Watch cricket video highlights of New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024. First Test between SL and NZ. Venue of the match will be Galle.
As New Zealand battled their way back into the first Test in Galle, Tom Latham’s 29th Test fifty and an extremely active Kane Williamson brought about the first genuinely dominating session for the visitors. By teatime, Latham had insured that New Zealand’s lead had been almost cut to 169, but he fell for a 110-ball 70. Only right-arm quick Lahiru Kumara shown any concentrated spells of probing lines and lengths for Sri Lanka, while the other three spinners found it difficult to maintain control in the face of a constant and strong breeze blowing across the ground.
Latham’s aggressive footwork and, more powerfully, his frequent usage of the sweep and reverse sweep made the spinners’ attempts much more difficult. Latham was batting breezily at the other end, while his opening partner Devon Conway never really looked near to his flowing best, laboring his way to 17 off 59 deliveries. This guaranteed a strong opening stand of 63, which was ended by Conway missing a straight-down the line ball from Ramesh Mendis against the flow of play and after a review.
That wicket, however, only served to accelerate New Zealand’s progress as Williamson more than matched Latham’s eagerness, rather than drawing Sri Lanka back into the game. The former captain scored two boundaries and a six in his first 14 deliveries, and although he would never be able to sustain that pace of scoring, Sri Lanka’s spinners’ errant lines combined with Latham and Williamson’s deft manipulation meant that few dot balls were strung together.
It was due more to the batting mishap than the bowlers’ skill that Sri Lanka broke the 73-run partnership in just 120 balls. Latham’s most effective weapon, the sweep, proved to be his downfall when he top-edged to backward square leg off Prabath Jayasuriya on the cusp of tea. In an otherwise dominant session for the visitors, it was a crucial wicket. After barely fifteen minutes of play in a morning session severely disrupted by rain, New Zealand managed to eliminate the final three Sri Lankan wickets at a cost of just three more runs.
Will O’Rourke was outstanding again, taking two more wickets throughout the course of the night to finish with figures of 5 for 55 as Sri Lanka was bowled out for 305.
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