Sri Lanka draws first blood against Kiwis
Man of the match Prabath Jayasuriya who took match bag of 9 wickets Man of the match Prabath Jayasuriya who took match bag of 9 wickets
Sri Lanka secured a 63 runs victory over New Zealand taking a 1-0 lead in the two match test match series played at Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
The final day drama was very short just only 4.4 over which lasted 15 minutes to wrap things up to grab the final two New Zealand wickets both from leg spinner Prabath Jayasuriya to ensure the superb fighting victory and New Zealand restricted to 211 runs in 71.4 overs. They added only four runs to their overnight total of 207 for 8 wickets.
The important wicket of Rachin Ravindra was first to out yesterday just adding one run to his overnight total 91 and it was third ball of the Prabath Jayasuriya’s first over and Ravindra was out LBW off Jayasuriya and New Zealand’s final expectations was over with this dismissal. Ravindra missed his second test century scoring 92 in 168 balls with 9 fours and a six. But it was under pressure and very exciting innings lasted more than three hours. William O’ Rourke joined with Ajaz Patel for the last wicket but Jayasuriya struck his fourth ball of his second over once again to depart last batter O’ Rourke with clean bowled and Sri Lanka celebrated the victory after 4.4 overs of the day the game finished after only 15 minutes time. After 5 years time Sri Lanka recorded victory over New Zealand at home soil while this was 25th win at Galle after playing 45 matches.
Sri Lanka leg spinner Prabath Jayasuriya was undoubtedly at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s charge, finishing with figures of 5 for 68 – his eighth five-wicket haul, and his seventh in Galle. He ended with match bag of 9 for 204, thus taking home the Player of the Match award. The off spinner Ramesh Mendis finished with 3 for 83 and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva always came to the fore with breaking partnership and this time he got the wicket of the opener Tom Latham for 28 runs on previous day.
The result means Sri Lanka go 1-0 up in the series also overtaken New Zealand who were at third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table dropping to the fifth place.
“This Sri Lanka’s victory impacts the world test championship and it keeps Sri Lanka’s outside hopes of a berth in the final alive. But for New Zealand, it makes their task considerably tougher, with an away series against tough team India and a home series England coming up in the next few months.
Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand in their second and final test on September 26 after two days time at the same venue Galle International Cricket Stadium.
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