SYDNEY, April 9 - Factbox for New Zealand v Sri
Lanka second test, starting in Wellington on Monday:
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Head-to-heads: The two teams have met 21 times since 1983.
New Zealand have seven victories, Sri Lanka four with 10 draws.
New Zealand's last series win was in 1997 with Sri Lanka's in
1998.
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Recent form: New Zealand had lost their previous five tests,
all against Australia, before the first match with Sri Lanka
ended in a draw. Prior to that they beat Bangladesh 2-0. Sri
Lanka won four, lost five and drew two of their 11 tests last
year. Four of their five losses were against Australia. They had
not played a test this year before last week's match in Napier.
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Key players:
New Zealand - Hamish Marshall. He scored his maiden test
century (146) against Australia last month, then followed up
with a career-high 160 in the opening test with Sri Lanka. His
batting average after six test appearances is 67.25.
Sri Lanka - Lasith Malinga. Malinga's unorthodox round-arm
bowling action caused the New Zealanders problems in Napier. In
a match where bat dominated ball, Malinga was the only bowler to
make any real inroads. He captured four wickets in the first
innings and five in the second to cause the New Zealanders some
late jitters.
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Venue:
Basin Reserve, Wellington. Test cricket has been played at
the ground since 1930 when Stewie Dempster and Jack Mills
christened the venue with an opening stand of 276 against
England. The venue has mixed memories for New Zealanders. It was
the site of their worst defeat in test cricket, when they lost
to Australia in two days. But it was also the venue for Martin
Crowe (299) and Andrew Jones's (186) third-wicket world-record
partnership of 467 against Sri Lanka in 1991.