Sri Lanka’s bowlers ripped via the New Zealand prime order, together with snaring the important thing wicket of Kane Williamson, to go away the host in bother at 162-5 after the second day of the primary Test on Friday.
After posting a aggressive 355 on the inexperienced Hagley Oval wicket in Christchurch, Sri Lanka gave New Zealand run chase a smooth begin earlier than gaining momentum.
A productive burst on both facet of the tea break from Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara claimed Devon Conway, Williamson and Henry Nicholls as New Zealand slumped from 67 with out loss to 76-3.
A pin-point Fernando yorker dismissed opener Tom Latham for 67 earlier than Kasun Rajitha accounted for Tom Blundell for seven.
Daryl Mitchell was on 40 at stumps with Michael Bracewell on 9, however New Zealand was nonetheless 193 in arrears.
Sri Lanka wants to comb the collection to maintain its World Test Championship hopes alive.
Its ambition was evident because it celebrated every wicket and each saved single.
Fernando, responsible of straying too typically down the legside in his opening spell, got here again to lure Conway lbw for 30.
Three overs later, Kumara captured the plum wicket of Williamson for one on the final ball earlier than tea after which accounted for Nicholls for 2 quickly after the resumption.
The Sri Lankans had been jubilant with the wicket of Williamson, New Zealand’s most prolific run-scorer and the hero of the latest dramatic one-run victory over England.
With the tea break round, he was lured into making an attempt an uncharacteristic huge cowl drive however couldn’t get the ball over Dimuth Karunaratne.
Nicholls, with a query mark over his Test future, had solely confronted six balls when a rash try to drag Kumara to the boundary noticed him caught at mid-wicket.
Latham persevered to convey up his twenty seventh half-century and regarded well-set till he was bowled by Fernando.
Sri Lanka had pissed off New Zealand from the beginning of the day when it resumed at 305-6 and added one other 50 because it stretched the innings for an additional 17 overs.
Overnight pair Dhananjaya de Silva and Rajitha clipped 11 off the opening over of the morning earlier than skipper Tim Southee entered the assault and had De Silva caught behind for 46.
When the brand new ball turned due, Matt Henry had Rajitha caught at mid-off for 22, and New Zealand sensed the tip was close to.
But Prabath Jayasuriya and Kumara, whereas solely including 5 runs, lasted 38 deliveries for the ninth wicket.
Henry ultimately had Jayasuriya caught behind for 13, leaving Kumara (13 not out) and Fernando (10) so as to add 19 runs off 26 deliveries for the ultimate wicket.
For New Zealand, Southee completed with 5-64 and Henry 4-80.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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