SL vs NZ: Tim Southee and Blair Tickner each took three wickets to help New Zealand defeat Sri Lanka by an inning and 58 runs in the second Test on Monday at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, despite the visitors’ lower order putting up a spirited fight. The victory gave the hosts a 2-0 advantage in the two-match Test series.
In response to New Zealand’s 580 for 4, the visitors, who were asked to continue after bundling out for 164 in the first innings, put up a valiant fight for the majority of the first two sessions, led by Dhananjaya de Silva’s 98, and ably supported by Dinesh Chandimal’s 62 and Nishan Madushka’s 39. However, the hosts caused breakdowns on either side of the two partnerships, which were for the fifth and sixth wickets, respectively.
SL vs NZ: The Sri Lankan resistance
As Kusal Mendis mistimed a pull-off of Matt Henry to mid-wicket in the first over of the day, they struck without raising the overnight total. The New Zealanders played the short ball liberally throughout the day, especially Blair Tickner, who came in for Neil Wagner in that position. It was the short ball that gave them early success.
The other overnight batter, Angelo Matthews, struck out in the fourth over of the day, pulling Tickner to square leg. Sri Lanka continued to be aggressive despite dropping two wickets early in the day, with Chandimal and Dhananjaya tackling the short-pitched attack. In what turned out to be a high-scoring partnership, the two put up a 126-run stand for the fifth wicket.
SL vs NZ: The attacking approach that gave SL a head start
The two batters’ aggressive stance allowed them to immediately capitalize on the sloppily delivered balls as well. Chandimal eventually succumbed to the ruse, top-edging a pull-off Tickner to the fine leg fielder late in the morning session.
On the final over before lunch, Madushka, making her debut, got things moving by hitting Michael Bracewell for a six down the track. The following pitch was intended for him to drive, but the dip misled him, and he ended up hitting it just short of the fielder. After lunch, however, the strategy was much more circumspect. Matt Henry and Tim Southee put the hitters to the test with the shifting new ball. There wasn’t much of a threat to them, except for a few leg-before appeals and a few batters thumping the bat.
They steadily reduced the gap with a 76-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Madushka was again dismissed pulling against Tickner, this time being caught at mid-on, as Tea was being served.
SL vs NZ: New Zealand destroys SL’s slighter chance of upheaval
When Dhananjaya was dismissed in the second over following tea, Sri Lanka’s prospects of erasing the deficit were severely damaged. He received a top edge to the short-leg fielder while attempting to sweep Michael Bracewell. Later, the lower order did nothing more than postpone the unavoidable. From that point on, they fended off the New Zealand bowlers for nearly two and a half hours, giving them the final three wickets, two of which Southee ultimately took.
Along with Prabath Jayasuriya and Lahiru Kumara, whom each contributed 45 balls, Kasun Rajitha completed 110 deliveries. Soon after play was suspended for the day, Rajitha was out, caught at second slip prodding at an away-going ball, ending Sri Lanka’s innings.
SL vs NZ: Brief Scores
Sri Lanka
164 (Dimuth Karunaratne 89; Matt Henry 3-44, Michael Bracewell 3-50) & 358 (Dhananjaya de Silva 98, Dinesh Chandimal 62; Tim Southee 3-51, Blair Tickner 3-84) lost to
New Zealand
580/4 decl. (Kane Williamson 215, Henry Nicholls 200*; Kasun Rajitha 2-126) by an inning and 58 runs