Jayasuriya becomes the most-capped player

HAMILTON: Sanath Jayasuriya became the most-capped player in the history of limited-overs cricket Tuesday although the fifth one-day match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was abandoned because of rain.

The 37-year-old Sri Lankan opener was credited with his 375th one-day appearance despite the abandonment, moving clear of India's Sachin Tendulkar with whom he was previously tied.

New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden was also deemed to have officiated in his 100th limited-overs international, becoming the eighth umpire in cricket history to do so.

He joins David Shepherd and Dave Orchard of England, Rudi Koertzen of South Africa, Steve Bucknor of the West Indies, Australians Daryl Harper and Darrell Hair and fellow New Zealander Steve Dunne.

Jayasuriya stars in Sri Lanka win

One-day international, Napier:
Sri Lanka 286-3 (40 overs) bt New Zealand 285-8 (50 overs) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Sanath Jayasuriya's brilliant 111 helped Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the first one-dayer.

Youngster Ross Taylor (128no) made his maiden hundred for the Kiwis and Nathan Astle hit 83 as they totalled 285-8.

But that was inadequate as openers Jayasuriya, who hit five sixes in his 82-ball 111, and Upul Tharanga (68 off 73 balls) put on 201 in only 144 balls.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene (34no) and Kumar Sangakkara (36) then helped seal victory with exactly 10 overs to spare.

Taylor thrashed four maximums of his own and 12 boundaries in a fine 133-ball innings.

The 22-year-old's final six sailed out of the ground and into a neighbouring property, forcing the umpires to call for a new ball.

Astle was no slouch either and hit two sixes during a stand of 151 with Taylor for the second wicket before he was run out by a deflection at the non-striker's end.

It signalled a New Zealand slump from 169-1 to 229 for five and only Taylor kept the innings on course.

Chaminda Vaas was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, taking 3-50 from 10 overs while off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took 1-48.

Jayasuriya made a mockery of the target with his 23rd one-day hundred off 78 balls as he and Tharanga savaged the Kiwi attack.

They took full advantage of McLean Park's short boundaries and a bowling attack weakened by the absence of Shane Bond and Kyle Mills.

Michael Mason conceded 60 runs from six overs and Mark Gillespie 64 from nine.

James Franklin leaked 69 runs from 10 overs but claimed the wickets of Jayasuriya and Tharanga with successive balls in the 24th over.

Cricket-Rain ends Sri Lanka charge in Twenty20-Srilanka VS Newzealand

The opening Twenty20 cricket international between New Zealand and Sri Lanka came to an early end here with play abandoned because of rain as the tourists mounted a fiery run charge.

Under the Duckworth-Lewis system, Sri Lanka won by 18 runs after New Zealand made 162 for eight and Sri Lanka were 62 for one after 5.5 overs when the heavy rain forced players from the field on Friday.

After a rollicking start by Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum produced 80 runs in seven overs, New Zealand's batting faltered and they added just 82 runs in the remaining 13 overs.

Man-of-the-match Sanath Jayasuriya led Sri Lanka's reply with a near-solo masterpiece, hitting a rapid 51 in 23 balls, including 10 fours and one six, to score all but 11 of Sri Lanka's 62 runs.

New Zealand's opening onslaught came to an end when Farveez Maharoof bowled Fleming for 38 with a slower ball.

Spin twins Muttiah Muralitharan and Jayasuriya applied the pressure and the run rate slowed to a crawl.

Muralitharan was hit for two sixes in his first three balls before McCullum mistimed a slog and was caught by Upul Tharanga at deep midwicket for 39.

James Franklin, sent in as a pinch hitter, was trapped leg before wicket by Jayasuriya for 18, and Ross Taylor went lbw to Muralitharan for 21.

James Marshall lasted four balls and made one run before before being caught by a leaping Chamara Silva at midwicket for Jayasuriya's second wicket.

New Zealand turned to the veteran Nathan Astle to arrest the middle order collapse but he was bowled by Jayasuriya for 19.

With New Zealand finding runs hard to come by and wickets falling regularly, Silva was called on to bowl and he removed debutant wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan for five.

Shane Bond was back in the pavilion soon after, bowled by Chaminda Vaas without scoring.

Jayasuriya finished with figures of four for 21 from four overs, while Muralitharan took two for 27.

The only wicket to fall in Sri Lanka's run chase was that of Tharanga, who was caught by Fleming off the bowling of Bond for six.

The second and final Twenty20 match is at Auckland on December 26 and the first of the five one-day internationals is at Napier on December 28.
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