New Zealand Crushes Sri Lanka in Second Test to Complete Series Sweep
Kane Williamson's double ton paved the way for New Zealand's win (Twitter)
New Zealand thrashed Sri Lanka in the second and final Test of the two-match series with an impressive victory by an innings and 58 runs, resulting in a 2-0 whitewash. Following the first Test, which was a nail-biting contest, the second Test proved to be a one-sided affair with the home team's ruthless performance over the visitors.
How the battle panned out on Day 4?
On Day 4, Sri Lanka began at 113/2, with Kusal Mendis unbeaten on 50 and Angelo Mathews on 1. The duo had famously saved a Test match at the same ground back in 2018 by batting out the entirety of the fourth day before rain intervened on the fifth day, securing a draw. However, it wasn't meant to be this time around, as both of them perished early on Day 5, opening the floodgates for the Kiwi bowlers.
New Zealand picked up three wickets in the first session of Day 4, all of them with the short ball as the batters were dismissed while attempting to pull. Mendis and Mathews were bounced out quite early in the day, the former falling in the very first over to Henry for 50, and Mathews following him soon after for 2.
At 116/4, Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva formed a strong partnership for the fifth wicket, playing positively, taking on the short balls, and capitalizing on anything loose on their way to their fifties. But Tickner broke that stand just before the lunch break by getting rid of Chandimal for 62.
The second session was shaping up to be an excellent one for Sri Lanka, but the wicket in the last over ruined it for the Lankans. The partnership between Dhananjaya and debutant Nishan Madushka had started to frustrate the hosts, but Tickner broke that stand just before the Tea break, dismissing the wicket-keeper for 39.
As the third session began, Dhananjaya was dismissed by Michael Bracewell, missing his century by just two runs. The NZ bowlers had kept him quiet for a long time, and he was in the 90s for quite a while, even before the Tea break, and as soon as the final session commenced, the batters ended up losing his wicket, missing out on a well-deserved ton. Prabath Jayasuriya tried to fight valiantly during his 45-ball stay at the crease, but his effort was ended by Michael Bracewell, reducing Sri Lanka to 338/8.
The Sri Lanka tail, however, was not ready to give up as pacers Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha provided resistance to the Kiwi bowlers by staying put at the crease for 88 balls. It felt like they would survive the day, but that's when Southee struck by getting rid of Kumara for 7 off 45 balls. The final wicket to fall was Rajitha who was dismissed after facing 110 balls for his 20.
Earlier in the Test, New Zealand, having been invited to bat first, took advantage of the opportunity and posted a massive total of 580/4, led by double centuries from Kane Williamson (215) and Henry Nicholls (200*).
In response, Sri Lanka's batters failed miserably, being bowled out for a meager 164, still trailing by 416 runs. Their skipper, Dimuth Karunaratne, was the lone warrior who fought for his side, scoring 89 off 188 balls. Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell were the pick of the bowlers with three wickets apiece.
Following their dominant first innings performance, New Zealand captain Tim Southee elected to enforce the follow-on, putting the Sri Lankan batting line-up under immense pressure.
Despite the challenge, the visitors showed a marked improvement in their approach and managed to reach stumps on Day 3 with a score of 113/2, still trailing by a significant 303 runs. The following day, Sri Lanka's batters put up a valiant effort in an attempt to turn the tide of the game, but the deficit proved too large to overcome.
The Kiwi bowlers, led by Blair Tickner and Southee, continued to apply relentless pressure, ultimately causing the Sri Lankan innings to fold at a total of 358. This loss cemented New Zealand's comprehensive series victory, with the home team claiming a 2-0 win over their opponents.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand (1st innings): 580/4 d (123)
Kane Williamson 215 (296), Henry Nicholls 200* (240);
Kasun Rajitha 2-126, Dhananjaya de Silva 1-75
Sri Lanka (1st innings): 164/10 (66.5)
Dimuth Karunaratne 89 (188), Dinesh Chandimal 37 (92);
Matt Henry 3-44, Michael Bracewell 3-50
Sri Lanka (2nd innings): 358/10 (142)
Dhananjaya de Silva 98 (185), Dinesh Chandimal 62 (92)
Tim Southee 3-5, Blair Tickner 3-84
New Zealand won by an innings and 58 runs
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