2nd Test
Day-4 Morning Session Highlights:
New Zealand’s lower order has postponed the Sri Lanka’s victory march in the second test
At The Lunch of Day-4:
Sri Lanka scored 602/5 decl. (1st Innings), where as New Zealand scored 88 (1st Innings) & 335/8 f/o (2nd Innings).
So, finally Sri Lanka lead by 179 runs.
Half-centuries from Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips, along with a resilient 48 not out from Mitchell Santner, enabled New Zealand to stretch the match into another session.
Despite debutant Nishan Peiris claiming a five-wicket haul, New Zealand’s positive batting approach allowed them to navigate the first session on Day 4 of the second Test, reaching Lunch at 335/8 in their follow-on innings and trailing Sri Lanka by 179 runs.
Blundell quickly surpassed the 50-run mark early in the day after New Zealand resumed at 199/5.
He and Phillips built a solid partnership of 95 runs until Peiris struck again.
Blundell fell lbw for a brisk 60 after attempting a reverse sweep, which included six fours and two sixes.
Phillips and Santner continued to attack, consistently finding the boundary as Phillips reached his fifty.
The pair’s seventh-wicket partnership surpassed 50 runs, with Phillips also launching a six off Dhananjaya de Silva.
However, he soon got carried away, attempting an ambitious shot and ultimately giving a catch to long-on, which secured Peiris his fifth wicket.
Tim Southee came out with aggressive intent, hitting a four and a six off Prabath Jayasuriya before being bowled by the left-arm spinner.
Ajaz Patel, after being dropped in the slip cordon off Peiris, saw Santner hit two fours and a six in the same over.
Ajaz then took on Jayasuriya, with Santner fortunate to escape being caught at deep backward square leg.
The duo extended their partnership to 44 runs, accumulating six fours and three sixes between them as they headed into Lunch unbeaten.
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