Vettori joins elite all-rounders club
Sri Lanka 262-3 New Zealand
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Your support makes all the difference.The New Zealander Daniel Vettori claimed his 300th Test victim here in Colombo yesterday against Sri Lanka to become only the eighth player in history to achieve the 300 wickets-3000 runs double.
The left-arm off spinner becomes the second player from New Zealand after Richard Hadlee to achieve the double and he joins a list that includes the likes of England's Sir Ian Botham, India's Kapil Dev and Australia's Shane Warne.
Vettori, who shouldered the bulk of the bowling, gave the visitors a bright start in the morning by dismissing opener Tharanga Paranavitana in his first over. Paranavitana, who had scores of zero and five in the first Test in Galle, began with two edged boundaries off Chris Martin, but fell for 19 when Vettori brought himself on. Vettori struck with his second delivery, getting Paranavitana to push at one that drifted in slightly. Ross Taylor at slip held the edge nicely.
Kumar Sangakkara attempted to take the fight to the bowlers and made a fifty before sweeping Vettori straight to Oram at deep mid-wicket to help the off spinner achieve his milestone.
Sangakkara's dismissal left Sri Lanka at a precarious 135 for 3, but it also brought Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera together who both made unbeaten half-centuries in an unbroken 147-run stand to lead the team to 262 for 3 at stumps.
Super eight: Best Test all-rounders
The 300 Test wickets and 3,000 runs club:
Runs/Wickets
Kapil Dev (India) 5,248/434
Richard Hadlee (NZ) 3,124/431
Ian Botham (Eng) 5,200/383
Imran Khan (Pak) 3,807/362
Shane Warne (Aus) 3,154/708
Chaminda Vaas (SL) 3,089/355
Shaun Pollock (SA) 3,781/421
Daniel Vettori (NZ) 3,329/300
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