Lankan batsmen make merry to reach 413

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE from New Zealand

CRICKET: The Sri Lankan batsmen made merry on the second day rattling up 413 and at the close had Otago 140 for 2 when stumps were drawn at the University Oval, here yesterday.

When Sri Lanka resumed on 141 for 3 they lost Kumar Sangakkara early for 65 with the score on 176.

Dilshan continuing on 26 not out added another 10 runs before he was out with the score on 183.

Chamara Kapugedera was then joined by Chamara Silva and together they batted with good understanding and played some pleasing strokes and never allowed the opposing bowlers to drop into a line or length as they went their merry way.

Kapugedera and Silva are strongly challenging for Test berths and with these excellent half centuries should give the selectors a headache when they sit to pick the Test line up.

Kapugedera made 68 with 9 fours and a six, while Silva who showed good form made 70 with 7 fours and one six. They added a face saving 105 for the sixth wicket after Sri Lanka were 183 for 5 at one stage.

After the dismissals of Kapugedera and Silva, Prasanna Jayewardena 34 with 1 four and 2 sixes and Ferveez Maharoof who stroked 53 with 10 fours also got among the runs and the Lankans did well to get past the 400 run mark.

B. E. Scott was the best bowler returning figures of 4 for 56, while A. J. Redmound took 3 for 41.

When Otago batted they did not find any terrors in the Lankan bowling. Malinga and Ganegama did not prove troublesome and the openers J. W. Sheed 57 and C. D. Cummings 50 put on 107 for the first wicket.

It was when spin was introduced in the form of left arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya did the break come, when he had Sheed caught by Sangakkara. Sheed had 10 boundaries in his innings.

Dilhara Fernando got the other wicket of C. D. Cummings caught by Malinga. Cummings hit 9 fours.

All in all it was a good outing for the Lankan batsmen as the first day of the summer here allowed a full day's play.

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS
141 for 3 contd:

K. S. Sangakkara c Haig b Scott 	65
T. Dilshan c Hopkins b Scott 		36
C. Kapugedera c Hopkins b M. Harvie	68
C. Silva c Scott b Redmound 		70
P. Jayawardena b Redmound 		34
F. Mahroof b Redmound 			53
L. Malinga lbw Scott			 1
A. Ganegama not out			 0
EXTRAS:					19
TOTAL:					413
FALL OF WICKETS: 176, 183, 288, 323, 407, 412, 413
BOWLING: B. Harvie 24-5-101-1, G. S. Shaw 19-3-89-1, 
B. L. Scott 26-10-56-4, C. M. Smith 16-1-70-1, 
M. McCallum 14-3-49-0, A. Redound 8.3-0-41-3, C. D. Cummings 1-0-1-0

OTAGO 1ST INNINGS

J. W. Sheed c Sangakkara b Jayasuriya	57
C.D. Cummings c Malinga b Fernando 	50
A. Redound not out 			20
C Todd not out				 5
EXTRAS:					 8
TOTAL: (for two wickets)		140
FALL OF WICKETS: 107, 118
BOWLING: L. Malinga 7-0-30-0, F. Mahroof 7-1-35-0, 
A. Ganegama 8-2-34-0, D. Fernando 6-0-35-1, S. Jayasuriya 4-1-6-1.
DUNEDIN, Friday