Cricket

New Zealand's hopes of a historic victory against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle were kept alive by Rachin Ravindra's unbeaten 91 on Sunday. The tourists need 68 more runs with two wickets remaining after day four, setting up a thrilling finish on Monday.Ravindra's knock, the highest by a New Zealander at the Galle International Stadium, has given the Black Caps a glimmer of hope after they were set a target of 275. However, the left-hander has lacked support from his teammates, with Kane Williamson and Tom Blundell the only other batsmen to reach 30.Sri Lanka's spinners have dominated the match, with Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya taking three wickets each on a sharply turning pitch. Mendis dismissed Williamson for 30, while Jayasuriya bowled Blundell for 30 to break a 56-run partnership that had threatened to take the game away from the hosts.Earlier, Ajaz Patel's six-wicket haul helped restrict Sri Lanka to 309 in their first innings. Patel's figures of 6-90 were the best by a New Zealand bowler in Sri Lanka since Daniel Vettori's 6-64 in Colombo in 1998.Dimuth Karunaratne top-scored for Sri Lanka with 83, while Angelo Matthews made 50. The match had a rest day on Saturday due to Sri Lanka's presidential elections, but fans returned after lunch when the curfew was lifted.The second and final match of the series will be held at the same venue from Thursday.

Australia's dominance in women's cricket was tested in the second T20I against New Zealand in Mackay, as they narrowly secured a 29-run victory despite a dramatic batting collapse.After winning the toss and electing to bat, Australia's innings was anchored by Alyssa Healy's 38 off 25 balls. However, a stunning collapse saw them lose 7 wickets for just 28 runs, with New Zealand legspinner Amelia Kerr claiming a career-best 4 for 20. Ellyse Perry's 34 proved crucial, but her bizarre run-out triggered Australia's downfall.New Zealand's chase started cautiously, with Suzie Bates scoring a steady 34. However, Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland combined to take 4 wickets for 34 runs, squeezing the run rate and closing out the game despite some sloppy fielding from Australia.Healy's aggressive start set the tone for Australia's innings, but Perry struggled for timing. Healy's dismissal for 38 proved costly, as Australia's middle order crumbled. Kerr's wrong'uns proved devastating, dismissing Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, and Sophie Molineux.New Zealand's chase was hampered by Australia's tight bowling in the powerplay. Bates broke free briefly, but her dismissal for 34 left the visitors needing a high run rate. Gardner's revenge on Kerr and Litchfield's catch to remove Bates put Australia in control.Despite some untidy fielding, Australia's bowlers held their nerve. Maddy Green and Izzy Gaze threatened a late surge, but Sutherland's catch off Gardner sealed the victory.

New Zealand's bowlers dominated the morning session on day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, setting the visitors a target of 275 to win. Ajaz Patel starred with a five-wicket haul, while William O'Rourke chipped in with three wickets.Sri Lanka resumed on 233 for 4, with Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva looking to build a solid partnership. However, Ajaz struck early, having de Silva stumped for 30. Kusal Mendis joined Mathews at the crease, and the pair put on a quick-fire 36-run stand.But the introduction of the second new ball proved decisive. Mendis was dismissed for 22, shouldering arms to an Ajaz delivery that deflected onto his stumps. Mathews reached his half-century but was soon dismissed for 50, edging an attempted forward defense to first slip.Ajaz continued to wreak havoc, trapping Ramesh Mendis in front for 14 and then getting Lahiru Kumara caught at mid-off for 1. Prabath Jayasuriya offered some resistance with a couple of boundaries, but Mitchell Santner ended his cameo with a caught-and-bowled dismissal.New Zealand lost the wicket of Devon Conway before lunch, but Tom Latham and Kane Williamson saw them through to the break without further damage. The visitors need 262 runs to win with two sessions remaining on day four.

Ashleigh Gardner has been cleared of concussion after a bizarre collision with Georgia Wareham during a warm-up game ahead of Australia's T20I series against New Zealand. Gardner missed the series opener in Mackay on Thursday night due to the incident, which saw her and Wareham clash heads.Wareham has also been cleared of any concussion symptoms and played in Australia's five-wicket win. Gardner, the reigning Belinda Clark Medallist, initially laughed off the incident but later left the ground in tears. The 27-year-old has a history of concussions, having suffered seven throughout her professional career.The issue prompted Gardner to consult a neuropsychologist in 2018 after suffering four concussions in the space of 20 months. Saturday's news will therefore come as a welcome relief to Gardner, who is now expected to play in the second T20 against New Zealand in Mackay on Sunday.Australia also have other injury concerns ahead of next month's World Cup in the UAE, with Grace Harris (calf) and Kim Garth (knee) both missing the New Zealand series. Beth Mooney, who will play her 100th T20I in the second match of the series, said Australia would be looking to improve their performance."It was a good game for us, not a great one," Mooney said. "So we're looking to sharpen up every facet of the game, maybe getting off to a bit of a better start with the bat in terms of wickets lost, and then with the ball, maybe tidying up a few different areas there."New Zealand were without Sophie Devine for the first game of the series as she continues to recover from an ankle injury. The Black Caps will be taking a cautious approach with Devine ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne forged a formidable partnership to propel the hosts to a commanding lead in the first Test against New Zealand in Galle. The duo's 147-run alliance helped Sri Lanka establish a 202-run advantage at stumps on day three.Karunaratne, who scored 83, displayed his prowess by punishing loose deliveries and forcing New Zealand to spread the field. Chandimal, who contributed 61, adopted a more conservative approach. "When you play in Galle, there is a way I play, and I back that style," Karunaratne explained. "Sweeps and reverse sweeps are the best way forward on that wicket."New Zealand's Ajaz Patel broke the deadlock after tea, dismissing Karunaratne with a sharply spinning delivery. Chandimal followed suit in the next over, falling victim to rookie William O'Rourke's temptation. O'Rourke, who had already impressed with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, also accounted for Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis.New Zealand resumed on 255-4 but lost their remaining wickets quickly, despite a valiant effort from wicketkeeper Glenn Phillips (49). "It is a very good Test wicket," Phillips said. "There is a lot of assistance for spinners, and seamers can come into play as well."Sri Lanka drew first blood in the morning when Tom Blundell was given out caught after a review. Daryl Mitchell posted a half-century for New Zealand, but was eventually run out. The second new ball proved advantageous for Sri Lanka, with Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya finding bounce. Jayasuriya claimed four wickets, including that of top-scorer Tom Latham (70), while Ramesh bagged three.Saturday will see a rest day between the sides as Sri Lanka holds a presidential election, with play to resume on Sunday.

