Thilan Samaraweera hit a maiden century under pressure to help Sri Lanka post a competitive 216-7 against

New Zealand in a tri-series match here onTbesday.

The hosts were struggling at 69-5 after electing to bat on a slow pitch before Samaraweera (104) led the fightback with a vital 127-run stand for the sixth wicket with Angelo Mathews (51).

Middle-order batsman Samaraweera, 32, smashed 10 fours in his 124-ball knock to become the oldest Sri Lankan to score a maiden one-day hundred, while Mathews hit four boundaries in his second half-century.

India are the third team in the competition. Each side will play two league matches before the top two qualify for the final on September 14.

New Zealand paceman Shane Bond marked his return to one-day cricket with an impressive 3-43 performance off 10 overs.

The fast bowler, who played his last one-day international in April 2007, denied Sri Lanka a sound start with two wickets in his opening five-over spell in the day-night match.

Bond, who became eligible to play after severing links with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL). struck in his first over when he had former captain Mahela Jayawardene caught by Ross Taylor in the slips.

Bond then dismissed hard-hitting opener Sanath Jayasuriya (seven) to reduce the hosts to 22-3. He conceded just nine runs in his opening five overs.

Sri Lanka suffered a setback in the opening over when inform Tillakaratne Dilshan inside-edged a Daryl TUffey delivery on to his stumps after contributing just four runs.

TUffey. who also snapped

SEE PAGE 18 COL 4 FROM PAGE 17

links with the ICL, finished with 1-35 off nine overs in his first one-dayer in more than two years.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori played a key role in drying up runs in middle overs, finishing with 1-31 off eight overs.

SCOREBOARD

Scoreboard of the Sri Lanka innings in the tri-series match against New Zealand in Colombo onTuesday:

SRI LANKA

DilshanblYiffey 4

Jayasuriya c Butler b Bond 7 JayawardenecTaylorbBond 0 Sangakkara c Oram b Buller 18 Samaraweerab Butler 104 KandambycTaylorb Vettori 15 Mathews b Bond 51

Kulasekaranotout 6

Thusharanotout 6

Extras: (lb-3,w-2) 5

Total: (For 7 wkts in 50 overs) 216 Did not bat: Malinga, Mendis.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-5, 3-22, 4-38.5-69,6-196,7-204.

Bowler O M R W

Tuffey 9 0 35 1

Bond 10 2 43 3

Butler 10 1 55 2

Oram 6 0 22 0

Vettori 8 0 31 I

McCullum 7 1 27 0