2nd Test
Day-4 Afternoon Session Highlights:
Sri Lanka has withstand the New Zealand’s lower-order resistance to secure a commanding victory
Sri Lanka scored 602/5 decl (1st Innings), where as New Zealand scored 88 (1st Innings) & 360 f/o (2nd Innings).
So, finally Sri Lanka won by an innings & 154 runs.
New Zealand showed improved resilience on Day 4, with fighting half-centuries from Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner, but their efforts weren’t enough to stop Sri Lanka from claiming a comprehensive innings and 154-run victory in the second Test at Galle.
After being bowled out for just 88 in their first innings, New Zealand were forced to follow on and responded with a much better effort, posting 360 all-out.
However, Sri Lanka’s commanding win sealed the series 2-0.
With this triumph, the hosts moved up to third in the World Test Championship standings, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the final next year.
Debutant Nishan Peiris was the standout performer with the ball in the second innings, taking 6 for 170, adding to his three wickets from the first innings.
Prabath Jayasuriya, who picked up six wickets in the first innings, claimed three more in the second.
Resuming on 199/5, Blundell crossed his fifty early in the day, and his partnership with Phillips extended to 95 before Peiris struck again.
Blundell, attempting a reverse sweep, was trapped lbw for a brisk 60, which included 6 fours and 2 sixes.
Phillips and Santner continued positively, frequently finding the boundary, with Phillips reaching his half-century and clearing the fence off Dhananjaya de Silva.
Their seventh-wicket partnership passed the 50-run mark.
Phillips, however, overreached and handed a catch to long-on, giving Peiris his fifth wicket.
Tim Southee came out aggressively, hitting a four and a six off Jayasuriya before being bowled by the left-arm spinner.
Ajaz Patel was dropped in the slips, but Santner kept New Zealand’s hopes alive by striking two fours and a six in an over off Peiris.
The duo extended their partnership to 44 and went into lunch unbeaten after hitting six boundaries and three sixes between them.
Post-lunch, Santner reached his well-deserved half-century, while Ajaz survived another drop by Dhananjaya at slip before eventually falling to Jayasuriya, ending a 53-run stand that lasted 84 balls.
Santner added a few more boundaries and another six off Peiris before being stumped for 67, which gave Peiris his sixth wicket and closed New Zealand’s innings, sealing the match.
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s batters laid the foundation for the win with a massive first-innings total of 602/5 declared.
Dinesh Chandimal (116), Kamindu Mendis (182*), and Kusal Mendis (106*) all scored centuries, while Angelo Mathews contributed 88.
Their dominant display left New Zealand with too much to do, and despite a better effort in the second innings, the visitors ended the series on a disappointing note.
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