Watch cricket video highlights of New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024. Second Test between SL and NZ. Venue of the match will be Galle.
Galle is the name. Another rank-turner is likely. As the game progresses, anticipate O’Rourke, Southee, and Asitha Fernando to dig up the pitch on one side, leaving large footprints outside the leg stumps of right-hand hitters and left-hand batsmen, respectively, based on the first Test’s evidence. And September finds them in southern Sri Lanka. Aim for quick, intense showers. If New Zealand were to make one change, it would be to replace Mitchell Santner with Michael Bracewell.
Glenn Phillips seemed like a more dangerous bowler than Santner, who had a quiet maiden Test innings, taking 1 for 115 with his left arm spin and making 2 every innings. Despite winning, Sri Lanka altered their starting lineup by two spots. Lahiru Kumara, who failed not take a wicket in the opening Test, has been replaced in the starting XI by Milan Rathnayake, who impressed with both bat and ball on his debut tour in England. Ramesh Mendis, who occasionally lacked composure in the first Test, has also been dropped.
They have selected Nishan Peiris, a 27-year-old offspinner, as a rookie to take his spot. His average for 172 first-class wickets is 24.37. For the past 15 years, Kane Williamson’s ability to score runs has been the best indicator of a New Zealand win, even though he has played with other greats of the game (and will continue to do so as long as Tim Southee is around). 81.86 is his average when New Zealand wins. This is supported in large part by his stellar home record, but it also holds true in Asia, where he has played in six victories and averages 71.70.
Still, he hasn’t fully mastered Galle. At the stadium, he averages 16.50 over six innings. But in the most recent game, he scored 30 and 55, which were his two greatest totals here. Maybe he’s preparing for something major. It has been requested that Dinesh Chandimal move the order up to No. 3. Having hit only one fifty in eight innings before to the first Test, he will have been aware of his lackluster record at that position. However, he accepted the position to free up two spots for the team to shift Kusal Mendis, the wicketkeeper-batter, down to No. 7 and Kamindu Mendis up to No. 5.
Nevertheless, Chandimal has been off to a great start in his new position, scoring a crucial 61 in the first Test’s second innings. His partner for the most of that knock, Dimuth Karunaratne, commended Chandimal for his upbeat demeanor at the crease. Batters with 15 hundreds on their resume don’t usually agree to trade for less experienced players. Increased performance at No. 3, a location he usually enjoys, can improve his attitude towards upcoming difficulties.
In the Galle Test, New Zealand lost by an innings and sixteen runs in their first match, 202 runs in the next, 10 wickets in the next, 6 wickets in the next, and 63 runs in the final match on Monday. Even if they are losing this game, at least the margins have gotten less every time they have played. Hopefully, they can narrow the difference even further in the Test, which begins on Thursday.
Their next task is three Tests in India, which is perhaps the toughest tour in the history of the game, so they could really use a win here to maintain their prospects of qualifying for the World Test Championship final, if for no other reason. Nor were New Zealand’s distances in the first Test particularly great. Had they not run out Daryl Mitchell, who was hitting well at the time at 57, they may have continued to build a sizable lead in the early innings. Who knows how Sri Lanka would have reacted on a worn track then?
While Sri Lanka is undoubtedly a talented squad playing in comfortable surroundings, New Zealand provided a great deal of skill on a dusty Galle field with players like Ajaz Patel, Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, and Rachin Ravindra. But positive energy will be abundant in Sri Lanka. Under interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya, they are on a bit of a hot run. Before that, they had played in Manchester and won an ODI series against India for the first time since the late 1990s.
There was one terrible Test match at Lord’s. After defeating Bangladesh twice (both away from home) earlier in the year, they have now won two straight Test matches for the second time this year. Though the batsmen have also found ways to contribute, their bowlers have been the driving force behind their achievement. Their WTC percentage points will reach 56 with another victory at Galle, which is not too far behind Australia (62.5), who now hold the second position on that standings.
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