Dinesh Chandimal produced yet another solid innings for the Sri Lankans, making 83 on the 2nd day of the 1st test at the University Oval in Dunedin today.
He put on a valuable 122 runs with opener Dimuth Karunaratne and managed to remain unbeaten on 83, on a day where the Kiwi fast bowlers were able to extract some movement on what looks like a good track for batting,
New Zealand resumed on 409 for 8 and continued to be aggressive, with overnight batsmen Doug Bracewell and Neil Wagner looking to take on the bowlers early on. Dushmantha Chameera began with customary pace but the Kiwi tail rode their luck as he went for a couple of streaky boundaries, including a top edge for six. Nuwan Pradeep was wayward to begin with, bowling either too full or too short and allowing Bracewell to maneuver the field. Wagner, who had showed himself to be somewhat of a compulsive hooker, fell in the 5th over of the day when he top edged a hook shot to deep fine leg off the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep. Pradeep then picked up Bracewell, who fell three runs short of a maiden test fifty, in his next over to end New Zealand’s innings.
Sri Lanka’s short ball ploy worked for them as the Kiwis were only able to add 22 runs to their overnight score. Pradeep finished with four wickets while Lakmal and Chameera picked up 2 wickets a piece. Although disappointed with the rate in which they conceded runs, Sri Lanka would be satisfied with their performance ultimately as at 334/4 last evening, New Zealand looked set to post a mammoth 1st innings total.
Trent Boult and Tim Southee began proceedings in the 2nd innings and settled in to a testing line and length right away. Dimuth Karunaratne got off the mark in the 1st over, top edging a short ball he was looking to leave and Kusal Mendis did no better, getting his 1st runs off an edge to the slips. Boult got the breakthrough for the Kiwis in the 9th over, getting the ball to move across the face of Mendis’ bat, giving Keeper BJ Watling his 100th dismissal in test cricket. The wicket of Mendis is an example of the simple fact that putting consistent pressure on an opposition regularly, yields rewards. That brought debutant Udara Jayasundera in to bat in testing conditions, with both Boult and Southee now getting the ball to move regularly. He looked nervous at the crease, jabbing at deliveries away from his body and ultimately fell to a half tracker by Wagner as he looked to play an expansive cut shot; his lack of foot movement meant that he only managed a bottom edge to Watling, who took a good catch, diving to his left.
Two of Sri Lanka’s more experienced batters Dinesh Chandimal and Karunaratne came together with the team on 29/2, just 13 overs in to the innings. The pair, along with Skipper Angelo Mathews, would be entrusted with carrying Sri Lanka’s batting in the test matches and they did not disappoint today. They put on 122 runs for the 3rd wicket, albeit at a slow pace as they weathered the accurate Kiwi bowling. Left arm orthodox spinner Mitchell Santner, preferred to the more experienced Mark Craig in this game, produced the breakthrough for the Kiwis when he had Karunatne cutting a ball that wasn’t short enough; Watling taking another good catch behind the wicket. Karunaratne would be disappointed with himself, having done all the hard work to reach 84 and then falling to a loose delivery.
The ball had begun to reverse swing by then and Skipper Mathews walked in to face a formidable Tim Southee. The quick foxed Mathews by going around the wicket on the last delivery of his 14th over, giving the impression that he may try to bounce out the Lankan skipper. He bowled a full delivery instead and Mathews feathered the ball down the leg side to keeper Watling. Though initially ruled not out by on-field umpire Nigel Llong, it was given out upon review after hotspot revealed a nick.
With the skipper’s dismissal, Chandimal, who had curbed his natural aggressive instincts, looked to up the scoring rate, perhaps realizing that survival alone would not do the job. Kithruwan Vithanage played some flashy shots initially but then settled down to support senior partner Chandimal as the pair built a 41 run partnership and took Sri Lanka to end of the 2nd day’s play.
The Kiwis will rue their missed chance when Kane Williamson failed to pick up a catch offered by Vithanage in the 77th over, which would have given them an opportunity make further inroads into the Sri Lankan lower order.
Vithanage and Chandimal will have to weather the new ball early tomorrow but if they manage to do so, they will fancy their chances in conditions that may prove to be favourable to the batsmen.
Scores
New Zealand 431 all out (96.1)(Martin Guptill 156, Kane Williamson 88, Nuwan Pradeep 4/112)
Sri Lanka 197/4 (Dimuth Karunaratne 84, Dinesh Chandimal 83*, Tim Southee 1/35)
Sri Lanka trail by 234 with 6 wickets in hand
