Cricket

Prabath Jayasuriya's exceptional bowling performance in the second Test against New Zealand was bolstered by the impressive debut of Nishan Peiris, who proved to be a formidable foil.In the first innings, Jayasuriya claimed five wickets, but his figures of 4 for 136 were hard-earned. However, in the second innings, he secured a customary Galle five-for, thanks to the improved control of his spin colleagues.Recognizing the need for more consistent support, Sri Lanka replaced Ramesh Mendis with Peiris. The debutant justified his selection on day three, claiming six wickets to match Jayasuriya's tally."When you bowl with him, it's very easy," Jayasuriya said of Peiris. "He bowled with a lot of confidence and showed his potential."The duo's combined efforts resulted in 13 New Zealand wickets falling on day three. Jayasuriya's nagging lines and lengths complemented Peiris's ability to drift, dip, and turn the ball away from left-handers.Peiris's variety was evident in his dismissals of Rachin Ravindra, who was bowled around his legs in the first innings and trapped lbw in the second."He gave me a lot of support," Jayasuriya added. "One bowler usually has to do the holding job, while the other attacks."Despite Sri Lanka's significant advantage, Jayasuriya remains cautious. He acknowledges that New Zealand's batters are capable of better performances."They were on the field for 600 runs and perhaps they were a bit tired," Jayasuriya said. "But I think they are a good side. Their top order has some experienced players.""We cannot take things lightly. What we do in the first hour will be crucial. We just need to bowl good deliveries."

Sri Lanka's relentless dominance continued in the second Test against New Zealand, as they closed in on a resounding victory at the Galle International Stadium. The hosts enforced a follow-on after dismissing the tourists for a paltry 88 in their first innings, and New Zealand found themselves in dire straits at stumps on day three, trailing by 303 runs with five wickets remaining.Tom Blundell (47*) and Glenn Phillips (32*) provided some resistance for the Kiwis, but the Sri Lankan bowlers remained relentless. Debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris played a pivotal role, claiming three top-order wickets to leave New Zealand reeling at 199-5.Devon Conway, under pressure to retain his place in the side, showed resilience with a gritty 61 off 62 deliveries. He forged a 97-run partnership with former captain Kane Williamson, who contributed 48. However, Conway's resistance ended when he was lured into a drive by Dinesh Chandimal, who took a spectacular catch at deep cover.Williamson, ranked second in the world behind England's Joe Root, also departed after misjudging a shot off Peiris. Ramesh Mendis held onto a tumbling catch at long-on to end Williamson's innings.Tom Latham had earlier fallen for a duck, caught by Pathum Nissanka at short leg off Peiris. The off-spinner had also taken three wickets in New Zealand's first innings, including the prized scalp of Williamson.Sri Lanka's dominance was evident in their first innings, where they declared on a mammoth 602-5. Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya wreaked havoc in New Zealand's second innings, claiming 6-42 to take his tally to nine five-wicket hauls.Jayasuriya needs to dismiss all five remaining New Zealand batsmen to equal the record for the fastest bowler to reach 100 Test wickets, currently held by England's George Lohmann.

Kane Williamson, the New Zealand skipper renowned for his composure at the crease, endured a rare and frustrating third day in the second Test against Sri Lanka. Dismissed twice within just four hours, his uncharacteristic departures left New Zealand reeling at the Galle International Stadium on Saturday.Williamson's first dismissal came in New Zealand's first innings, when he misjudged a tossed-up delivery from spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and edged it to slip for just 7 off 53 balls. Following New Zealand's collapse to 88 all out, they were forced to follow on.In the second innings, Williamson partnered with Devon Conway in a resilient 97-run stand for the second wicket. However, his innings came to an abrupt end when he mistimed a shot off off-spinner Nishan Peiris and was caught by substitute fielder Ramesh Mendis for 46.Sri Lanka capitalized on these breakthroughs and was five wickets away from a comprehensive series victory at tea on day 3. Spinners Jayasuriya and Peiris dominated the day, pushing New Zealand into a corner as they continued to search for a way out of a dire situation.Williamson's uncharacteristic dismissals highlighted the pressure that Sri Lanka's spinners have exerted on the New Zealand batting lineup. The Black Caps will need to find a way to counter the spin threat if they are to avoid a series defeat.

Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya's remarkable performance led Sri Lanka to a dominant position in the second Test against New Zealand. Jayasuriya's nine-wicket haul, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings, played a pivotal role in New Zealand's collapse to 88 all out.Resuming their first innings at a precarious 22-2, New Zealand's batsmen failed to put up a fight. Jayasuriya dismissed Kane Williamson in the third over, triggering a batting collapse. Only Mitchell Santner (29) and William O'Rourke (2) managed to reach double figures.Sri Lanka captain Dhanajaya de Silva enforced the follow-on, and New Zealand stuttered to lunch at 3-1 after facing two overs in their second innings. Tom Latham was the man out, caught by Pathum Nissanka off the bowling of Nishan Peiris.Jayasuriya's performance was particularly impressive as he now needs just six more wickets in the second innings to equal the record for the fastest bowler to reach 100 Test wickets. The record has stood since 1896 when England's George Lohmann achieved the milestone in his 16th Test.De Silva's five catches at first slip tied the record for most in a Test innings by a non-wicketkeeper, a milestone shared with 15 others.Sri Lanka's dominance in the match has put New Zealand in a precarious position. The visitors need to avoid an innings defeat and will need a significant improvement in their batting performance in the second innings.

New Zealand's nightmare continued on day two in Galle as Sri Lanka piled on a mammoth 296 runs for the loss of just two wickets. Despite New Zealand's valiant efforts, their bowlers toiled fruitlessly for over 124 overs, with only Glenn Phillips managing to create any significant impact.The overcast conditions provided some respite for the visitors, but the batting conditions eased up considerably on day two, allowing Sri Lanka's batters to dominate proceedings. Dhananjaya de Silva's decision to bat first proved crucial, as the surface became drier and harder, making it easier for the batters to score runs.New Zealand batting coach Luke Ronchi acknowledged the difference in the surface, stating that it was "a nice surface" for batters once they were in. Angelo Mathews, who scored a half-century for Sri Lanka, echoed these sentiments.Ronchi praised the Sri Lankan batters for their exceptional performance but also lamented New Zealand's missed opportunities on day one. He emphasized the importance of applying themselves and following their processes as a batting group."We did that in the first Test, so we need to sort of back our plans and our processes and the work we've done," Ronchi said. "That's something we've done really well for a number of years. It's not about looking at an end-product type thing, but the processes and how we're going to make the best of each ball, each moment and each partnership."With New Zealand still 580 runs adrift and having lost two wickets in the final 45 minutes of play, Ronchi stressed the need to take the game as deep as possible."You just want to just go out there and bat, and bat for as long as we can as well. That's a massive part of what's going to happen. There's three days left, so we've got to make sure that we can bat well and sort of see what happens."

Sri Lanka's dominance continued unabated on day two of the Test against New Zealand, as they extended their first innings total to 402 for 5 at lunch. Despite the overcast conditions and increased turn for the spinners, the hosts remained in control, thanks to an unbeaten 93 from Kamindu Mendis.The session began with Angelo Mathews adding 10 runs to his overnight tally before falling to Glenn Phillips' nagging line and length. Phillips struck again just before lunch, dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva for 44. However, Mendis' presence at the crease ensured that Sri Lanka maintained their momentum.Mendis, who became the first batter to score fifty-plus in each of his first eight Tests, continued his impressive form. He struck boundaries off Will O'Rourke and Mitchell Santner, showcasing his ability to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking.De Silva, who had launched Phillips for a six early in his innings, was eventually undone by the off-spinner's variations. Looking to sweep, he top-edged the ball, which was well caught by Tom Blundell.Despite the late wicket, Sri Lanka remained in a strong position. Mendis, who has yet to be dismissed in the match, is closing in on a fifth Test century. His partnership with de Silva was the fifth fifty-plus stand of the innings, highlighting the depth of Sri Lanka's batting lineup.New Zealand's bowlers, led by Phillips, have struggled to contain the Sri Lankan batsmen. Phillips has taken three wickets, but his economy rate of 6.50 is a testament to the ease with which the hosts have scored runs.

