New Zealand versus Sri Lanka Test Series, 2024

1st Test

Day-4 Afternoon Session Highlights:

Spinners has propelled the Sri Lanka team ahead on a deteriorating pitch

At The Tea of Day-4:

New Zealand scored 340 (1st Innings) and 114/4 (2nd Innings), where as Sri Lanka scored 305 (1st Innings) and 309 (2nd Innings).

So, finally New Zealand need 161 runs to win.

In a session punctuated by a couple of rain interruptions, Sri Lanka, spearheaded by their spinners, made significant strides toward victory.

While the visitors lost three wickets statistically, those dismissals included their top players against spin: Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, and Daryl Mitchell.

In a challenging run chase on such a surface, New Zealand would have hoped for one of these key batsmen to anchor the innings, but that was not to be.

Ironically, the session began positively for New Zealand, with Latham and Williamson appearing comfortable in the first hour after lunch.

The duo batted aggressively, adeptly using their feet and executing sweeps flawlessly.

For a moment, it seemed the pitch had become easier to negotiate, as Sri Lanka’s spinners struggled to find their lengths.

However, the landscape shifted dramatically with Williamson’s dismissal.

The New Zealand captain misjudged a delivery from Prabath Jayasuriya that turned sharply, having stepped out to counter the spin.

The ball gripped and sailed past his outside edge, allowing Kusal Mendis to complete a straightforward stumping.

This breakthrough revitalized the Lankans, who quickly regained their rhythm with the ball.

Latham’s dismissal showcased the classical off-spinner’s approach against a left-hander on a turning track.

The opener attempted to play for the turn against Dhananjaya de Silva, who cleverly bowled an arm-ball that trapped him LBW.

Shortly thereafter, Mitchell’s aggressive start was cut short by a powerful off-break from Ramesh Mendis, which spun significantly with bounce to clean bowl the batter.

Rachin Ravindra and Tom Blundell managed to ride their luck, digging in as the challenge intensified on the deteriorating pitch.