Continuing their World Test Championship final push, Sri Lanka have left New Zealand needing a record run chase in Christchurch, thanks in large part to a partnership between centurion Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.
Putting on 105 throughout the middle of day four, the pair helped the tourists to a second innings total of 302, setting New Zealand 285.
At 28/1 at the close of play, New Zealand, if they make the runs required, would complete the highest successful chase in Test cricket at Hagley Oval, beating Australia’s 201/3 in February 2016.
Despite a nervous half-hour in the early nineties, Mathews moved to his 14th Test century with boundaries off back-to-back deliveries, swatting Blair Tickner through mid-wicket before booming a shot through covers off the back foot.
He spent much of the day with Dinesh Chandimal (42) who joined him in Sri Lanka’s 5000 Test-run club, doing so at an average of over 43, a better figure than six of other 10 to reach the mark.
Sri Lanka began day four building a target-setting platform, adding 67 runs and only losing night-watchman Prabath Jayasuriya(6) in the morning session.
Matthews and Chandimal worked into their partnership, facing 218 balls between them, before the latter was bowled by a Tim Southee beauty after taking the new ball.
It brought Dhananjaya de Silva to the crease, whose smart acceleration moved Sri Lanka’s lead past 250 in the evening session. His 47* included vital runs with the tail to move the team past 300, before Kasun Rajitha’s wicket of Devon Conway in the fifth over of New Zealand’s reply meant the tourists made evening inroads with the ball. Tom Latham (11*) and Kane Williamson (7*) will resume on day five with the hosts needing a further 257 to win.
A win would keep Sri Lanka’s hopes of a first World Test Championship final berth alive, though would also need victory in the second Test of the series, and for Australia to prevent an India win in the final Test of their series in Ahmedabad.