Sri Lanka Dominate Day One of Second Test Against New ZealandGalle, Sri Lanka - Dinesh Chandimal's masterful century propelled Sri Lanka to a commanding position on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand in Galle. The left-handed batsman notched up his 16th Test century, his sixth at the picturesque venue, guiding the hosts to a formidable 306-3 at stumps.Chandimal's innings was a testament to his patience and shot-making prowess. He capitalized on loose deliveries, hitting 15 boundaries in his knock of 116. His partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne (46) laid the foundation for Sri Lanka's strong start.Angelo Mathews (78) and Kamindu Mendis (51) continued the momentum, hitting half-centuries to further bolster Sri Lanka's position. Mendis' fifty marked a world record eighth consecutive fifty since his debut two years ago. Mathews became the sixth cricketer to score 2,000 Test runs at a single venue, joining an elite group that includes Joe Root and Graham Gooch.New Zealand's bowlers struggled to contain Sri Lanka's batsmen, missing crucial chances that could have halted their progress. Daryl Mitchell dropped two catches, including a sitter to dismiss Chandimal early on. Tom Blundell also missed a stumping opportunity off Karunaratne.Sri Lanka's dominance was a continuation of their impressive performance in the first Test, which they won by 63 runs. New Zealand, on the other hand, have yet to win any of their five previous Tests at Galle.The Black Caps paid tribute to their late manager, Ian Taylor, by wearing black armbands. Taylor managed the New Zealand team from 1980 to 1990.

Sri Lanka and New Zealand locked horns in the second Test match in Galle, with the visitors opting to bowl first after winning the toss. The pitch, number 7, offered less grass and a firmer surface, providing a challenge for the batsmen.New Zealand's Tim Southee struck early, dismissing Pathum Nissanka for a duck in the first over. Nissanka nicked a delivery that nipped away from him, giving Tom Blundell a simple catch. Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal steadied the Sri Lankan innings, but the hosts struggled to build partnerships.William O'Rourke, sharing the new ball with Southee, bowled a maiden over to Karunaratne. However, he spilled a chance to dismiss the left-hander in his next over, with Daryl Mitchell dropping a catch at first slip.Chandimal, who came in at number 3, showed some aggression, hitting a boundary off Southee. However, he was dismissed for 41 by Ajaz Patel, who bowled a flatter delivery that Chandimal could only tap towards cover-point.Karunaratne, who had been watchful throughout his innings, was eventually dismissed for 28 by O'Rourke. The left-hander was caught behind after edging a delivery that swung away from him.Sri Lanka's middle order failed to make significant contributions, with Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, and Dhananjaya de Silva all falling cheaply. Kusal Mendis, the wicket-keeper, provided some resistance with a 25-ball 20, but he was eventually dismissed by Patel.At the end of the day's play, Sri Lanka were struggling at 122/7, with Prabath Jayasuriya and Nishan Peiris at the crease. New Zealand's bowlers had been disciplined and accurate, with Southee, Patel, and O'Rourke sharing the wickets.

Sri Lanka, riding high on their recent success, have once again opted to bat first in the second Test against New Zealand in Galle. The decision, made after winning the toss, is a testament to their confidence in their batting lineup and the spin-friendly conditions expected on the Galle pitch.Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka's captain, expressed optimism about the pitch, stating that it appeared "firmer than the last one with less grass." This suggests that the pitch may offer more bounce and carry, potentially favoring the batsmen.Sri Lanka has made two changes to their team for this Test. Milan Rathnayake, who impressed in his debut series in England, replaces Lahiru Kumara, while Nishan Peiris makes his debut in place of offspinner Ramesh Mendis. Rathnayake's inclusion adds depth to the bowling attack, while Peiris provides a like-for-like replacement for Mendis.New Zealand, on the other hand, has opted to field an unchanged team after their spirited performance in the first Test, which they lost by a narrow margin of 63 runs. The Kiwis will be eager to build on their positive display and secure a victory in Galle.The weather forecast for the match predicts short and sharp showers, but the conditions at the time of the toss were bright and sunny. Sri Lanka, currently third in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, will be aiming for another victory to strengthen their position and move closer to Australia, who are second.New Zealand, currently fourth in the WTC standings, will be keen to improve their performance and gain momentum ahead of their upcoming tour of India. The match promises to be an exciting contest between two evenly matched teams, with both sides looking to secure a crucial victory.