Cricket Highlights, 20 Mar: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (2nd Test)

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (2nd Test)

Hosts New Zealand won the first of the two-match Test series incredibly. For the second time in Test history, the Kiwis won by one run off the last ball that time. But this time the Southee’s team did not have to win with difficulty. New Zealand won the two-match Test series 2-0 after defeating the visitors by an inning and 58 runs.

An innings defeat was pretty much assured after the third day’s game. Because Sri Lanka was still 303 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings, they had 8 wickets in hand. Kusal Mendis finished Day 3 unbeaten on 50 and Angelo Mathews was with him on 1.

When Kusal returned to the dressing room for 50 runs in the first over on the fourth day, the Lankans’ defeat was only a matter of time. But Dhananjaya de Silva tried hard to save the team.

Dhananjaya kept playing safely at one end. But at the other end, there was a procession of batters coming down and going back. However, Dhananjaya made a partnership of 126 runs with Dinesh Chandimal. But it was proved to be enough for them to save the match. After Chandimal got dismissed for 62 runs, Dhananjaya got dismissed two runs away from his century.

After the tea break, he was caught out while trying to scoop in the first over and returned to the pavilion. After that, the Kiwi bowlers did not have to wait long to pick up the remaining 3 wickets of the Lankan squad. In the end, the Lankans’ innings were stopped at 358 runs.

Blair Tickner and Tim Southee scalped three wickets each for New Zealand. Besides, Michael Bracewell took 2 wickets and Doug Bracewell and Matt Henry took 1 wicket each.

Earlier, Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and sent New Zealand to bat first at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. In the beginning, Kasun Rajitha spread some relief by picking up the wicket of Tom Latham (21). But the hosts declared the innings on 580 for 4 thanks to three brilliant scores from Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, and Henry Nicholls.

Williamson and Nicholls scored double centuries. Williamson scored 215 runs off 296 balls. His innings were decorated with 23 boundaries and 2 sixes. Nicholls remained unbeaten with 200 runs off 240 balls. His innings had 15 boundaries and 4 sixes.

Besides, Conway played an inning of 78 runs. The 108-ball innings were played with 13 boundaries. Daryl Mitchell was dismissed for 17 runs. Tom Blundell remained unbeaten scoring 17 runs.

After the Kiwis’ declaration of the innings putting up 580 runs on the board in 123 overs, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 164 runs in 66.5 overs. Apart from skipper Karunaratne, no batsman could handle the kiwi bowlers well. He scored the highest 89 runs playing 188 balls. Chandimal scored 37 runs off 92 balls. Nishan Madushka made 19 runs.

Among the Kiwi bowlers, Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell snapped up 3 wickets each. Besides, Tim Southee, Doug Bracewell, and Blair Tickner took 1 wicket each.

Sri Lanka fell behind by 416 runs in the first innings. Using that opportunity, the Kiwi captain Tim Southee made the visitors follow on. As a result, Sri Lanka had to go down to bat for the second innings. At the end of the third day, they managed to get 113 runs after losing 2 wickets. Opener Oshada Fernando scored 5 runs and captain Karunaratne walked to the pavilion with 51 runs.

Henry Nicholls was adjudged player of the match courtesy of his unbeaten 200 in just 240 balls in the first innings. But the player of the series award went to Kane Williamson. The two teams will meet in the first match of the three-match ODI series at the Eden Park Stadium in Auckland on March 25 (Saturday).

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Scoreboard

New Zealand (1st Innings) – 580/4 (D) (123.0)

Sri Lanka (1st Innings) – 164/10 (66.5)

Sri Lanka (2nd Innings) – 358/10 (142.0)

Result – New Zealand won by innings & 58 runs

Player of the match – Henry Nicholls

Player of the series – Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Playing Xis