New Zealand stare down the barrel

Chamara Silva hits 152 to help Sri Lanka set a huge target of 504

A standout unbeaten 152 by Chamara Silva put Sri Lanka firmly in command of the second Test on Sunday as New Zealand were set an improbable 504 to win. The home side now require a world-record fourth innings for victory after Sri Lanka were
dismissed for 365 in their second innings.

Batting to save the game and protect a 1-0 series lead, New Zealand made a positive start to reach 56 without loss

before openers Jamie How and Craig Cumming fell in quick succession.

Mathew Sinclair was not out on 10 with Stephen Fleming on four when bad light brought an early end to the day with New Zealand at 75 for two, leaving them needing another 429 runs with two days remaining.

Silva put the embarrassment of a double duck in the first Test behind him to produce his maiden Test century following his 61 in the first innings here. He was at the crease for five-and-a-half hours and hit 20 boundaries as Sri Lanka built a dominant total until Daniel Vettori cleaned up the last three wickets in the space of four balls.

Vettori was New Zealand’s chief destroyer, at one stage sitting on a hat-trick when he dismissed Farveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga in successive balls and finishing with seven for 130, his 13th five-for in Test cricket.

The 27-year-old Silva put his name in the record books by becoming the first player in Test history to score a century in his first game after a pair of ducks. After a tentative start in his debut Test in Christchurch, Silva showed no sign of nerves here at the Basin Reserve as he anchored Sri Lanka’s charge to level the series.

When play began after rain wiped out the first 40 minutes of the third morning, Silva and Prasanna Jayawardene added 37 runs before the new ball came into play and Chris Martin took the only wicket of the morning.

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 268

New Zealand (1st innings): 130

Sri Lanka (2nd innings; Overnight: 225-5)

U Tharanga lbw b Martin 20, S Jayasuriya c Fleming b Vettori 31, K Sangakkara c Franklin b Bond 8, M Jayawardene c Sinclair b Vettori 31, C Kapugedera b Vettori 27, C Silva not out 152, P Jayawardene c sub b Martin 37, C Vaas c McCullum b Vettori 47, F Maharoof lbw b Vettori 1, L Malinga lbw b Vettori 0, M Muralitharan  st McCullum b Vettori 0

Extras: (lb7 nb4) 11

Total: (all out; 109.3 overs) 365

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-62, 3-62, 4-100, 5-168, 6-262, 7-350, 8-356, 9-365, 10-365

Bowling: S Bond 19-3-67-1, C Martin 23-1-98-2,  D Vettori 42.3-6-130-7,  J Franklin 25-8-63-0        

New Zealand 2nd innings

C Cumming c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 20, J How lbw b Malinga 33, M Sinclair not out 10, S Fleming not out 4

Extras: (b5 nb3) 8

Total: (for 2 wickets; 22 overs) 75

Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-60

Bowling: C Vaas 6-0-28-0, L Malinga 6-1-20-1, F Maharoof 5-1-17-0, M Muralitharan  4-2-4-1, S Jayasuriya 1-0-1-0