Wicketless day sets up Basin Reserve miracle

The game was all but lost for Sri Lanka when they resumed day four on 20/3, needing a further 276 runs to avoid an innings defeat in the opening Test match of New Zealand’s home summer. 

All odds were against the visitors who came into the series having been thrashed 0-3 at home by the Englishmen. There were possibilities of the match ending by lunch on day 4 or if not at tea for sure ? There’s no way Sri Lanka would keep out a strong Blackcaps bowling unit after what they’ve been through in their last few Tests, especially with the batting collapses. That was the general thought among most experts and probably most Sri Lankan fans too.

But finally came a session Sri Lanka clearly won. Over 100 runs were scored in the opening session while Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews were hardly troubled. They continued to wear down the New Zealand attack. Neil Wagner kept delivering a familiar bouncer barrage at both batsmen but this time they refused to take it on and fall into the trap like they had in the first innings.

Mendis was the first to get to a half century before former Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews went past the same landmark for the second time in the match as Sri Lanka continued to reduce the deficit. None of the Kiwi bowlers looked penetrative on a windy day in Wellington while Wagner continued to use the short ball against the two set batsmen.

The defiance continued as the second session ended without the loss of a wicket and Mendis a couple of runs short of a remarkable century. Mendis would eventually get to the milestone – his 6th Test century – with a pull shot off Wagner that ran down to the fine leg boundary soon after the tea break.

The Blackcaps were trying all their options until the second new ball was available. Collin de Grandhomme bowled a tidy spell, moving the old ball around but he couldn’t find a way through the defenses of Mendis and Mathews.

Then came Angelo Mathews’ moment. He got to his 9th century, following on from his brilliant 83 in the first innings. It was a roar of a man on a mission. He was dropped not too long ago citing fitness concerns in the shorter formats by the previous set of selectors led by Graeme Labrooy. He in-fact celebrated his century with push-ups giving a timely reminder to the selectors and all his critics that he is fit as ever.

New Zealand heads were falling fast and their body language showed that they just wanted to get back in the sheds. The second new ball hardly troubled the set duo of Mendis and Mathews with minimal lateral movement. The duo weren’t prepared to throw it away as they knew the game was far from over with the whole of the 5th day still to go.

Sri Lanka would eventually end the day on 259/3, trailing New Zealand only by 37 runs as Mathews remained unbeaten on 117* while Mendis was not out on 116*.