Cricket: Sri Lanka's historic win

Sri Lanka 394 and 70-1

New Zealand 102 and 361

Sri Lanka win by 9 wickets

SRI LANKA romped home to their first Test victory over New Zealand in Colombo yesterday to record only a third success in their 42-Test history. Set a second innings target of just 70, they completed the task for the loss of one wicket by tea on the fourth day.

The visitors had struggled in both Tests after five players returned home after a bomb attack outside their hotel. They drew the first Test but were always chasing the second after being dismissed for 102 in their first innings.

New Zealand had started the day at 277 for 6, needing 15 runs to avoid an innings defeat. The day began with Grant Bradburn being caught in the sixth over, but a fight back was led by Adam Parore with a maiden Test half-century. Parore was given brief support by Chris Pringle, but Kiwi resistance ended when Parore was caught by Hashan Tillekeratne for 60.

Tillekeratne's catch was his seventh of the match, equalling the Test record for non-wicketkeepers held by the Australian, Greg Chappell, and India's Yajurvindra Singh. Tillekeratne's fielding, and his innings of 93, ensured that he was named man of the match.

Sri Lanka had, by then, hit the winning runs in just 14.4 overs. 'Having learnt from the mistakes against Australia three months ago, we were very patient in this Test, waiting for New Zealand to make mistakes,' the captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, said.

Sri Lanka's two previous Test victories were against India and Pakistan in 1985-1986.

The New Zealand captain, Martin Crowe, troubled by a hamstring injury, will not play again on the tour. 'I have to be fit in time for the Boxing Day match against Pakistan because that is at the head of my priorities,' Crowe, who will continue as coach, said. Andrew Jones will take over as captain.

(Sri Lanka won toss) SRI LANKA - First Innings 394 (R S Mahanama 109, H P Tillekeratne 93, A Ranatunga 76). NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 102 (K P J Warnaweera 4-25). NEW ZEALAND - Second Innings (Overnight: 277 for 6) A C Parore c T'keratne b Muralitharan 60 G E Bradburn c W'ramasinghe b Anurasiri 7 M L Su'a b Muralitharan 0 C Pringle c T'keratne b Liyanage 23 M B Owens not out 8 Extras (b2 lb8 nb13) 23 Total 361 Fall (cont): 7-285 8-286 9-317. Bowling: Liyanage 12-3-35-1; Gurusinha 8-1-19-1; Warnaweera 34-4-107-2; Muralitharan 40-5-134- 4; Anurasiri 22-4-54-2; Hathurusinghe 3-2-2-0.

SRI LANKA - Second Innings R S Mahanama c Parore b Owens 29 U C Hathurusinghe not out 23 A P Gurusinha not out 14 Extras (lb2 nb2) 4 Total (for 1) 70 Fall: 1-36. Bowling: Owens 6-1-36-1; Pringle 2-1-5-0; Su'a 2-0-14-0; Bradburn 3-1-8-0; Jones 1.4-1-5-0. Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets Umpires: T M Samarasinghe and I Anandappa.