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Sri Lanka flying high with Rangana Herath’s five-for

Rangana Herath picked up five wickets to keep New Zealand batsmen on track on the third day of the opening Test in Galle on Monday.

Sri Lanka flying high with Rangana Herath s five-for

This is Rangana Herath’s (third from left) 11th five-wicket haul in Test cricket © AFP

Galle: Nov 19, 2012

 

Rangana Herath completed a second successive five-wicket haul Monday to strengthen Sri Lanka’s hopes of victory in the opening Test against New Zealand in Galle.

 

New Zealand had collapsed to 96 for 8 in their second innings at lunch on the third day after failing to cope with Herath’s left-arm spin.

 

The tourists, trailing by 26 on first innings, were just 70 runs ahead with two wickets in hand. They lost seven wickets in the morning session for 61 runs after resuming on 35 for 1.

 

The Sri Lankan spinner has far taken five wickets for 36 off 14 overs.

 

Fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara did the early damage with two wickets in his opening three overs before Herath, who took one wicket on Sunday, struck four times in five overs to have New Zealand reeling at 79 for 7.

 

Herath, who took 5 for 65 in the first innings, was on a hat-trick when he bowled Daniel Flynn (20) and then trapped Doug Bracewell leg-before.

 

The Sri Lankan spinner started the slide when he had skipper Ross Taylor leg-before for 18 before accounting for James Franklin (two) for his first two wickets.

 

Kulasekara struck in his second over of the morning when he bowled opener Martin Guptill before dismissing Williamson, caught down the leg-side by a diving wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

 

Guptill fell on his overnight score of 13, while Kane Williamson (10) added just one run in the morning.

 

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 247 in their first innings on Sunday in reply to New Zealand’s 221, with skipper Mahela Jayawardene scoring 91 and vice-captain Angelo Mathews 79.

 

Fast bowler Tim Southee took four wickets and off-spinner Jeetan Patel three for New Zealand.

 

Brief Scores: New Zealand 221 & 96 for 8 (Daniel Flynn 20, Ross Taylor 18; Rangana Herath 5 for 36, Nuwan Kulasekara 2 for 28) lead Sri Lanka 247 (Mahela Jayawardene 91, Angelo Mathews 79; Tim Southee 4 for 46) by 70 runs.

 

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