1st Test
Day-1 Evening Session Highlights:
Kamindu Mendis has put the Sri Lanka team in control on the opening day
At The Stumps of Day-1:
Sri Lanka scored 302/7 (1st Innings) vs New Zealand.
Kamindu Mendis continued to shine as Sri Lanka claimed the honours on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Galle.
Promoted to No.5 after an impressive start to his Test career, Kamindu rescued Sri Lanka from a precarious position and reversed the momentum as New Zealand lost their early grip.
By stumps, Sri Lanka had posted 302/7.
Pathum Nissanka gave Sri Lanka a promising start with three boundaries, but William O’Rourke quickly struck, removing Dimuth Karunaratne, who was undone by extra bounce.
Nissanka followed soon after, bowled by an in swinging delivery from O’Rourke that shattered his stumps, leaving Sri Lanka two down inside six overs.
Despite the rocky start, New Zealand introduced spin by the ninth over.
Sri Lanka then stabilized with a solid partnership between experienced batters Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews.
Both withstood the challenges posed by New Zealand’s spinners, but O’Rourke’s reintroduction changed the tide as a delivery struck Mathews’ glove, forcing him to retire hurt just before lunch.
Kamindu joined Chandimal and looked comfortable from the outset, but Chandimal fell immediately after lunch.
New Zealand’s confidence grew as Glenn Phillips produced a stunning off-break to breach Dhananjaya de Silva’s defence, sending him back.
Mathews returned to the crease, but the spinners continued to create opportunities.
Kamindu remained unfazed, striking consecutive boundaries off Ajaz Patel and raising his fifty in 73 balls.
O’Rourke returned to break the partnership, dismissing Mathews for a gritty 36.
With Sri Lanka at 178/5, New Zealand appeared in control.
However, Kamindu found a reliable partner in Kusal Mendis during the final session, and the duo shifted the balance.
Kamindu consistently found the boundary, bringing up his century with another four off Rachin Ravindra.
Kamindu’s century made him the quickest Sri Lankan to reach four Test hundreds, vindicating his promotion up the order.
Kusal Mendis, meanwhile, supported well with a half-century.
Their century stand flattened New Zealand, but a stroke of luck saw Kusal caught after a pull shot deflected off the short leg fielder into the hands of Tim Southee.
In the final moments before stumps, Ajaz Patel dismissed Kamindu, but with the surface already deteriorating, Sri Lanka ended the day in a commanding position.
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