Cricket-Sangakkara key but NZ may target others on second day

By Greg Stutchbury WELLINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Kumar Sangakkara's wicket early on the second day of the second test is the one that New Zealand will be seeking the most though they may focus on running through their tail, according to pace bowler Doug Bracewell. The 37-year-old Sangakkara was 33 not out as Sri Lanka were left teetering on 78 for five in reply to New Zealand's 221 as 15 wickets fell on the green Basin Reserve wicket on the first day on Saturday. Sangakkara became the fastest man to 12,000 test runs when he reached five on Saturday, but it was the fact that he had been patient before he began to play his shots that was looming as the danger for the hosts. "He is obviously a very good player and we will have to be smart with our plans," Bracewell told reporters after he took three wickets in Sri Lanka's innings, before adding that the hosts may look to target his batting partners instead with Dinesh Chandimal the last remaining recognised batsman. "We will have a yarn in the morning and work out some plans and look to attack the new players coming in. At the same time we're still looking to get him early tomorrow." Sangakkara reached the 12,000-run milestone with a simple tuck off his legs for two runs and while he was rewarded with a sustained standing ovation from the crowd of almost 5,000 he did not acknowledge the mark at all. Instead, he simply got back to batting and tried to ensure that his side got back into the match after they had skittled New Zealand for such a low score. While he will need to re-establish himself again on Sunday the fact he reached 33 by the close on Saturday indicated he had adjusted to the pitch in much the same way Kane Williamson (69) and Ross Taylor (35) did in New Zealand's innings. The pair had taken New Zealand from 93 for two at lunch to 141 in less than 40 minutes after the break before Taylor's dismissal, indicating that once a batsmen was in, the runs were there to be scored. "The bottom end is a little bit more inconsistent with some going through and some staying a bit lower (but)... the guys showed that once they gave themselves a chance and were pretty patient then the scoring opportunities came," Bracewell said. "It's the sort of wicket where you can lose wickets in clumps but when the guys apply themselves and get going then it is a nice wicket to bat on." (Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)