Published: Nov 29, 2012, 09:38 AM (IST)
Edited: Nov 29, 2012, 09:38 AM (IST)
New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell (second from right) and Tim Southee (not seen) took two wickets apiece in the second innings © AFP
Colombo: Nov 29, 2012
New Zealand are on the brink of leveling the two match Test series against Sri Lanka after reducing the hosts to 47 for four on Day Four of the second Test after setting a target of 363.
Sri Lanka had a nightmarish start to their second innings as Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell removed the top four batsmen cheaply on the fourth day before bad light came to the hosts’ rescue.
Lankan opener Tharanga Paranavitana was dismissed leg before wicket off the first ball of the second innings as Southee continued his sublime wicket-taking form.
Tillakaratne Dilshan was Southee’s second victim of the innings as the latter failed to move his feel and attempted a drive on a full delivery outside his off-stump and gave a regulation catch to wicket keeper Kruger van Wyk.
Sri Lanka’s hopes of saving the match was further dented when Kumar Sangakkara was bowled by Bracewell to reduce them to 41 for three.
The game kept getting worse for the hosts as they lost another key player in Mahela Jayawardene who gave van Wyk his second catch of the innings.
At close of play, the hosts were reeling at 47 for four, needing 316 more runs to win.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 412 and 194 for 9 decl. (Ross Taylor 74, Todd Astle 35; Rangana Herath 3 for 67) lead Sri Lanka 244 and 47 for 4 (Kumar Sangakkara 16, Tilakaratne Dilshan 14; Doug Bracewell 2 for 5) by 316 runs.
