Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal struck 116 and cast sizeable partnerships with Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews to drive the host to a commanding 306 for 3 in opposition to New Zealand on the opening day of the second Check on Thursday.
Electing to bat, Sri Lanka misplaced opener Pathum Nissanka within the first over however Chandimal’s sixteenth take a look at hundred stored Sri Lanka on target for a giant first innings complete.
Mathews was batting on 78 at stumps with an in-form Kamindu Mendis on 51 for the host, who received the opening Check by 63 runs to go 1-0 up within the two-test collection.
Kamindu turned the primary batter to attain a half-century in every of his first eight Check matches.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee made an early inroad when he had Nissanka caught behind for one however the guests couldn’t maintain the stress.
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Karunaratne acquired two reprieves as he was dropped within the slip on six and survived a stumping alternative on 17.
Promoted from the center to quantity three in a rejigged batting order, Chandimal didn’t look convincing initially however grew in confidence, posting 122 runs with Karunaratne for the second wicket.
Karunaratne (46) fell in need of his fifty after being run out following a mix-up with Chandimal, who was too busy watching the ball from the non-striker’s finish to answer to his associate’s name for a single.
Chandimal, nonetheless, made positive Sri Lanka didn’t endure. He took a single off Mitchell Santner to convey up his maiden Check hundred in opposition to New Zealand.
Graham Phillip finally dismissed Chandimal when he lured the batter out of the crease and beat his bat to hit the off-stump.
New Zealand was unusually sloppy within the area and Daryl Mitchell missed a second catch within the slip when Mendis slashed a ball from William O’Rourke.
Mathews acquired a few reprieves too when he was caught behind to an O’Rourke supply, which turned out to be a no ball, and spilled within the slip by Tom Latham.
(with inputs from Reuters)
LINE-UP:
Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Kusal Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Nishan Peiris, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayake.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Wiliamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (captain), Ajaz Patel, Will O’Rourke.
Umpires: Nitin Menon, India, and Michael Gough, England.
Third Umpire: Ahsan Raza, Pakistan. Match Referee: Javagal Srinath, India.