Sri Lanka complete clean-sweep by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
Scorecard:	Sri Lanka v New Zealand
Player:	DL Vettori, JDP Oram
Event:	New Zealand in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 30th August 2009

 

It seemed just matter of time before the Lankan bowlers wiped out the remaining vestige of resistance to complete a clean-sweep of the Test series and retain the number two spot in the world ranking. But a robust partnership between Vettori and Oram frustrated the Lankan team for some time before finally folding up. New Zealand chasing 494 to win finally folded up for 397 with skipper Vettori being the last man to be dismissed.

 

Needing to bat out three sessions, Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram summoned immense concentration to almost stave off the Lankan charge. Both the batsmen looked quite comfortable in the middle as they dealt with both pace and spin quite admirably. Dammika Prasad bowled a good first spell as he troubled both the batsmen with his pace and swing combined with accuracy, but Thushara looked a pale shadow off himself throughout his spell.

 

Even the spinners who proved to be quite handful in the first session were dealt comfortably as the duo worked the bowlers around rather than getting bogged down with scoreless periods. They got the singles as Sangakkara had left large spaces on the ground open with a defensive field. It looked like the pair would take the team past the lunch session but a lame poke from Oram ended a defiant stand.

 

Heavy rain during the lunch break forced the second session to be delayed, but once play got underway Vettori stood up to the challenge. Patel did not last long as he swept Muralitharan straight to short leg, leaving Vettori with two literal tailenders in the middle. Vettori immediately realising that there is no use of hanging around began to find th boundaries. O'Brien hung around gamely as he helped Vettori to complete his fourth Test century.

 

A flighted Herath delivery finally ended O'Brien's resistance as he edged to keeper. Vettori continued to fight hard before he slogged Muralitharan straight to Herath at square-leg