 3 Matt Horne, who stroked a bold half-century and shared a 140-run second wicket stand with Young. "We did have a plan not to get bogged down and let him dictate. We played good attacking shots against him," Young said. Horne's aggressive nature was evident early on, his first two scoring strokes a four and a six, the latter hooked off Vaas. Part-time bowler Arjuna Ranatunga broke the stand with Horne edging to present second slip Roshan Mahanama his second catch. New captain Stephen Fleming maintained the remarkable run-scoring rate which was better than run a minute with a succession of handsome strokes, eight fours coming in his 59-ball innings of 51. Then Astle went from 0 to 18 in one over by Pramodya Wickremasinghe, which reaped four fours and a two off as New Zealand sped past 300 in the 77th over. NEW ZEALAND First innings B Young not out 154 B Pocock c Mahanama b Vaas 18 M Horne c Mahanama b Ranatunga 66 S Fleming c Zoysa b Wickremasinghe 51 N Astle b Vaas 27 D Vettori not out 1 Extras (17nb, 9lb) 26 Total (for 4 wkts, 90 overs) 343 Fall: 55 (Pocock), 195 (Horne), 271 (Fleming), 337 (Astle). Bowling: C Vaas 21-5-81-2 (4nb), N Zoysa 23-4-62-0 (9nb), P Wickremasinghe 15-3-71-1 (4nb), M Muralitharan 23-6-86-0, A Ranatunga 5-0-29-1, S Jayasuriya 3-0-5-0. --NZPA Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) ===> Day 2 (Electronic Telegraph, UK) Doull adds to Sri Lanka woe Matthew Hannah in Dunedin SRI LANKA slumped to 78 for four at the close of the second day in the first Test, 508 runs behind New Zealand`s imposing total. Opener Bryan Young scored an undefeated 267 in a total of 586 for seven, the second highest in New Zealand`s history. Despite los- ing nightwatchman Daniel Vettori without adding to their over- night total New Zealand maintained the healthy scoring rate of the first day and Chris Cairns scored a typically assertive 70, adding 123 for the sixth wicket with Young. An unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 74 between Young and Dipak Pa- tel (30 not out) enabled Stephen Fleming to declare at tea. Sri Lanka`s most successful bowler was left-armer Chaminda Vaas with four for 144. Young`s total was second only to Martin Crowe`s 299 - also against the Sri Lankans - in Wellington six years ago in terms of high individual Test scores by New Zealand bastmen . Pace bowler Simon Doull soon had Sri Lanka in deep trouble. Sanath Jayasuriya was bowled off an inside edge without scoring and then Doull trapped both Marvan Atapattu and Roshan Mahanama leg before. Aravinda de Silva played at a wide delivery from Heath Davis and was caught by Dipak Patel in the gully. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ===> Day 2 (The Christchurch Press) 10 March 1997 NZ's Reluctant Hero Bryan Young played his greatest test innings, the second highest by a New Zealand cricketer, on less than four hours sleep, but he wasn't out breaking team curfews. Young, 32, snatched only a few hours shut-eye before waking at 3am on Saturday morning and could not sleep again, so active was his mind having already reached 154 unbeaten the day before. Young survived an early chance to second slip on 155 to make an epic unbeaten 267, second only to Martin Crowe's 299, also against Sri Lanka six years ago, from 10 hours batting, in the first BNZ test at Carisbrook on Saturday. "I couldn't get back to sleep. My mind was going 90 to the dozen. But in situations like this there seems to be enough residual energy to carry you through." Young, a Whangarei bank officer, admitted to feeling rather scratchy when resuming his innings, not just from the lack of sleep but from stiffness and an inability to get his feet moving. "My feet would just not work in the first 20 minutes or so. After the chance went down it was just business as usual." Young could not attribute any special reason for playing such a monumental innings, but said he had been working closely with batting coach Martin Crowe. "Martin's been telling me: Keep batting till the umpires take you off." When New Zealand declared at tea after two days, Young was undefeated on 267 from 422 minutes, having struck 37 fours, the majority in an arc through his favoured region from backward point to extra cover. Young said he was aware an hour beforehand the team was wanting to declare at tea, so any thoughts of becoming the first New Zealander to score a triple century were unrealistic. "Look, this is just beyond my wildest dreams. The team position and position of the game outweighs the individual desires." Young said he was still uncomfortable about his name sitting among some of New Zealand's batting greats, Crowe, Glenn Turner (259 and 223no), Bert Sutcliffe (230no), Graham Dowling (239) and Martin Donnelly (206) as double centurions. "It's quite unfashionable to have me there. I feel out of place because there are some incredible players there." Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) ===> Day 3 (Daily News, Sri Lanka) `Lanka determined to make amends in second innings` CARISBROOK, Dunedin, Sunday Amidst a sensational Sri Lankan collapse which warranted the humilation of a follow on, controversy surrounded the dismissal of Romesh Kaluwitharne. Sri Lanka who were dismissed for 222 in reply to the Kiwi score of 586 for 7 were 37 for no loss following on when heavy rain and bad light stopped play for the day with 9.4 overs of the 39 overs to be bowled. Jayasuriya was not out 20 and Mahanama 15. According to Yardley the Lankans were disappointed when rain stopped play. The wicket is playing true and is good for some- thing like 500 runs. I have told my boys that they did not apply themselves in the first innings. `Hashan Tillekeratne played the way Test cricket should be played. The boys are determined to make amends in the second in- nings`, he said. Tillekeratne in making an unbeaten 55 was an example. He played down the good balls and went for his strokes only against the loose ones. Had the other top order batsmen done it like tillek- eratne, Sri Lanka would not have been in this sorry plight. His was a team effort batting for 246 minutes and hitting 8 fours. Paceman Simon Doull who caused the Lankan collapse with 5 for 58 was gifted his wickets as the Lankan batsmen played some reckless strokes. Doull has modelled himself on that famous Kiwi all- rounder Sir Richard Hadlee. His run-up is something similar and he has a long way to go to reach the Hadlee class. The third day dawned bright and sunny, in contrast to the previ- ous two days which were overcast. But when play began a pall of gloom descended on the Lankan camp when skipper Ranatunga was out first ball of the second over. He drove without getting to the pitch of the ball and snicked a catch to Young who accepted it gleefully at second slip. With Sri Lanka on the ropes and needing 309 to make the Kiwis to bat again this was not the start they were looking for. When Ranatunga went the score was 79 for 5. Ranatunga added one run to his overnight score. Romesh Kaluwitharne then joined Tillekeratne and began to restore the innings somewhat adding 56 for the sixth wicket. While Til- lekeratne continued to apply himself to the task ahead, Kaluwitharne lashed out at the bowling as he usually does. He was going well and looking set for a big score when he was ruled out in mysterious circumstances. He went forward to a ball from Patel and saw it lodged between his gloves and thigh pad. Flemming plucked the ball from where it was lodged and appealed. With no response from head umpire Ian Robinson they appealed to the leg umpire Chris King, who nodded his head as if to say it was not his business. Robinson then ruled Kaluwitharne out much to his disappointment. To Kaluwitharne it looked a dead ball and was shocked when he was ruled out. Bruce Yardley in an interview said that the Sri Lankan camp was disappointed at this style of dismissal. He said that they have requested for a clarification from match referee Peter Burge for the next Test match. `It is the interpretation of the rule that matters. Kaluwitharne was going well at that time and it was disappointing`, he said. Yardley said in his opinion it was a dead ball and Kaluwitharne thought so too. This is the first time that he had witnessed an incident like this, he said. Kaluwitharne made 43. Once Kaluwitharne went, Vaas too came and went quickly. Wickremasinghe joined Tillekeratne and batted as he had never done before. He used the long handle to advantage and was never afraid to go after the bowling. He made 43 which is his highest in Test cricket. Peter Burge the match referee said that he would be issuing a clarification before the next Test. `As for me the ball was dead so it was not out. It would not happen again. In my 50 years of cricket this is the first time that I saw an incident like this`, he said. The Sri Lankans have a tremendous task before them to save this Test. Application and concentration is what is required. The wicket is playing true and if the batsmen play to their capabili- ties there is no reason why they should not save this Test. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net) ===> Day 3 (Electronic Telegraph, UK) Sri Lankans toil as Doull rules By Nelson Clare SIMON DOULL took his third five-wicket haul in six Tests for New Zealand to leave Sri Lanka facing a difficult task to save the first Test after a rain-shortened third day yesterday. Sri Lanka were 37 without loss in their second innings when the umpires abandoned play with 29.2 overs remaining. The visitors had earlier been dismissed for 222 in their first innings, 364 short of New Zealand`s 586 for seven declared and were forced to follow on. New Zealand`s total included opener Bryan Young`s undefeated 267, second only to Martin Crowe`s 299 - also against the Sri Lankans - in Wellington six years ago as the highest individual Test score by a New Zealander. The tourists resumed on 78 for four yesterday morning, but con- tinued to lose wickets at regular intervals as New Zealand`s fas- ter bowlers, Doull and Heath Davis, dominated. Doull took five for 58 while Davis captured Test-best figures of three for 34. Source :: Electronic.Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ===> Day 3 (The Christchurch Press) 10 March 1997 Doull Puts New Zealand In Control by Geoff Longley in Dunedin Simon Doull enhanced his stature as New Zealand's latest pace bowling spearhead with his third five-wicket haul in six tests this season as the home side tightened its grip on the first test against Sri Lanka, at Carisbrook. After three days of the BNZ series match, Sri Lanka has been forced to follow on, trailing by 364 runs on the first innings with two days to bat for survival. When heavy rain produced pools of water on the outfield, washing out most of the final session yesterday, Sri Lanka, having reached 37 without loss in its second innings, still trailed by a massive margin. That New Zealand was in the rare position of being able to enforce the follow-on -- it has only happened six times before in New Zealand's history, the last against India at Christchurch in 1990 -- was due primarily to the pace bowling pairing of Doull and Heath Davis, who snared eight wickets between them. Doull, 27, followed five-wicket bags against Pakistan and England during this season with five for 58 as he plied a consistent line around the off-stump and often moved the ball away. "There's enough green there still for the ball tol do a bit and the rain will just keep it fresh we hope," Doull said. Doull was pleased with the pace in the Carisbrook pitch, which he has not noticed previously, and he praised the work of temporary groundsman Peter Domigan, on loan from Alexandra, after regular groundsman Gary Keen departed before Christmas. Doull, who has the rare ability to move the ball both ways, said he was making his stock ball the outswinger, but still bowls some that come back as two leg before wicket decisions testify. The lively right-arm medium-fast bowler captured four of the first five wickets as Sri Lanka crashed to 79 for five. He looked in danger of missing the fifth, until New Zealand took the second new ball once 80 overs arrived. Sri Lanka was 214 for seven then, with Hashan Tillekaratne and Pramodya Wickremasinghe sharing a 73-run stand at run-a-minute pace. But the return of Davis and Doull had the final three wickets falling for nine runs. Wickremasinghe ducked under a Davis bouncer, but he left his bat up and the ball hit the back of it and lobbed behind for wicketkeeper Adam Parore to catch. Davis's role was also significant, his pacy deliveries returning three for 34, a test best for him. Doull said it was helpful that pressure was being applied at both ends. With the absence of Danny Morrison and Chris Cairns not bowling, Doull is the most senior member of a fledgling seam attack. However, he has performed admirably, having captured 57 wickets from 17 tests. Sri Lankan coach Bruce Yardley said his bowlers had not performed well enough, bowling both sides of the wicket as New Zealand reached its massive 586 for seven declared at four runs an over. "We bowled both sides of the wicket, but our blokes were cold in more ways than one. They were underdone coming into this, Yardley said. The chilly weather -- temperatures barely climbed into the double digits on the first two days -- was also felt, he said. However, Yardley lauded the debut effort of teenager Nuwan Soysa. He said the youngster beat double centurion Bryan Young consistently, but finished with only one wicket, having Young and Stephen Fleming dropped off his bowling. "I told him he'll probably bowl worse and get six or seven wickets, especially on a green strip like that." The weather should not affect New Zealand's probable victory march, with Dunedin's forecast generally fine over the next two days. NEW ZEALAND First innings B Young not out 267 B Pocock c Mahanama b Vaas 18 M Horne c Mahanama b Ranatunga 66 S Fleming c Zoysa b Wickremasinghe 51 N Astle b Vaas 27 D Vettori c Mahanama b Vaas 1 C Cairns c Mahanama b Zoysa 70 A Parore c Wickremasinghe b Vaas 19 D Patel not out 30 Extras (21nb, 14lb, 2w) 37 Total (for 7 wkts dec) 586 Fall: 55, 195, 271, 337, 343, 466, 512. Bowling: C Vaas 35-6-144-4 (6nb, 2w), N Zoysa 40-6-112-1 (9nb), P Wickremasinghe 25-4-117-1 (6nb), M Muralitharan 33-6-136-0, A Ranatunga 5-0-29-1, S Jayasuriya 8-0-34-0. SRI LANKA First innings S Jayasuriya b Doull 0 R Mahanama lbw b Doull 26 M Atapattu lbw b Doull 25 A de Silva c Patel b Davis 3 A Ranatunga c Young b Doull 14 H Tillekaratne not out 55 R Kaluwitharana c Fleming b Patel 43 C Vaas c Horne b Patel 2 P Wickremasinghe c Parore b Davis 43 N Zoysa c Young b Davis 0 M Muralitharan c Cairns b Doull 0 Extras (10lb, 1w) 11 Total (85.2 overs) 222 Fall: 4, 55, 58, 58, 79, 135, 141, 214, 215, 222. Bowling: S Doull 21.2-5-58-5 (1w), H Davis 19-6-34-3, M Horne 6-5-4-0, N Astle 3-0-11-0, D Patel 22-4-67-2, D Vettori 14-5-38-0. Second innings S Jayasuriya not out 20 R Mahanama not out 15 Extras (2lb) 2 Total (for 0 wkts, 9.4 overs) 37 Bowling: Doull 3-0-24-0, Davis 4.4-0-9-0, Horne 2-1-2-0. Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) ===> Day 4 (Electronic Telegraph, Uk) New Zealand hit back By Nelson Clare in Dunedin NEW ZEALAND, beaten at home in a three-Test series by England last month, bounced back to complete an innings victory in the first of two Tests against Sri Lanka in Dunedin yesterday. New Zealand dismissed Sri Lanka for 328 late in the third session on the fourth day to win by an innings and 36 runs, the seventh time they have won a Test match by an innings. However, Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, was concerned that they should be judged purely on their own merits and not that of the opposition. "I think you can forget about Sri Lanka and see how well we played," he said. "For a long time we`ve looked at the opposition and judged ourselves on their perfor- mance. Our performance here put Sri Lanka away. We didn`t give them a chance to get into the game." For a time it looked as if Sri Lanka might at least force New Zealand to bat again. Wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana hit 103 from as many deliveries. With Chaminda Vaas he put on 137 for a Sri Lankan record seventh-wicket partnership against New Zealand. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ===> Day 4 (Daily News, Sri Lanka) New Zealand`s home win after 3 years Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from New Zealand CARISBROOK, Dunedin, Monday Playing better allround cricket, New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 36 runs with more than a day to spare, in the first Bank of New Zealand Test here, today. After making 586 for 7 the Kiwis dismissed Sri Lanka for 222 and 328. When the game began today, the Sri Lankans were under tremendous pressure. They had to see that they did not collapse in the second essay too. The wicket was fresh after the previous day`s rain, but it did not seem bad for batting. The way openers Mahanama and Jayasuriya were going did not por- tend a bad omen for the batsmen to follow. But what followed after Mahanama`s dismissal was a calamity till Romesh Kaluwitharne and Chaminda Vaas got together, to put to shame the top order batsmen who threw away their wickets. Batting Treat By Kaluwitharana Kaluwitharne who banged a century batted in the manner born. From the first ball he settled down to some breathtaking strokeplay and while he was in the centre what a batting treat it was. You can`t get into a coach, a bus or a train here without some passenger asking about Kaluwitharne. He, like Aravinda de Silva, and Jayasuriya, is a household name. He lived up to his fame with this effortless century. True he was dropped when he was on two. But then fortune favours the brave it is said and, Kaluwitharne grabbed this fortune with relish to bang the bowlers to all corners of the field and over it, as and when he wanted. The bat was like a magic wand in his hand. His stroke play was audacious and some of his square cuts left the fielders standing as it sped like a bullet to the boundary. The Better One When asked whether this century was better than the one he made against Allan Broder`s Australians he replied. `No. That was a dream debut hundred. This 103 was a good one and I enjoyed it` he said. To a further question he said: This is how I go. A good or a bad situation does not matter to me. The ball is there to be hit and, hit it I will always. In this innings he had a selection of shots. When the ball was pitched up he drove and flicked and when it was short he punched it between point and cover. His wrists looked to be made of steel and his timing was exquisite. He hit 13 fours and 2 sixes. His domination of the bowling can be gauged by the way he made his runs. His 50 came in 46 balls and his 102 in 98 deliveries. When he sliced Astle through the slips for four he punched the air in delight, knelt down and kissed the turf and made the sign of the cross. Thanking the Lord for helping him to three figures. Vaas Better Partner In Chaminda Vaas he found an able and willing partner and togeth- er they made the New Zealand attack look mediocre. They also proved that the wicket