New Zealand bat themselves into strong position

William O’Rourke displays the ball with which he took his second five-fer in Test cricket

Kusal Mendis takes an excellent catch to dismiss Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson made a classy 55

Tom Latham led the way in New Zealand’s reply with a solid 70

• Visitors capitalise on Sri Lanka’s inconsistent bowling

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

New Zealand batted themselves into a strong position to gain a healthy first innings lead capitalising on some poor bowling by the Sri Lankan spinners on day two of the first cricket Test played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

By stumps after dismissing Sri Lanka for 305, New Zealand was 255-4, trailing by 50 runs with six wickets in hand. At the wickets were Daryl Mitchell on 41* scored off 60 balls (5 fours, 1 six) and Tom Blundell (18*).   

New Zealand began the day well as they skittled out Sri Lanka’s three remaining wickets while allowing them to add just 3 more runs to their overnight total. Rain washed out most of the first session and allowed just 4.5 overs of play, after which openers Tom Latham and Devon Convoy shared a 63-run stand before Conway was trapped lbw by Ramesh Mendis for 17.

Latham joined by Kane Williamson batted exceptionally well thereafter and shared a 73-run stand while piling the pressure back on Sri Lanka. They exuded class and picked off runs at a brisk pace with Sri Lanka struggling to find the right areas. There was hardly a false-stroke throughout their partnership. Sri Lanka were running out of ideas and Latham’s wicket came to them as a lucky break. He fell right at the end of the second session for a well-compiled 70 off 111 balls (6 fours) top edging a sweep to backward square leg.

Williamson carried on and brought up his 35th Test fifty off 87 balls (4 fours, 1 six) after play resumed post tea. With Rachi Ravindra they posted New Zealand’s third half-century stand of the innings. Ravindra came out and played some attacking shots but Sri Lanka had an opening when they got Williamson and Ravindra (39) out in quick succession – both falling to the part-time off-breaks of Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva. Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis brought off an excellent catch to end Williamson’s innings that was looking to assume massive proportions.

Mitchell and Blundell ensured that there were no further inroads into the New Zealand batting as they figured in a solid unfinished 59-run stand.

Sri Lanka spinners Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis struggled to find the right lines and lengths throughout and it was left to the captain to make up for their shortcoming by picking up two wickets in successive overs. The lack of consistency and penetration of Ramesh and Jayasuriya will be a worry for Sri Lanka as they approach day three of the Test.