The Sri Lankan opening batsmen, Dimuth Karunarathne and Lahiru Thirimanne put the hosts on course for a resounding, historic win against New Zealand in the first Test match at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing a record fourth-innings target of 268, Karunaratne (71*) and Thirimanne (57*) batted brilliantly, adding 133 unbeaten runs for the first wicket against all odds. It is also the highest opening stand for Sri Lanka in Tests in the fourth innings. Karunaratne was also a part of the previous record of 124 against Pakistan in 2014 alongside Kaushal Silva.
With a full day’s play left, Sri Lanka need only 135 runs with all 10 wickets in hand to go 1-0 up in the series as well as collect 60 important points in the ICC World Test Championship.
If Sri Lanka manages to get over the line on day five, they will surpass their own record of 99, which is currently the highest successful run chase at Galle in the fourth innings.
Karunaratne in particular played positively against the New Zealand attack as he notched up his 23rd Test half-ton, while Thirimanne, mostly collected his runs through the off-side using the cuts and reverse-sweeps. Both of them received a couple of reprieves from the New Zealand fielders.
Watling resistance keeps Sri Lanka in check
Earlier in the day, BJ Watling together with the support of the tail-end batsmen, William Somerville and Trent Boult, who chipped in with 40* and 26 respectively, pushed the visitors to a substantial score of 285 in their second innings after an early morning drizzle had delayed the start of play by 50 minutes.
The Kiwis, resuming the day on 195 for 7, continued their good work by wearing down the Lankans on a pitch which has slowed down as the game progressed.
Watling was brilliant with his defense and defied the Lankans by rotating the strike masterfully. Fast-bowler Lahiru Kumara troubled Watling with his extra pace and ultimately managed to induce an edge off the Kiwi wicket-keeper’s bat to get Sri Lanka the much-needed breakthrough.
Sri Lanka were expected to clean up the fragile New Zealand tail, but they hung in there to frustrate the hosts further. Trent Boult, as a typical number 10, played a few unconventional strokes by moving across the crease regularly, entertaining the crowd.
>>Photos: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand | 1st Test – Day 4<<
As Boult and Somerville went about their business, extending the lead close to 250, the negative tactics of the hosts were exposed as they seemed like they were just going through the motions.
Kumara ended Boult’s dramatic stay when he lofted one straight to third-man. Somerville looked like a man with a plan. To further annoy the hosts, he added 25 runs for the last wicket with Ajaz Patel before the latter was caught LBW by Dhananjaya De Silva, setting Sri Lanka 268 to win the first Test match in the two-match series.
After being reduced to 124 for 6, the Blackcaps should be commended for the grit, patience and determination they showed in testing conditions. However, the slow nature of the Galle pitch, too helped their cause.
Watch Live – New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2019 – 1st Test Match
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeet Raval | c Dhananjaya de Silva b Akila Dananjaya | 33 | 83 | 3 | 0 | 39.76 |
| Tom Latham | c Niroshan Dickwella b Akila Dananjaya | 30 | 88 | 3 | 0 | 34.09 |
| Kane Williamson | c Dimuth Karunaratne b Akila Dananjaya | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Ross Taylor | c Niroshan Dickwella b Suranga Lakmal | 86 | 132 | 6 | 0 | 65.15 |
| Henry Nicholls | lbw b Akila Dananjaya | 42 | 78 | 2 | 0 | 53.85 |
| BJ Watling | lbw b Akila Dananjaya | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | lbw b Suranga Lakmal | 13 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 30.95 |
| Tim Southee | run out (Dhananjaya de Silva) | 14 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 73.68 |
| William Somerville | not out | 9 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 32.14 |
| Trent Boult | c Kusal Perera b Suranga Lakmal | 18 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 81.82 |
| Ajaz Patel | lbw b Suranga Lakmal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 3 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 1, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 249/10 (83.2 Overs, RR: 2.99) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-64 (26.3) Tom Latham, 2-64 (26.6) Kane Williamson, 3-71 (30.2) Jeet Raval, 4-171 (58.2) Henry Nicholls, 5-179 (60.2) BJ Watling, 6-205 (69.1) Ross Taylor, 7-216 (73.5) Mitchell Santner, 8-222 (74.6) Tim Southee, 9-249 (83.1) Trent Boult, 10-249 (83.2) Ajaz Patel, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suranga Lakmal | 15.2 | 5 | 29 | 4 | 1.91 | |
| Lahiru Kumara | 10 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 3.70 | |
| Akila Dananjaya | 30 | 3 | 80 | 5 | 2.67 | |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 6 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 3.33 | |
