SL Vs NZ 1st Test Match Highlights: Jayasuriya Overpowers Rachin Ravindra As Sri Lanka Claim Big Win
Prabath Jayasuriya picked up 9 wickets in the match (x.com)
Hosts Sri Lanka catered themselves to a 63-run victory over the visiting New Zealand cricket team in Galle on September 23. The outcome also took Dhananjaya de Silva and co. 1-0 up in the two-match Test series and landed them some crucial WTC points on the table.
Here’s the timeline of how SL vs NZ panned out in Galle:
SL Vs NZ Highlights: Kamindu Mendis Sets Off Galle Test With Opening Day Ton
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Sri Lankan top-order was jolted early by William O’Rourke, considering the New Zealand paceman got rid of both openers within the first hour of play. Following valiant 30s from senior men Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, number four batter Kamindu Mendis unfurled the innings of the day by scoring 114 runs from 173 balls.
Kamindu’s three-hour-long knock set up Sri Lanka’s 305-run first-innings total on a tough Galle surface. Wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis also listed a fighting fifty and shared a valuable 103-run partnership with centurion Kamindu.
Among the New Zealanders, William O’Rourke finished with figures of 5-55, while spinners Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips chipped in with two Sri Lankan wickets each.
SL Vs NZ Highlights: Latham, Williamson And Mitchell 50s Give NZ A Handy Lead
New Zealand opener Tom Latham top-scored in the innings with 70 runs from his end, and he shared identical 50-plus stands with opening partner Devon Conway and fellow half-centurion Kane Williamson (55). All-rounders Rachin Ravindra (39) and Daryl Mitchell (57) commanded the New Zealand middle-rounder by compounding nearly 100 runs between them, while Glenn Phillips bludgeoned a run-a-ball 49 at number seven.
Their collective efforts helped New Zealand go 35 runs above Sri Lanka by forming a 340-run total by Day 3. For Sri Lanka, spinners accounted for nine of the ten fallen New Zealand batters, with Prabath Jayasuriya inflicting the most damage to the visitors through figures of 4-136. Ramesh Mendis went over a 100 to pick up three wickets, while captain Dhananjaya de Silva claimed the prized scalps of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson.
SL Vs NZ Highlights: Ajaz Patel Takes Six, But Triple SL 50s Sets NZ A Healthy Target
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne (83) and number three batter Dinesh Chandimal (61) wiped off Sri Lanka’s 35-run deficit by smacking imperial half-centuries during their 147-run partnership for the second wicket. Meanwhile, William O’Rourke, who snared five in the first innings, ran through Sri Lanka’s top order once again with three key wickets.
Ajaz Patel also joined in on the action for the visitors by scything through the remainder of Sri Lanka’s batting line-up after Karunaratne’s colossal stand with Chandimal. The left-arm spinner toiled away for 30 overs and claimed six wickets at an expense of just 90 runs. Angelo Mathews scored a cunning half-century for the hosts amidst the late collapse to set up a 275-run target for New Zealand.
SL Vs NZ Highlights: Jayasuriya’s Special Prevents Rachin Miracle As SL Claim Big Win
Chasing 275 runs for a win, New Zealand lost four of their top five batters before recording their 100th run on the board. Rachin Ravindra, at number four, defied Sri Lanka’s spin charge by crafting 92 of the most alluring runs on the dust bowl of Galle on Day 4.
The cricketer top-scored in the run-chase, facing 168 deliveries in his efforts and smacking 10 of them for surreal boundaries. However, Tom Blundell’s dismissal to Prabath Jayasuriya at 152-5 triggered a huge lower-order collapse for the visitors.
New Zealand ended up losing their final six wickets for just 59 runs to be enveloped for 211, courtesy of spin twins Prabath Jayasuriya (5-68) and Ramesh Mendis (3-83). Sri Lanka claimed the match by 63 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
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