After a disappointing outing in Greater Noida, New Zealand shifted their focus to Test match mode against Sri Lanka at Galle on a bright morning. Winning the toss, the hosts opted to bat, but their start was lackluster. Dimuth Karunaratne and standout batter Pathum Nissanka struggled to find form, leaving Sri Lanka at 33/2 after just six overs.
However, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews managed to steady the innings, hitting occasional boundaries and rotating the strike, reaching 69/2 in 24 overs. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, Mathews had to leave the field due to a finger injury, leaving Kamindu Mendis and Chandimal to guide the team to lunch at 88/2 after 28 overs, following some early breakthroughs from William O’Rourke.
The turning point for New Zealand came right after lunch when Tim Southee dismissed Chandimal in the first over. Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Mendis tried to accelerate the run rate, but Glenn Phillips struck again, getting rid of the Lankan captain in the 35th over, allowing Mathews to return to the crease.
The duo remained composed and formed a vital partnership, adding 72 runs as Sri Lanka reached 178/4 in 55 overs by tea. During this phase, Mendis reached a fifty off 73 balls, providing a crucial lift for his team. However, O’Rourke once again claimed a wicket, dismissing Mathews on the third delivery of the 56th over, leaving Sri Lanka at 178 runs with five wickets down at tea.
In the final session, Kusal Mendis was moved down the order to bat at number seven and joined his namesake at the crease. The pair looked promising, aiming to finish the day on a high note for the hosts. Kusal Mendis was the standout performer, scoring 94 runs as Sri Lanka reached 244/5 in 70 overs.
New Zealand’s Devon Convay Loves to play for @ChennaiIPL next year too, says hopefully he will play and when asked would you love to play for Chennai He said Yes, during the day one of the first test match against Sri Lanka in Galle today ( 18) pic.twitter.com/qx1eOL51SZ
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) September 18, 2024
Later in the evening, New Zealand secured a crucial breakthrough when Glenn Phillips dismissed Kusal in the 79th over after he made a solid contribution. Nevertheless, Kamindu Mendis continued to impress, guiding the score to 298/6 after 83 overs. Sri Lanka ended the day on a somber note, as Kamindu Mendis left the field with an impressive 114 runs off 173 balls, finishing the day at 302/7 after 88 overs.
