This article was first published 18 years ago

Tharanga and Jayasuriya give Sri Lanka a boost

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December 02, 2006 15:54 IST

Upul Tharanga made 108 and Sananth Jayasuriya added 85 as Sri Lanka piled on 240 for two in the second innings of their New Zealand tour match against Otago on Saturday.

Schedule

The pair shared an opening wicket partnership of 190 to put the tourists in control of the match heading into the last day after Otago lost their last seven wickets for 41 runs to be all out for 276.

Sri Lanka finished the day with an overall lead of 377 runs with Kumar Sangakkara unbeaten on 19 and captain Mahela Jayawardene not out 16.

Jayasuriya made amends for his golden duck in the first innings with a typically aggressive display that only ended when he was run out attempting a second run.

The left-handed Tharanga had a lucky escape in the 90s when he was dropped by Brad Scott before reaching his hundred with his 13th boundary.

Scott atoned for his missed chance when he took a sharp catch off his own bowling to remove Tharanga with the total on 219.

Recalled New Zealand opener Craig Cumming (50) was one of three Otago batsmen to post half-centuries but the locals failed to go on and make a competitive score after the tail collapsed.

The first Test between Sri Lanka starts in Christchurch on Thursday with the second match beginning in Wellington on December 15.

Sri Lanka are also due to play two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals on the six-week tour.

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