Srilanka Vs New Zealand Test Match, NZ Out For 299

GALLE, Sri Lanka: Muttiah Muralitharan and Thilan Thushara finished with four wickets each as Sri Lanka bowled New Zealand out for 299 on Friday, taking a 153-run first innings lead on the fourth day of the first test.
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Resuming the fourth day on 281-8, the Black Caps — without key players due to an illness sweeping through the team — faced just 11 overs as Sri Lanka’s bowlers quickly polished off the tail.

Iain O’Brien (9) was the first to be dismissed Friday, edging a straight delivery from Muralitharan to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardena.

Thushara (4-81) then bowled skipper Daniel Vettori (42) to end the innings.

Muralitharan returned the best bowling figures (4-73) and also reached 100 career wickets at Galle International Stadium. He has also taken 100 at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.

Opener Tim McIntosh top-scored for the Black Caps with a a painstaking 69 runs off 226 balls in nearly five hours at the crease.

New Zealand was without wicketkeeper Brendon MacCullum and his back-up Ryder after the pair fell ill with a stomach complaint.

MacCullum and Ryder remained at the team hotel suffering from diarrhea and vomiting Friday. They were the worst affected of seven New Zealand players with the illness, team manager Dave Currie said.

“Both are suffering from tummy bugs, not well at all,” Currie said, adding that Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Daniel Flynn, McIntosh, and Chris Martin have also been through “various stages” of the illness.

Left without a wicketkeeper, New Zealand received approval from Sri Lanka to use reserve Reece Young behind the stumps in Sri Lanka’s second innings.

McCullum and Ryder would attempt to bat later in New Zealand’s second innings, depending on their health.

Sri Lanka scored 452 in its first innings, losing the last six wickets for just 66 runs as seamer Chris Martin and spinner Vettori took four wickets each.

Thilan Samaraweera top-scored with 159, Mahela Jayawardene made 114, while Tillakaratne Dilshan provided the momentum with a quickfire 92.