Damp outfield delays play at Kandy until lunch

Despite the arrival of emergency tarpaulins, which covered 90% of the ground, the around-the-clock mopping up operations of an army of groundstaff and, ironically, bright blue skies and blazing sunshine, no play was possible before lunch on the second day of his second Test at Kandy.

The muddy brown outfield remains saturated after the early arrival of the southwest monsoon three weeks ago and after more overnight rain, the umpires, Daryl Harper and Simon Taufel, decided to inspect the pitch again at 1pm local time. In the meantime, both teams were packed off to their hotel, where they would spend another morning lounging by the poolside.

A second successive full-day washout remains a distinct possibility with the umpires unlikely to be willing to risk injury to the players on a slippery outfield. The pitch and the inner circle are in good condition.

New Zealand, who drew an attritional first Test in Colombo, are bidding to win their first series in Sri Lanka since Geoff Howarth's side won 2-0 in 1983-84.