New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori became only the eighth player in history to achieve the double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets as Sri Lanka made a steady start in the second Test yesterday.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori became only the eighth player in history to achieve the double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets as Sri Lanka made a steady start in the second Test yesterday.
The left-arm spinner, who has scored 3,329 runs, claimed his 300th wicket when he dismissed his Sri Lankan counterpart Kumar Sangakkara in the afternoon session of the first day's play.
Vettori, 30, joins a select band of all-rounders including Kapil Dev (India), Ian Botham (England), Richard Hadlee (New Zealand), Imran Khan (Pakistan), Shane Warne (Australia), Shaun Pollock (South Africa) and Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka).
"I still see myself as a bowler rather than an all-rounder," said Vettori, playing his 94th Test. "As a spin bowler, I did not think a feat like this will happen, so it's a very special feeling."
Sangakkara, former captain Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera scored half-centuries as Sri Lanka went to stumps at 262-3 on a firm wicket that Vettori said "looked like a road" at the toss.
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