was ideal for batting. Vaas in mak- ing a gallant 57 went past his previous Test best of 51. He too showed a lot of guts and what if the top order had this. With Kaluwitharne he added 137 for the 7th wkt. After Jayasuriya made a pleasing 50, Mahanama 21 and Atapattu 22 it was sad to see the way Aravinda de Silva went. He was given LBW to delivery that would have missed another couple of off stumps had they been there. With Sri Lanka fighting to save this game Aravinda`s going was a severe setback. Ranatunga went to a marvellous catch by Horne. The last pair Nuwan Soysa and Muttiah Muralitheran made merry to put on 43 in 18 minutes. Some of the strokes they played were not from the book, yet with their team destined to be beaten, it went to raise a few cheers. As for the New Zealanders they are not a world beating side. But in this Test they had their fundamentals right and that was what went to earn them this win. While their batting is sound, the bowling is not penetrative enough. The big total they made, made their attack too look threatening. Paceman Simon Doull who had five wickets in the first innings bowled well again to take 3 for 82. Astle and Vettori grabbed two wickets each. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net) ===> Day 4 (The Christchurch Press) 11 March 1997 NZ Savours Victory by Geoff Longley The strains of Neil Diamond song "Sweet Caroline" echoed around the Carisbrook dressing rooms as the New Zealand cricket team celebrated its crushing innings and 36-run victory over Sri Lanka with a day to spare yesterday. It was definitely a case of "good times never felt so good" as New Zealand sides of the recent past have had precious few test victories to savour -- this being only the sixth in 49 test matches since the decade dominated by teams containing Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe. New Zealand took advantage of an underprepared Sri Lankan team producing a near complete performance and as comprehensive a success as one could wish. New Zealand needed only one day of the two it had to dismiss Sri Lanka a second time and its second innings followed a similar pattern to the first. Most of the Sri Lankan top order succumbed to a mixture of impulsive stroke-making, alongside two breathtaking fielding efforts which removed the dangerous pair of captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillekaratne. That left Sri Lanka in tatters at 133 for six. The only exception was Sri Lanka batting star Aravinda de Silva, sawn off leg before in embarrassing fashion by local umpire Chris King when the ball was clearly missing off stump. Ranatunga was removed when the athletic Matt Horne made a spectacular mid-air grab climbing high to pluck the ball in after the Sri Lankan captain had played aerially through mid-wicket. Then Harris, the seeming perennial 12th man, justified his airfare south with just a five-minute appearance on the field, to dismiss Tillekaratne with one of the remarkable run-outs he specialises in. Most resistance came from dashing wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana who stuck with his natural game, flaying the New Zealand attack for a dazzling run-a-ball century. He and Chaminda Vaas delayed the New Zealand advance with their sparkling 137-run stand in just 104 minutes, but it only delayed the inevitable. Kaluwitharana's irrepressible stroke-play was finally blunted by left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori who took a smart return catch centimetres from the turf. It was the second test century by the little 26-year-old who scored his first, 132 not out, against Australia in August 1992. Yesterday his 103 included 13 fours and two sixes, while Vaas weighed in with a valuable 57 from 97 balls including seven fours and a six. Sri Lanka's tail also produced a final fling with No. 11 Muttiah Muralitharan making his highest test score in the course of taking 20 from a Heath Davis over. Again, the second new ball eventually extinguished Sri Lanka, with Simon Doull appropriately ending the game with his eighth dismissal to have the game's best bowling figures of eight for 140. NEW ZEALAND First innings 586-7 dec SRI LANKA First innings 222 Second innings S Jayasuriya c Parore b Doull 50 R Mahanama b Doull 21 M Atapattu b Patel 22 A de Silva lbw b Astle 0 A Ranatunga c Horne b Vettori 13 H Tillekaratne run out 8 R Kaluwitharana c and b Vettori 103 C Vaas c and b Davis 57 P Wickremasinghe c Doull b Astle 0 N Zoysa not out 16 M Muralitharan c and b Doull 26 Extras (9lb, 3nb) 12 Total (86.3 overs) 328 Fall: 49, 82, 85, 99, 115, 133, 270, 271, 285, 328. Bowling: S Doull 20.3-5-82-3, H Davis 22-2-79-1 (2nb), M Horne 4-2-18-0, N Astle 15-3-51-2 (1nb), D Patel 10-3-36-1, D Vettori 15-3-53-2. Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)