Collision puts Atapattu and Vettori in hospital

New Zealand 305 Sri Lanka 94

Marvan Atapattu and Daniel Vettori were both taken to hospital after a sickening collision on the third day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand here yesterday.

Vettori crashed into Atapattu as the New Zealand batsman chased a quick run. Both players suffered leg injuries. Vettori had an ankle encased in plaster and Atapattu cut his lower leg and also ended up with a surgical collar around his neck.

The tourists managed a useful first-innings total after the overnight batsmen Mark Richardson, with 55, and Jacob Oram (74) hit half-centuries.

It fell to Vettori and the last man, Shane Bond, to top 300 before the former was injured. Sri Lanka then lost Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene before the close, with Sanath Jayasuriya unbeaten on 53.

Third day; New Zealand won toss

NEW ZEALAND – First Innings (Overnight: 75-4)
M H Richardson c Sangakkara b Lokuarachchi 55
J D P Oram c Kaluwitharana b Lokuarachchi 74
R G Hart lbw b Muralitharan 31
D L Vettori run out 55
P J Wiseman b Muralitharan 7
D R Tuffey c Jayawardene b Nissanka 15
S E Bond not out 10
Extras (b3 lb7 w5 nb7 pens 0) 22
Total (111.5 overs) 305

Fall: 1-6 2-7 3-11 4-71 5-109 6-189 7-222 8-237 9-271.

Bowling: Vaas 22-8-48-2; Nissanka 16.5-5-41-2; Muralitharan 34-10-90-3; Jayasuriya 8-0-24-0; Dharmasena 15-5-40-0; Lokuarachchi 16-5-52-2.

SRI LANKA – First Innings
K C Sangakkara c Hart b Tuffey 10
S T Jayasuriya not out 53
D P M Jayawardene c Hart b Oram 15
H P Tillakaratne not out 10
Extras (lb5 nb1 pens 0) 6
Total (for 2, 28 overs) 94

Fall: 1-30 2-69.

To Bat: M S Atapattu, R S Kaluwitharana, W P U J C Vaas, H D P K Dharmasena, K S Lokuarachchi, R A P Nissanka, M Muralitharan.

Bowling: Tuffey 8-4-16-1; Bond 9-2-32-0; Oram 5-0-11-1; Wiseman 6-0-30-0.

Umpires: D J Harper (Aus) and S J A Taufel (Aus).