A magnificent double century from Lou Vincent put New Zealand firmly in command of the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka at stumps on the third day.
Vincent’s 224 was the seventh-highest Test innings by a New Zealander and provided the backbone of New Zealand’s 522 for nine declared.
It gave New Zealand a 311 first-innings lead, and when the umpires called time to end day three, Sri Lanka were 10 for one in their second innings.
Vincent was at the crease for 522 minutes, facing 347 balls and hitting 24 fours and four sixes before being run out by Sanath Jayasuriya while attempting a second run.
By then the damage had been done and the hard work of left-armer Chaminda Vaas, who had New Zealand at six for 294, had been undone.
Vaas was the most successful Sri Lankan bowler, finishing with six for 108, but his sterling effort took second place to Vincent’s patient knock that left Sri Lanka with an uphill battle to save the Test and the series.
New Zealand resumed the day on 253 for four on a chilly morning under grey skies. Stephen Fleming got off to a flyer when he pulled the fourth ball of the day from Farveez Maharoof over mid-wicket for six, losing the ball down a drain and forcing it to be replaced.
But on 88 he skied a hook shot off Vaas and was well caught at deep square leg by Shantha Kalavithigoda, ending a 211-minute, 176-ball innings, including 11 fours and a six.
Brendon McCullum followed immediately when he mistimed a ball high on the bat and Vaas held the simple return chance to have two wickets in consecutive balls for the second time in the match.
Vincent was content to play second fiddle while Fleming was at the crease, but once Vaas dismissed the New Zealand skipper and McCullum, Vincent blossomed as the senior batsman.
His third Test hundred came from a pull shot off Vaas, the 150 came from a reverse sweep off legspinner Upul Chandana that went for four, and the second hundred was a full-blooded drive to the boundary.
Sri Lanka were made to pay dearly for Thilan Samaraweera dropping Vincent in the slips on 64 and Sanath Jayasuriya spilling a chance just before tea when Vincent was on 193.
James Franklin helped steady the ship after the dismissal of McCullum, contributing 15 in a 48-run partnership before he went leg before wicket to a toecrusher from Lasith Malinga.
Kyle Mills joined Vincent to put on an entertaining 98 — a record eighth-wicket stand for New Zealand against Sri Lanka — before Mills became Malinga’s second victim when he top-edged a pull shot to Mahela Jayawardene at midwicket and was out for 31.
Mills’s innings included a giant six off Malinga that disappeared out of the ground to be fielded by a shopper outside a nearby store.
Paul Wiseman was not out 32 with Chris Martin on four when Fleming declared.
Martin, who took six wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings, struck early with Jayasuriya caught by Vincent at second slip for two. — Sapa-AFP