Sri Lanka vs New Zealand HIGHLIGHTS, 2nd Test Day 1: Check Full Scorecard And Commentary
Follow the live score and key updates from the 2nd Test, Day 1 between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Get ball-by-ball commentary, match highlights, and the latest scorecard updates.
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Highlights: Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal struck 116 and forged sizeable partnerships with Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelow Mathews to drive the hosts to a commanding 306 for three against New Zealand on the opening day of the second test on Thursday.
Electing to bat, Sri Lanka lost opener Pathum Nissanka in the first over but Chandimal’s 16th test hundred kept Sri Lanka on course for a big first innings total.
Mathews was batting on 78 at stumps with an in-form Kamindu Mendis on 51 for the hosts, who won the opening test by 63 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-test series.
Kamindu became the first batter to score a half-century in each of his first eight test matches.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee made an early inroad when he had Nissanka caught behind for one but the visitors could not sustain the pressure.
Karunaratne got two reprieves as he was dropped in the slip on six and survived a stumping opportunity on 17.
Promoted from the middle to number three in a rejigged batting order, Chandimal did not look convincing initially but grew in confidence, posting 122 runs with Karunaratne for the second wicket.
Karunaratne (46) fell short of his fifty after being run out following a mix-up with Chandimal, who was too busy watching the ball from the non-striker’s end to reply to his partner’s call for a single.
Chandimal, however, made sure Sri Lanka did not suffer. He took a single off Mitchell Santner to bring up his maiden test hundred against New Zealand.
Graham Phillip eventually dismissed Chandimal when he lured the batsman out of the crease and beat his bat to hit the off-stump.
New Zealand were unusually sloppy in the field and Daryl Mitchell missed a second catch in the slip when Mendis slashed a ball from William O’Rourke.
Mathews got a couple of reprieves too when he was caught-behind to an O’Rourke delivery, which turned out to be a no ball, and spilled in the slip by Tom Latham.
All the 3 sessions belonged to the Sri Lankans. They will come out on Day 2 and try to bat for as long as they can. New Zealand though have their task cut out. The bowlers have a fairly new ball at their disposal, but New Zealand will certainly need sharper fielding and discipline with the ball to shift momentum on Day 2.
In the final session we saw 28 overs being bowled where Sri Lanka managed to score 112 runs and lost just a single wicket. They would’ve loved to remained unscathed but will be delighted to have a solid grip on this game. New Zealand showed great intent, with Glenn Phillips and Ajaz Patel bowling in tandem. Phillips was economical, but Ajaz Patel struggled to find his rhythm early on. Phillips eventually dismissed Chandimal just before the new ball was due, but the session slowed down a bit until the second new ball, with the scoring rate dipping under 3. Despite creating chances with the second new cherry, New Zealand’s fielding let them down, dropping two key catches. Kamindu Mendis and Angelo Mathews capitalized on the errors, with Mendis reaching his half-century as they closed the day in a strong position.
A superb day for Sri Lanka. They dominated throughout. They have lost just three wicket with a little over 300 runs on the scoreboard. Surely, a day to forget for the Kiwis. First they lost the toss, and then were very sloppy in the field as well which did not help their cause.
89.6 – No run.
89.5 – No run.
89.4 – 1 run.
89.3 – 1 run.
89.2 – FOUR! ANOTHER FIFTY FOR KAMINDU MENDIS! And this has come off just 53 deliveries! Pitched up, around off, Kamindu Mendis executes the reverse sweep to perfection this time around and gets a boundary towards deep third. 5th Test FIFTY for Kamindu Mendis. He now has 50-plus scores in all 8 matches he has featured so far.
89.1 – Santner bowls from over the stumps, floats it up, full and outside off, Kamindu Mendis sits down to reverse sweep it but wears on his front pad. A muted appeal for LBW, but just momentarily.
88.6 – On a much tighter line, on middle, Angelo Mathews gets behind the line and taps it to short mid-wicket.
Batsman_1 : Angelo Mathews 77(165)
Batsman_2 : Kamindu Mendis 46(51)
Bowler : Tim Southee 1/54(12)
Over : 89
Run : 2
Wicket : 0
Score : 300/3
88.5 – Quite full in length, around off, Angelo Mathews pushes it straight back to Southee.
88.4 – Tap and run! And with that, 300 comes up for Sri Lanka! Fuller in length, and around off, Kamindu Mendis waits for the ball to arrive and guides it to the left of point for an easy single. The partnership now moves on to 79.
88.3 – No run.
88.2 – Swinging into the batter from outside off, full in length, Kamindu Mendis pushes at it to mid-wicket.
88.1 – Southee is back into the attack, and bowls full around middle and off, Angelo Mathews clips it wide of mid on and steals a quick single.
87.6 – 1 run.
87.5 – No run.
87.4 – Very, very slow through the air, full and turns away from outside off, Angelo Mathews fends it with soft hands to the off side.
87.3 – Santner drags his length now, keeps it on off, Kamindu Mendis weighs on the back foot and cuts it past point and strolls for a single. Moves to 45.
87.2 – Over the wicket for the southpaw. Full, flat and on middle, Kamindu Mendis solidly defends it back to the bowler.
Change. Mitchell Santner now comes into the attack.
87.1 – Around the wicket, slowish on a length, outside off, crunched away off the back foot by Mathews for a single at deep point.
86.6 – Pushed and pitched up, around off, Kamindu Mendis trusts his front foot defence to end the over.
Batsman_1 : Kamindu Mendis 44(46)
Batsman_2 : Angelo Mathews 74(158)
Bowler : Ajaz Patel 0/92(27)
Over : 87
Run : 9
Wicket : 0
Score : 295/3
86.5 – FOUR! Short again, four again! Ajaz Patel bowls on a good length and keeps it outside off, Kamindu Mendis again uses the depth of the crease and punches it through cover-point for a boundary. Kamindu Mendis sniffing another half century here.
86.4 – FOUR! Kamindu says, ‘Thank you!’ Well outside off on a length, Kamindu Mendis gets desired width on offer, goes deep inside the crease and cuts it hard past point for a cracking boundary.
86.3 – 1 run.
86.2 – No run.
86.1 – Length ball on off, defended off the inside half of the bat to the leg side.
85.6 – Angled outside off and pitched up, Kamindu Mendis gets a good stride across and defends it well.
Batsman_1 : Kamindu Mendis 36(43)
Batsman_2 : Angelo Mathews 73(155)
Bowler : William O’Rourke 0/66(14)
Over : 86
Run : 5
Wicket : 0
Score : 286/3
85.5 – Angling over the top of the middle, Angelo Mathews clips it off the back foot towards deep square leg for a single.
85.4 – No run.
85.3 – EDGED, DROPPED AND FOUR! Wasn’t that easy for Latham to take it!
85.1 – Length ball, on the stumps, Angelo Mathews pulls it but finds mid-wicket.
85.2 – A muted appeal for caught behind but only Tom Blundell was interested! William O’Rourke bangs in hard on the short length, but the line of attack is down leg, Angelo Mathews though goes for a wild pull and swings hard but gets no connections on it. Tom Blundell moves to the direction of the ball and collects it on his face level.
84.6 – No run.
84.5 – Easy runs for Sri Lanka and again, a fumble in the field by New Zealand.
84.4 – 1 run.
84.3 – SIX! SLOGGED AWAY NEATLY! Ajaz lands a friendly half-volley on off, slightly turning into the batter, Kamindu Mendis goes across, sits down on his knee and slogs it over deep mid-wicket for a huge six.
84.2 – Pushed full and on off, Kamindu Mendis skips down to the pitch and dabs it.
84.1 – 1 run.