Lankan lions come back roaring

By S. Dinakar

COLOMBO, JULY 18. With some of the former stars watching the proceedings from the Lions' Den, the Lankan Lion, pushed into a corner, came back roaring in the lung-opener of the Coca Cola Cup triangular series at the Premadasa Stadium, here, on Wednesday.

Docked one over for slow over-rate, New Zealand chasing 221 in 49 overs, ended up with 204 for nine leaving the Lankans a smiling lot as they headed back to the pavilion.

And none smiled broader than Man of the Match skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, who first held the innings together with a responsible 80, and then bowled 10 overs of tight left-arm spin just when New Zealand, through a fighting Chris Harris and Adam Parore, appeared to be sneaking back into the game.

The turning point obviously was the dismissal of Harris, whose skied hit was taken off Jayasuriya was taken in the deep by Perera.

At that stage the Kiwis needed 64 in 9.2 overs, and, on a wicket that was beginning to appear two-paced, the road was much too difficult for the rest of the Kiwi batsmen against Murali & Co. In the end, Parore, with not much support forthcoming, was left unbeaten on a spirited 51.

The Kiwis, in good humour during the break for a job well done, would not have bargained for what lay in store for them later.

The crowd was sparse, however, there were quite a few Lankan flags visible in the stands, and the home boys appeared a charged lot when they returned for a crack at the New Zealanders.

The openers disappeared in quick time, Nathan Astle consumed by left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas, chopping the ball on to his stumps and then Mathew Sinclair being trapped leg-before by Suresh Perera, with the ball nipping back a shade. At two for three it certainly was a horrendous beginning.

Skipper Stephen Fleming and the innovative Craig McMillan promised, but both were dismissed by the genuinely quick Dilhara Fernando when in sight of bigger things.

Powerfully built, there is a distinct physical presence about this promising paceman. He is raw, but hungry and did hustle the Kiwis. Fleming chose to pull, found the ball coming through too quickly, and his miscued hit was picked up by Perera at mid-on. McMillan slashed at Fernando and the little Kaluwitharana gleefully held the catch. The Kiwis were 61 for four, and there was a mountain to climb.

Lou Vincent essayed a couple a pleasing strokes but the canny off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, bringing his exciting variety into play, sneaked one through the gate after tempting the batsman to drive. Harris and Parore then raised 57 runs in 133 balls to provide the Kiwis a glimmer of hope, but the Lankans had the last laugh.

Kiwi efficiency to the fore

Earlier, the typical Kiwi efficiency - well directed if not spectacular bowling backed by a set of fine fielders - was very much on view with host Lanka being dismissed for 220 inside 50 overs.

No outstanding performers, no superstars, yet the job gets done. That is New Zealand's way, at least on the field.

Pacemen Darryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills bowled reasonably, but the men who really swung things around for New Zealand were spinners Chris Harris and Daniel Vettori.

The two bowled splendidly in the middle overs as the Lankans, first lost their way and then their momentum. Vettori, on a comeback trail, pegged away with his left-arm spin, even as Harris, landed his `rolled' leg-breaks on the spot.

And Lou Vincent, who has come here with quite a reputation, was brilliant on the field. It was never going to be easy for the Kiwis to recover after they had got themselves into a hole.

Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya played a fine hand for his side with a responsible 80; this was not a belligerent Jayasuriya that we are all so familiar with. Yet, the fact that host could not last 50 overs, doesn't reflect well on the rest of the batsmen whose shot selection left much to be desired.

There was an absence of partnerships and the fact the 56-run stand between Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu for the second wicket was the highest of the innings tells its own story.

Jayasuriya (80, 108b, 8x4) looked set for a hundred when his attempt to strike left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori over the mid- wicket fence only ended in the hands of Oram.

True, there were some audacious strokes on view from the explosive southpaw, yet, for most part, he collected his runs calmly, eschewed risks, and was well in control.

Earlier, Jayasuriya won the toss and he and fellow opener Aviskha Gunawardene were up against the Kiwi new-ball attack of Tuffey and Mills.

There was a hint of bounce and away movement for both the bowlers, and Jayasuriya did survive a confident shout when he padded up to one that nipped back from Tuffey, but the Lankan captain proceeded to play some spanking shots.

Jayasuriya dismissed Tuffey ruthlessly with his trademark short- arm pull and then smashed the same bowler through the covers. Not to be left behind, Gunawardene, a powerful left- hander himself, flicked and punched Mills for boundaries.

Gunawardene was looking good for more when his attempted drive off Tuffey ended in the hands of Vettori at mid- off and the Kiwis had tasted success.

Tuffey's first spell of 6-1-29-1 was good in patches, and when Fleming introduced support paceman Jacob Oram into the attack, Marvan Atapattu, coming in at No. 3, greeted him with a whiplash pull.

Stunning catch by Harris

The smooth-stroking Atapattu (22), looking solid, and Jayasuriya added 56 in 21.1 overs, when the former was spectacularly taken by a leaping Harris at covers while attempting to drive Vettori. It was a stunning effort.

Mahela Jayawardene (14) did not last long, his ambitious ways against Harris only ending up in the hands of McMillan at mid- wicket. Worse was to follow for Lanka when the generally consistent Russel Arnold was trapped on his strength - the sweep - by the persevering Harris. The left-hander had made just nine and Lanka was losing ground rather rapidly.

Then came Jayasuriya's dismissal that was joyously celebrated by the Lankans. The rest was easy for the Kiwis who bowled with purpose and fielded quite brilliantly.

There was some heat generated when Oram's appeal for caught behind against Muralitharan was negated. The Kiwis were in the celebratory mode when Murali and Perera took off for a run and then Fleming had a word with the umpire when he did not see any signal.

Perera struck a few lusty blows but it did not take too long for the Kiwis to close out the Lankan innings with Oram - he finally scalped Muralitharan - and McMillan getting into the act as well.

The Lankans left out Kumara Sangakkara, Dinusha Fernando, Dulip Liyanage, and Chamara Silva, while the Kiwis omitted Dion Nash, James Franklin and Grant Bradburn from the eleven.

The match was watched by former Sri Lankan cricketers for whom a special stand named `Lions' Den' was put together by the BCCSL. The Lions' Den will be a feature in all Lankan matches.

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