SL vs NZ: Sri Lanka edge past Kiwis by 63 runs to win 1st Test in Galle, take 1-0 lead
SL vs NZ: Sri Lanka edge past Kiwis by 63 runs to win 1st Test, take 1-0 lead
Sri Lanka edged past New Zealand by 63 runs during the morning session of Day 5 to win the first Test, at the Galle International Stadium, Galle on Monday (Sep 23). The first session commenced with visitors'hopes riding on Rachin Ravindra, who went to stumps unbeaten on 91, in a chase of 275 with only two wickets in hand. However, the left-hander departed early as the Kiwis folded for 211 and lost the clash despite a 35-run slender lead.
Rachin and spinner Ajaz Patel started the proceedings and had a herculean task to negate the Sri Lankan spinners on Day 5. However, Prabath Jayasuriya, who ended with 5 for 68 and match figures of 9 for 204, removed Rachin (92) early before cleaning up William ORourketo take his side to a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.
Talking about the series opener, it was a hard-fought contest from the word go. Sri Lanka opted to bat first and were 106-4 before in-form batter Kamindu Mendis, at No. 5, scored a brilliant 114 to rescue his side as they folded for 305. For Tim Southee & Co., pacer ORourke ended with 5 for 55. In response, the Black Caps were 269 for 4 and looked set for a big lead before folding for 340, courtesy of Jayasuriya's 4 for 136 and Ramesh Mendis' 3 for 101.
From thereon, NZ were playing the catch-up game. SL rode on a combined batting effort from Dimuth Karunaratne (83), Dinesh Chandimal (63), Angelo Mathews (50), and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (40) to post 309,setting up a tricky 275-run chase.
Also read: Ian Chappell warns Australia of Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah as visitors chase history Down Under
In the run-chase, the likes of Kane Williamson, Tom Blundell, and Tom Latham got starts but failed to get going as Rachin was left with plenty to do. Jayasuriya's six-wicket haul won the Player-of-the-Match award as he helped his side pull off a narrow win and take a 1-0 lead.
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This win comes for SL after their emphatic eight-wicket consolation victory over England at The Oval Test in a recently-held three-match series in England.
Riding high on confidence, De Silva-led Lankans will aim for a series whitewash when the second and final Test commences on Sep 26 at the same venue.