Angelo Mathews leads the visitor’s way on seam friendly wicket

Tags: Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2015-16, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, New Zealand v Sri Lanka 2nd Test at Hamilton, Dec 18-22, 2015

Published on: Dec 18, 2015

Scorecard | Commentary | Graphs

Skipper Angelo Mathews and Siriwardene scored a magnificent half century to help Sri Lanka build a respectable total on a green pitch at Seddon Park. Sri Lanka had scored 264 runs at the loss of 7 wickets

Sri Lanka 264 for 7 (Mathews 63*, Siriwardene 62) v New Zealand
Skipper Angelo Mathews and Siriwardene scored a magnificent half century to help Sri Lanka build a respectable total on a green pitch at Seddon Park. Sri Lanka had scored 264 runs at the loss of 7 wickets when rain interrupted game and the day’s play was called off then. Things could have been much better for Sri Lanka had they not lost three quick wickets within 13 deliveries just before the rain began.
Having won the first Test of the series Dunedin, New Zealand intention was clear when they opted to field first after winning the toss. New Zealand found Sri Lanka more effective combatants this time, batting positively and aggressively and almost eking out a position of control on a pitch that was expected to favour the seamers. Kusal Mendis started the inning positively which was followed by Dinesh Chandimal who scored 47 runs off just 56 balls. Though their run rate was very good, but Sri Lanka found themselves in huge trouble at 121 for 4. Then Mathews played a responsible knock to calm the inning. Milinda Siriwardene and Angelo Mathews produced a century runs partnership for the fifth wickets where they added 138 runs at an excess of 4.5 runs per over. New Zealand came back strongly in the final session and took three wickets to control the damage done by the visitors.
On a wicket which was expected to support the seamers, New Zealand bowlers were not able to bowl the correct line and they often paid the price of trying too many things. They didn’t bowled accurately with the new ball and tried to swing the ball too hard. Sri Lankan batsmen were also helped by some sloppy fielding by the hosts and they had some luck going there’s way too. Ross Taylor dropped a catch at first slip and Brendon McCullum missed couple of run out chances. Dimuth Karunaratne crawled to 12 and Kusal Mendis made a more breezy 31. The openers fell to Tim Southee, both caught behind by BJ Watling. Mendis enjoyed a remarkable escape before his dismissal when a delivery from Doug Bracewell clipped his off stump but the bails remained in place. Mitchell Santner and Watling combined to run out Udara Jayasundera for 26. Watling was again involved in a dismissal when Bracewell snagged an edge off Dinesh Chandimal.

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