Cricket takes a break for Election Day today:
Sri Lanka takes control against New Zealand
Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal added 147 runs for the second wicket (Pic courtesy SLC).Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal added 147 runs for the second wicket .
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne scored 83 runs, and Dinesh Chandimal added 61 as they built a strong second-wicket partnership of 147 runs, putting Sri Lanka in a strong position against New Zealand after the third day of the first Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Sri Lanka started their second innings 35 runs behind New Zealand. By the end of the day, they had gained a 202-run lead with six wickets in hand, with two days left to play. Today (21) is a rest day due to the Presidential Election, but Sri Lanka is prepared to continue their innings and set a challenging target for New Zealand.
Karunaratne was the day’s standout player, achieving his 39th Test fifty but fell short of a century, bowled by leg-spinner Ajaz Patel in the 48th over. He faced 127 balls and hit six fours.
Opener Pathum Nissanka was out early for 2 runs, caught by Tim Southee off William O’Rourke’s bowling in the third over, putting the score at 32 for 1 at lunch. However, the second session was dominated by Sri Lanka, as Karunaratne and Chandimal raised the total to 134 for 1 at tea. Dimuth reached his fifty in 78 balls, while Chandimal scored his 29th fifty in 104 balls.
Leg-spinner Ajaz Patel took a key wicket by dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne in the 48th over. Dinesh Chandimal followed soon after, out for 61 runs off 150 balls, bowled by William O’Rourke, who claimed his second wicket. Kamindu Mendis, the first-innings centurion, scored only 13 runs, and O’Rourke took his third wicket of the day.
Angelo Mathews made 32 runs off 72 balls with four fours, while skipper Dhananjaya de Silva remained not out on 34 runs from 64 balls, also hitting four fours. They added 59 runs together for the fifth wicket, leaving Sri Lanka with a 202-run lead and six wickets in hand at the end of the day. O’Rourke finished the day with impressive figures of 3 for 37, adding to his five wickets from the first innings.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand started at 255 for 4. However, Sri Lankan spinners Prabath Jayasuriya (4 for 136) and Ramesh Mendis (3 for 101) restricted them to 340 all out, giving New Zealand a 35-run lead. Daryl Mitchell scored 57 runs off 86 balls, hitting seven fours and a six, but was unfortunately run out. At one point, New Zealand was struggling at 304 for 9. Glenn Phillips played well, finishing unbeaten on 49 runs off 48 balls, with two fours and five sixes, and added a valuable 36-run last-wicket stand with William O’Rourke
