Cricket: Century puts Sri Lanka in control

ROSHAN MAHANAMA struck his second consecutive Test century as Sri Lanka reached 303 for 6 on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand in Colombo yesterday.

Mahanama reached his hundred off just 128 balls, sharing a record opening partnership of 102 with Chandika Hathurusingha, but his side later lost their way.

Sri Lanka forfeited three wickets for 22 runs off 42 deliveries in the afternoon and a further two wickets in three overs in the final session.

Things were different when Mahanama was at the crease. He reached 50 at the rate of a run a ball, hitting 14 fours before falling for 109 to a catch at mid-wicket.

Arjuna Ranatunga, the captain, and Hashan Tillekeratne dug in during the afternoon. They put on 92 until the introduction of the second new ball at 268 for 4 brought New Zealand immediate results.

Murphy Su'a tempted Ranatunga to chase a wide delivery, ending an innings of 76 - his 14th half-century in 38 Tests. Then Michael Owens, the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, dismissed Gamini Wickremasinghe for two when he edged to slip.

(Sri Lanka won toss)

SRI LANKA - First innings

R S Mahanama c Bradburn b Owens . . . . . . . 109

U C Hathurusinghe c Harris b Owens. . . . . . .27

A P Gurusinha st Parore b Bradburn. . . . . . .22

P A de Silva c Parore b Pringle . . . . . . . . 3

* A Ranatunga c Parore b Su'a . . . . . . . . .76

H P Tillekeratne not out . . . . . . . . . . . 43

A G D Wick'singhe c Rutherford b Owens . . . . .2

D Liyanage not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Extras (lb2 b3 nb3 w3) . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Total (for 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303

Fall: 1-102 2-160 3-167 4-182 5-274 6-286.

To bat: S D Anurasiri, J Warnaweera, M Muralitharan.

Bowling (to date): Su'a 16-3-38-1; Owens 23-5- 73-3; Pringle 23-3-73-1; Bradburn 27-2-102-1; Harris 1-0-12-0.

NEW ZEALAND: *M D Crowe, B R Hartland, J G Wright, A H Jones, K R Rutherford, C Z Harris, A C Parore, M L Su'a, G E Bradburn, C R Pringle, M B Owens.

Umpires: T M Samarasinghe and I Anandappa.

Kepler Wessels, South Africa's captain, and fast bowler Fanie de Villiers should both play in today's one-day international against India in Cape Town despite suffering head injuries in a freak training collision yesterday.