Kiwis thrash Lankans; win series

Wellington: James Franklin took four wickets and Nathan Astle added three as New Zealand ended its longest season on a high on Thursday, sealing an innings victory in four days over Sri Lanka in the second cricket Test. New Zealand snuffed out fleeting late-order resistance to win the match by an innings and 38 runs and the two-Test series 1-0. The first Test at Napier was drawn. New Zealand right-arm bowler Chris Martin took 6-54 earlier in the match. Lou Vincent’s double century on Wednesday at the Basin Reserve set up the victory, helping New Zealand to 522-9 declared in its only innings and to a first-innings lead of 311 runs. Sri Lanka was out for 211 batting first on a seaming wicket and threatened only briefly before its second innings ended at 273. Tillakaratne Dilshan played a fighting hand, scoring 73. — AP