Australia's women's cricket team secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over New Zealand in Mackay, despite a pre-game injury scare involving Ashleigh Gardner. Gardner collided with teammate Georgia Wareham during warm-ups, resulting in her withdrawal as a precaution due to her history of concussions.Heather Graham replaced Gardner in the lineup, while Kim Garth and Grace Harris were ruled out of the series due to injuries. New Zealand also suffered a setback with skipper Sophie Devine sidelined by a foot issue.Australia's bowlers shared the spoils, with all six used claiming a wicket. Maddy Green and Suzie Bates passed 30 for New Zealand, but couldn't accelerate the innings. Australia's fielding was rusty, conceding 12 byes, but their bowling was frugal.In the chase, Phoebe Litchfield played a stunning unbeaten knock of 64 from 43 balls, guiding Australia to victory with eight balls to spare. She received excellent support from Wareham in a 50-run stand.Litchfield's innings showcased her skill and bravery, as she hit 11 boundaries on a two-paced surface. She reached her half-century in 32 balls and finished the match with a reverse sweep for four.Australia's variety in their bowling attack proved effective, with Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, and Sophie Molineux making scoring difficult for New Zealand in the powerplay.Molly Penfold impressed for New Zealand with 2 for 24, but couldn't prevent Australia from securing the win. The victory extended New Zealand's losing streak in women's T20Is to eight matches.

New Zealand's bowlers wrapped up Sri Lanka's innings for 305 on the second morning of the first Test in Galle, with Will O'Rourke claiming a five-wicket haul.Resuming on 302 for 7, Sri Lanka added just three runs before being dismissed. O'Rourke trapped Ramesh Mendis lbw for 14 and then bowled Asitha Fernando for 0 to complete his five-for. Ajaz Patel also picked up a wicket, dismissing Prabath Jayasuriya for 10.O'Rourke's 5 for 55 was his second five-wicket haul in four Test innings, while Ajaz and Glenn Phillips finished with two wickets each.Rain interrupted the morning session, delaying the start of New Zealand's innings. Only one over was possible before rain intervened again, forcing the players off the field.Lunch was taken after just 15 minutes of play, with New Zealand trailing by 300 runs. More rain is forecast for the day, but an extended post-lunch session and a longer third session have been scheduled to make up for lost time.

Australia's women's cricket team is gearing up for the upcoming T20 World Cup by fielding their strongest XI in a three-match series against New Zealand. Captain Alyssa Healy emphasized the importance of consistency in their lineup, stating that they have been settled in the T20 format for a long time.While Australia experimented with their lineup during their Bangladesh tour, Healy believes it's crucial to establish a stable XI leading into the World Cup. She acknowledged the temptation to unleash the pace duo of Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck, but noted that it would require careful consideration of the team's balance.New Zealand, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing tour of England, where they lost eight consecutive matches. Captain Sophie Devine expressed confidence in her team's ability to learn from their mistakes and move forward. She highlighted the return of pace bowler Rosemary Mair, who missed the England tour due to injury.Both Healy and Devine welcomed the ICC's announcement of increased prize money for the T20 World Cup, recognizing it as a significant step forward for women's cricket. Healy stated that it's an amazing opportunity for the game to be recognized and appreciated.As the teams prepare for the World Cup, the series against New Zealand will provide valuable experience and allow them to fine-tune their strategies. Australia will aim to maintain their dominance, while New Zealand will seek to regain their form and prove their mettle against one of the world's top teams.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand: Hosts Opt to Bat First in Galle TestThe first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand commenced in Galle, with the hosts winning the toss and electing to bat first. The pitch, according to pitchside analyst Farvez Maharoof, offers ample grass cover, promising early assistance for the pacers.New Zealand captain Tim Southee expressed his preference for batting first in these conditions, highlighting the presence of spinners in their lineup. Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva echoed similar sentiments, stating that they would bat first to avoid the challenges of the fourth innings.The Sri Lankan openers, Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka, faced the opening spell from Tim Southee. Nissanka was initially troubled by the extra bounce and movement, but managed to survive the early onslaught.Southee's opening over yielded a leg bye, while Nissanka collected a boundary off an inside edge. However, the New Zealand bowlers maintained a tight line and length, restricting the Sri Lankan batsmen to cautious play.The pitch report suggests that the surface will favor the pacers in the initial stages, but as the match progresses, the spinners are expected to come into play. Both teams have included two spinners in their lineups, with Sri Lanka opting for Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis, while New Zealand has Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel.The match is poised for an intriguing contest between the two sides, with New Zealand seeking to capitalize on the early conditions and Sri Lanka aiming to build a solid foundation for the innings.