Date-stamped : 19 Mar95 - 14:31 Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 1st Test Played at Colombo Cricket Ground, 16-21 April 1987. ====> Day 1, 16 Apr 87 KURUPPU GETS OFF THE MARK IN FINE STYLE Brendon Kuruppu, in his first Test match for Sri Lanka, made a fine start yesterday by keeping New Zealand at bay in the rain- hit first day of the First Test at the Colombo Cricket Ground. The right-handed opening batsman and wicketkeeper, recog- nised for his adventurous batting in one-day games, displayed fine temprament and staying power to take the full brunt of an at- tack spearheaded by Richard Hadlee. Kuruppu, aged 24, occupied the crease for the whole day, batting 243 minutes for a solid un- beaten 66 out of 141 for 3. Sri Lanka, put into bat on a pitch of even bounce, survived the initial overs from Hadlee and Chatfield, reaching 65 for one before lunch. The tourists` only success of the morning was the wicket of Mahanama, caught behind by Smith for 16. Hadlee, needing 16 wickets to beat Ian Botham`s world Test record of 366 wickets, broke through twice in the afternoon ses- sions. In the third over after lunch he trapped Gurusinha, the left-hander, leg before and then broke a promising third- wicket partnership, which yielded 59 runs between Kuruppu and Dias, the latter taken at third slip in the second over after tea. ====> Day 3, 19 Apr 87 RECORDS SET BY BATSMAN ON DEBUT Brendon Kuruppu acheived one of the most remarkable Test debuts here yesterday when he set several records in the process of becoming the first Sri Lankan to score a double-century in Test cricket. Selected primarily for his wicketkeeping, the 25- year-old Kuruppu, who works for a mercantile firm in Colombo, had hit 25 fours in his marathon 201 not out. He became only the third batsman in history to score a double century in his Test debut after R.E.Foster for England and the West Indian, L.G.Rowe, although his double century was the slowest in Test cricket. His innings, which lasted 778 minutes beat the 652 minutes (426 balls) taken by A.D.Gaekwad of India against Pakistan at Jullundur in 1983-84. Besides being the highest individual score for Sri Lanka, Kuruppu`s was also the longest innings, both records previously being held by Sidath Wettimuny during his 190 against England at Lord`s in 1984. Resuming this morning at 153, Kuruppu who had been missed at 31 and 70 was let off again at 165 by Phil Horne at midwicket off Evan Gray and at 181, when Ian Smith failed to collect a leg-side snick off Hadlee, whose four wickets in the innings brought him level with the Australian fast bowler, Dennis Lillee on 355. Hadlee`s new ball partner, Ewan Chatfield, became the sixth New Zealand bowler to take 100 wickets when he dismissed Don Anurasiri. ====> Day 4, 20 Apr 87 CROWE STEERS HIS SIDE TO SAFETY Jeff Crowe, in his first Test as New Zealand captain, guided his side to safety with a dour innings of 42 not out. Crowe`s defiant innings saw New Zealand, who at one stage were struggling at 99 for four, end the day on 214 for 5. Today is the final day and a draw seems inevitable. Gray, as defiant as his captain, stayed 175 minutes for his 31 runs, whilst Hadlee was more adventurous hitting six fours in his 40. In the morning, Ravi Ratnayeke`s medium pace bowling had Martin Crowe offering a straight-forward chance to skipper Duleep Mendis at slip off the first ball he bowled. Crowe, who has yet to score a 50 in a Test against Sri Lanka was dismissed for 27. Ratnayeke requires one more wicket to become the second Sri Lankan bowler to take 50 Test wickets. Asantha de Mel was the first, with 57. ====> Day 5, 21 Apr 87 NOW ITS CROWE AND HADLEE`S TURN. Records continued to tumble at Colombo as the amiable pitch allowed New Zealand to play for an inevitable draw. Jeff Crowe and Richard Hadlee, the overnight pair, batted throughout the day, in an unfinished sixth wicket partnership of 246 runs, beating the previous best of Glenn Turner and Ken Wadsworth against West Indies at Kingston in 1971-72. Only Mudassar Nazar (1977-78) and Jackie McGlew (1957-58) have taken longer than Jeff Crowe to complete three figures in Tests. Source :: The Times Contributed by John.Evans (en92jrfe@exeter.ac.uk)