Statistics
Best performances - Batsmen
KC Sangakkara
100(154) 12x4 - 1x6
Control %87%
- Productive Shot
- leg glance
- 20 runs
- 0x4 - 0x6
DL Vettori
63(114) 8x4 - 0x6
Control %69%
- Productive Shot
- leg glance
- 17 runs
- 1x4 - 0x6
06/12Result
1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand at Christchurch, Dec 7-9 2006
-
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
154 & 170 -
![New Zealand]( "New Zealand")
206 & 119/5 (33 ov)
Player of the Match
06/12Result
1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand at Christchurch, Dec 7-9 2006
-
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
154 & 170 -
![New Zealand]( "New Zealand")
206 & 119/5 (33 ov)
Player of the Match
Match Centre
Match Details
Toss
Sri Lanka , elected to bat first
Player Of The Match
Series result
New Zealand led the 2-match series 1-0
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
10.30am start, Lunch 12.30-1.10pm, Tea 3.10-3.30pm, Close 5.30pm
Match days
7,8,9 December 2006 (5-day match)
Test debut
Umpires
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Scorecard Summary
SRI LANKA 154 (52.4 OVERS)1ST INNINGS
- Upul Tharanga33 (96)
- Chamara Kapugedera37 (86)
- Shane Bond3/43 (13)
- James Franklin3/30 (12)
NEW ZEALAND 206 (85.4 OVERS)1ST INNINGS
- Stephen Fleming48 (158)
- Daniel Vettori63 (114)
- Muthiah Muralidaran4/65 (34)
- Chaminda Vaas3/49 (18)
SRI LANKA 170 (53.1 OVERS)2ND INNINGS
- Kumar Sangakkara*100 (154)
- Upul Tharanga24 (40)
- Shane Bond4/63 (19.1)
- James Franklin2/34 (13)
NEW ZEALAND 119/5 (33 OVERS)2ND INNINGS
- Nathan Astle24 (39)
- Craig Cumming43 (57)
- Muthiah Muralidaran3/34 (14)
- Chaminda Vaas2/33 (12)
END OF OVER:33 | 5 Runs | NZ: 119/5
- Brendon McCullum14 (8b)
- Jacob Oram12 (46b)
- Muthiah Muralidaran14-5-34-3
- Farveez Maharoof3-0-15-0
It's been an intriguing, low-scoring Test and New Zealand have held the advantage, although very slight at times, all the way through. Jayawardene's decision to bat first and Vettori's defiant fifty proved crucial to the final outcome. New Zealand's 52-run lead in the first-innings was invaluable.
Sri Lanka had their moments too, Muralitharan's four wickets in the first innings and Kumar Sangakkara's outstanding century on the third morning. However they just didn't score enough to stretch New Zealand to the limit.
It's been a fascinating Test and I've enjoyed bringing it to you. My favourite oddity from this Test was Craig Cumming being caught thrice of no-balls. That's about it from us at Cricinfo, your commentators for this match have been Binoy George, Sajan Nair and George Binoy. Do join us for the second Test at Wellington beginning on December 15. Cheers.
32.6
4
Muralidaran to McCullum, FOUR, and that's it that, McCullum settles the score in style, that pitches on leg and McCullum moved his front foot out of the way and slog sweeps over midwicket, New Zealand have won a tight Test by five wickets
32.5
1
Muralidaran to Oram, 1 run, swept down to long leg for a single, New Zealand are a boundary away
32.4
0
Muralidaran to Oram, no run, defended on the front foot
32.3
0
Muralidaran to Oram, no run, struck outside off stump and they appeal for lbw, that was missing off by a long way
32.2
0
Muralidaran to Oram, no run, tossed up on middle and off, Oram gets his front foot well forward and watches it spin across his pad
32.1
0
Muralidaran to Oram, no run, defended on the front foot
Match Coverage
All Match NewsDesultory crowds leave board perplexed
Martin Snedden, the CEO of New Zealand Cricket, has admitted that the desultory attendances at the Christchurch Test have left him baffled
No regrets on controversial run-out - Fleming
Stephen Fleming had no regrets about the controversial dismissal of Muttiah Muralitharan in the first Test, saying Muralitharan made a mistake and paid the price
New Zealand clinch five-wicket victory
An extraordinary low-scoring Test match continued to twist and turn during day three but New Zealand hung on to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series
New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Christchurch
Match home for the first Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Christchurch between November 7 and 11, 2006
Vettori steers NZ to 52-run lead
Shane Bond ripped through Sri Lanka during an extraordinary day of Test cricket to leave New Zealand on the verge of victory in the opening Test