(Will Sri Lanka manage to impress in foreign conditions or New Zealand will dominate at home? Catch the live cricket score of Day 2 of first Test)
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage of the first Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Christchurch. New Zealand ended Day One of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Christchurch at an imposing 429 for seven. The hosts reached the total despite only 80.3 overs being bowled during the day.
Brendon McCullum, who admitted he desperately wanted to win the toss to bowl first, instead destroyed the Sri Lankan attack with the bat as he stood in century partnerships with Kane Williamson and Jimmy Neesham. Neesham was undone for 85, Williamson for 54. As McCullum bludgeoned the bowling, he cracked the fastest century in New Zealand Test history and became the first New Zealander to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year.
He equalled the New Zealand record of 26 off one over, when he smashed three sixes and two fours off one over by Sri Lanka strike bowler Suranga Lakmal, and finished with 11 sixes, one short of the world record of 12 sixes in an innings held by Pakistan’s Wasim Akram.
Sri Lankan openers have displayed immense resolve in fighting back with an unbeaten 84-run stand in the second innings at Christchurch. Dimuth Karunaratne finished Day-Two on 49* and his partner Kaushal Silva unbeaten on 33. The duo batted out 35 overs to the close of play, in the process registering the highest partnership for Sri Lanka in the match. But with three days to go New Zealand are still in command.
The Sri Lankan openers have slowly but surely grown in confidence as their innings progressed. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva weathered the storm early and have gradually gotten into their strides taking Sri Lanka past 50 without the loss of a wicket. This has been Sri Lanka’s highest partnership for the Test.
Sri Lankan openers have been significantly more assured in the early stages of the second innings. The tourists will be required to bat out of their skin to save this Test match with over two days to go, trailing by 303 runs.
Sri Lanka have been skittled out for a meagre 138 which has earned the hosts a massive 303 runs lead. New Zealand have defied convention by enforcing the follow on. The Sri Lankans will have their work cut out as the Kiwi spearheads; Tim Southee and Trent Boult were kept fresh by Brendon McCullum at the conclusion of the Sri Lankan innings.
OUT! Suranga Lakmal 2 (7) C McCullum B Neesham
Neil Wagner and Jimmy Neesham have ripped through the Sri Lankan lower order which has failed to offer any resistance whatsoever. New Zealand are well on course to earning a lead of close to 300 runs.
OUT! Dhammika 18 (18) Prasad C McCullum B Neesham
Angelo Mathews fought a lone battle in the middle as wickets tumbled around him left, right and centre. Mathews brought up his 19thy Test fifty as Sri Lanka went past a hundred but fell immediately afterward without adding another run.
OUT! Angelo Mathews C Latham B Wagner
The fifth wicket is down. Dickwella gets an leading edge to Brendon McCullum to short covers. Mathews is still on the course and is the only for Sri Lanka to get out of this troublesome situation.
OUT!! Dickwella c Brendon McCullum b Southee 2(4)
So, this partnership is broken. It looked like Sri Lanka were slowly getting back into the match with this partnership but Southee has got the wicket. Niroshan Dickwella is the new man in.
OUT!! L Thirimanne c Craig b Southee 24(59)
It’s Lunch on Day Two here. New Zealand have done well to get three Sri Lanka wickets. They have an opportunity bundle Sri Lanka cheaply.
Trent Boult gets the big wicket of Kumar Sangakkara now. It was a full delivery outside off and it flew of Sangakkara’s outside edge to the third slip.
OUT!! Sangakkara c Southee b Boult 6(27)
Day one: 429 runs Day two: 5 wickets have fallen inside first 10 overs #NZvSL
Trent Boult has induced a double-blow here. First he gets the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne in the first over and then get dismisses Silva in the fifth over, both in the same manner. Good signs for New Zealand. Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara are on the crease now.
OUT!!! D Karunaratne lbw b Boult 0(4) Kaushal Silva lbw b Boult 4(9)
Boult caught at the wicket, and given on review – BLACKCAPS innings come to a close at 441. #NZvSL ^rb
That’s all over Suranga Lakmal has finished it all in one single over. Neil Wagner was the first one to go and Trent Boult followed him soon after.
OUT!! Wagner c Kaushal b Lakmal 4(8) and Boult c P Jayawardene b Lakmal 0(2)
Sri Lanka have started the day on a good note as they have managed to grab the wicket of Tim Southee who was caught by Thirimanne at second slip. It would be interesting to see how long can New Zealand take this.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Hamish Rutherford, Kane Williamson, Brendon McCullum (c), Ross Taylor, James Neesham, BJ Watling (wk), Mark Craig, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.
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