Ton-up Samaraweera crosses 1,000-run mark this year

Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera took a second hundred off New Zealand in as many matches to surpass 1,000 runs this year during the second Test on Thursday.

Samaraweera was unbeaten on 134 as Sri Lanka moved their first innings from the overnight score of 262-3 to 372-5 by lunch on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Samaraweera joined Andrew Strauss in completing 1,000 runs in 2009, but the Sri Lankan is playing only his eighth Test this year as compared to the England captain's 1,071 runs in 12 matches.

Samaraweera's tally in 2009 stands at 1,050 runs.

He has so far hit 17 boundaries and celebrated his 11th Test century in 54 matches by smashing the next ball from seamer Iain O'Brien over the square-leg boundary for six.

Samaraweera hit two double-centuries in a row against Pakistan in February-March and made 159 in the first Test against the Kiwis at Galle last week.

The right-hander, who turns 33 next month, was hospitalised for two weeks in March when he suffered a bullet injury in the thigh during the militant attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan.

He was one of the seven players hurt when gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lankan team bus while they were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to resume a Test match on March 3.

Sri Lanka's assistant coach Paul Farbrace was also injured in the attack while eight Pakistani securitymen and bystanders were killed.

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene missed a second successive ton against the Kiwis when he edged a ball from seamer O'Brien to wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum after making 92.

Jayawardene, who hit 114 in the first Test, put on 180 runs for the fourth wicket with Samaraweera after Sri Lanka were struggling at 115-3 before tea on the first day.

Chamara Kapugedera made 35 during a fifth-wicket stand of 72 with Samaraweera before he holed out in the deep off Jeetan Patel.

Prasanna Jayawardene kept Samaraweera company at lunch on five.

Sri Lanka lead the two-match series after winning the Galle Test by 202 runs.