| Lasith Embuldeniya | 22 | 1 | 81 | 0 | 3.68 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahiru Thirimanne | st BJ Watling b Ajaz Patel | 10 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 27.78 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | lbw b Ajaz Patel | 39 | 73 | 4 | 0 | 53.42 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Ross Taylor b Ajaz Patel | 53 | 89 | 7 | 1 | 59.55 |
| Angelo Mathews | c Ross Taylor b Ajaz Patel | 50 | 98 | 7 | 1 | 51.02 |
| Kusal Perera | c Mitchell Santner b Trent Boult | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c & b Ajaz Patel | 5 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 26.32 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | c Kane Williamson b William Somerville | 61 | 109 | 3 | 0 | 55.96 |
| Akila Dananjaya | c Ross Taylor b William Somerville | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Suranga Lakmal | b Trent Boult | 40 | 98 | 3 | 2 | 40.82 |
| Lasith Embuldeniya | lbw b William Somerville | 5 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 29.41 |
| Lahiru Kumara | not out | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 3 (b 1 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 1, pen 0) |
| Total | 267/10 (93.2 Overs, RR: 2.86) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-27 (10.6) Lahiru Thirimanne, 2-66 (22.5) Dimuth Karunaratne, 3-143 (46.5) Kusal Mendis, 4-144 (47.3) Kusal Perera, 5-155 (52.2) Dhananjaya de Silva, 6-158 (54.1) Angelo Mathews, 7-161 (55.5) Akila Dananjaya, 8-242 (84.4) Suranga Lakmal, 9-262 (91.1) Niroshan Dickwella, 10-267 (93.2) Lasith Embuldeniya, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Boult | 20 | 4 | 45 | 2 | 2.25 | |
| Tim Southee | 7 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 2.43 | |
| William Somerville | 22.2 | 3 | 83 | 3 | 3.74 | |
| Ajaz Patel | 33 | 6 | 89 | 5 | 2.70 | |
| Mitchell Santner | 11 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 2.82 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeet Raval | c Dimuth Karunaratne b Dhananjaya de Silva | 4 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Tom Latham | c Lahiru Thirimanne b Akila Dananjaya | 45 | 81 | 2 | 1 | 55.56 |
| Kane Williamson | c Kusal Perera b Lasith Embuldeniya | 4 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 16.00 |
| Ross Taylor | c Dhananjaya de Silva b Lasith Embuldeniya | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
| Henry Nicholls | c Kusal Mendis b Dhananjaya de Silva | 26 | 71 | 2 | 0 | 36.62 |
| BJ Watling | c Niroshan Dickwella b Lahiru Kumara | 77 | 173 | 6 | 0 | 44.51 |
| Mitchell Santner | c Suranga Lakmal b Lasith Embuldeniya | 12 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 34.29 |
| Tim Southee | st Niroshan Dickwella b Lasith Embuldeniya | 23 | 62 | 1 | 0 | 37.10 |
| William Somerville | not out | 40 | 118 | 2 | 0 | 33.90 |
| Trent Boult | c Dhananjaya de Silva b Lahiru Kumara | 26 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 104.00 |
| Ajaz Patel | lbw b Dhananjaya de Silva | 14 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 60.87 |
| Extras | 11 (b 4 , lb 5 , nb 2, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 285/10 (106 Overs, RR: 2.69) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-8 (7.4) Jeet Raval, 2-20 (14.4) Kane Williamson, 3-25 (16.3) Ross Taylor, 4-81 (27.5) Tom Latham, 5-98 (39.2) Henry Nicholls, 6-124 (49.3) Mitchell Santner, 7-178 (69.5) Tim Southee, 8-224 (90.3) BJ Watling, 9-260 (98.2) Trent Boult, 10-285 (105.6) Ajaz Patel, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suranga Lakmal | 15 | 2 | 37 | 0 | 2.47 | |
| Akila Dananjaya | 32 | 4 | 84 | 1 | 2.62 | |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 12 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 2.08 | |
| Lasith Embuldeniya | 37 | 4 | 99 | 4 | 2.68 | |
| Lahiru Kumara | 10 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 3.10 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimuth Karunaratne | c BJ Watling b Tim Southee | 122 | 243 | 6 | 1 | 50.21 |
| Lahiru Thirimanne | lbw b William Somerville | 64 | 163 | 4 | 0 | 39.26 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Jeet Raval b Ajaz Patel | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 166.67 |
| Angelo Mathews | not out | 28 | 73 | 2 | 0 | 38.36 |
| Kusal Perera | c Mitchell Santner b Trent Boult | 23 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 121.05 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | not out | 14 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 107.69 |
| Extras | 7 (b 6 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 268/4 (86.1 Overs, RR: 3.11) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-161 (60.2) Lahiru Thirimanne, 2-174 (61.5) Kusal Mendis, 3-218 (76.1) Dimuth Karunaratne, 4-250 (82.2) Kusal Perera, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Boult | 9.1 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 3.74 | |
| Tim Southee | 12 | 2 | 33 | 1 | 2.75 | |
| William Somerville | 31 | 6 | 73 | 1 | 2.35 | |
| Ajaz Patel | 18 | 0 | 74 | 1 | 4.11 | |
| Mitchell Santner | 13 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 2.92 | |
| Kane Williamson | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3.00 | |
