Fleming cracks a Test-best 274

Stephen Fleming hit a Test-best 274 not out on Saturday to put New Zealand in a commanding position in the first Test against Sri Lanka. Exp...

Stephen Fleming hit a Test-best 274 not out on Saturday to put New Zealand in a commanding position in the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Exploiting some sloppy fielding, Fleming struck 28 fours and one six to pass 200 for the first time in his Test career to help his side declare on 515 for seven.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand Ist Innings: M Richardson b Vaas 85; M Horne c Dharmasena b Nissanka 4; S Fleming not out 274; M Sinclair c Sangakkara b Dharmasena 17; S Styris c Vaas b Dharmasena 63; J Oram c Lokuarachchi b Muralitharan 33; R Hart c Jayawardena b Muralitharan 9; D Vettori lbw Dharmasena 7; P Wiseman not out 16. Extras w-1, nb-1, lb-4, b-1 7
Total for 7 wkts decl: 515
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-192, 3-235, 4-392, 5-471, 6-486, 7-499
Bowling: Vaas 29-8-73-1, Nissanka 23-9-53-1, Dharmasena 40-7-132-3, Muralitharan 58.5-16-140-2, Lokuarachchi 18-2-83-0, Jayasuriya 6-0-29-0
Sri Lanka 1st Innings: M Atapattu lbw Tuffey 0; S Jayasuriya batting 2; C Vaas batting 2; Total for 1 wkt: 4
Fall of wickets: 0-1
Bowling: Tuffey 1-0-1-1, Bond 0.4-0-3-0.

Fast bowler Darryl Tuffey then removed Marvan Atapattu for a duck to leave the home side on four for one when bad light ended the second day a few minutes early.

8220;It8217;s great. It8217;s just set up the Test, which I8217;m pleased about more than anything,8221; Fleming said.

8220;The personal side of things will sink in later tonight, but at the moment I8217;m delighted I was able to play a hand.8221;

Dropped twice, Fleming spent just over nine hours at the crease in stifling conditions. It was the second-highest Test score by a New Zealander after Martin Crowe8217;s 299.

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The lanky left-hander, sometimes criticised for failing to convert good starts into major totals, broke into a huge smile and was hugged by team mate Scott Styris after reaching 200 with a boundary. His previous highest score, 174 not out, was also against Sri Lanka in 1997-98. Fleming, who now averages more than 76 against Sri Lanka in Tests, was well supported by Styris, who hit two sixes and five fours in his 63 before being caught by Chaminda Vaas off spinner Kumar Dharmasena to give the home side a wicket just before the interval. The pair put on 157.