The Sunless Caps trailed by 50 at stumps in Galle with Daryl Mitchell (41) and Tom Blundell (18) to renew in the morning.
AFP
19 September, 2024, 07:20 pm
Closing modified: 19 September, 2024, 07:23 pm
Half of-centuries from Tom Latham and Kane Williamson do New Zealand at 255-4 and in hot pursuit of Sri Lanka on day two of the first Test on Thursday.
The Sunless Caps trailed by 50 at stumps in Galle with Daryl Mitchell (41) and Tom Blundell (18) to renew in the morning.
No New Zealander has scored a Test century in Galle and every Williamson and Latham looked set up of residing to cease that drought sooner than falling against the bustle of play.
Their 73-bustle partnership steadied the respond to Sri Lanka’s first innings of 305 but ended when Latham fell sooner than tea for 55, prime-edging a sweep shot that was caught at backward square leg.
World quantity two batter Willamson departed in the final session for 70 whereas attempting to work Dhananjaya de Silva on the leg-facet for a single, caught by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.
Aggressive sweep shots from the Kiwis foiled a concerted Sri Lankan scoot attack and compelled the hosts to unfold the sphere.
It countered New Zealand’s usual vulnerability to spinners at Galle, where the vacationers contain misplaced all four of their prior Test suits played there.
De Silva had a 2nd wicket when he bowled Rachin Ravindra, ending 2-31 in an in another case lacklustre day for the hosts.
Fewer than 5 overs had been played in a morning session delayed by rain.
Sri Lanka belatedly resumed their first innings from 302-7 in a single day but misplaced all three remaining wickets for appropriate three runs.
Rookie New Zealand mercurial bowler William O’Rourke took 5-55, his 2nd 5-wicket haul in exactly three Exams since his February debut against South Africa.
That dwelling collection noticed him grab 9-93, perchance the most efficient match figures for a debutant Kiwi bowler.
A groin hurt dominated the 23-twelve months-ragged O’Rourke out of the next collection against Australia and his selection sooner than the more experienced Matt Henry had been a surprise.
But he vindicated selectors by turning in fixed speeds above 145 kilometres (90 miles) per hour to sever via the Sri Lankan prime portray on day one.
A century by Kamindu Mendis, his fourth from seven Test appearances, rescued Sri Lanka from 178-5.
