By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka trailed New Zealand by 303 runs with eight wickets intact as New Zealand tightened their stranglehold of the second test by the third day of the second test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Sri Lanka was bundled out for 164 with only skipper Dimuth Karunaratne standing defiant with a resolute 89 against New Zealand’s varied pace-spin attack. Following on, Sri Lanka had made 113 for the loss of two wickets on half centuries by Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis who was unbeaten on 50 with the hosts having seen the back of the Lankan skipper who was dismissed by his opposite number Tim Southee who had him caught by Devon Conway for 51.

It was a key wicket for the New Zealanders in foiling a growing second-wicket partnership. Karunaratne, who was ninth out in the first innings 89 off 188 balls hitting 9 boundaries, had little respite coming back on the heels of it a second time. The Karunaratne-Mendis partnership was worth 72 consuming 19.3 balls. Matthews joined Mendis in seeing off the next 12 plus overs seeing off 40 deliveries for just the 1. Right upfront, Oshada Fernando had perished for 5 having faced 38 deliveries to the off spin of Doug Bracewll who had him snapped up by substitute fielder Will Young. Sri Lanka had lost the first wicket for 25 off 12.5 overs.

Mendis had faced exactly 100 deliveries and hit 8 boundaries with much of Sri Lanka’s hopes of saving the game depending on the fast scoring right hander. The pace duo of Michael Bracewll, cousin brother to Douglas, and Matt Henry shared six first innings wickets between them.

CHIEF SCORES: New Zealand 580/4 decl. (Kane Williamson 215, Henry Nichols n.o. 200)-

Sri Lanka 164 (Dimuth Karunaratne 89, Dinesh Chandimal 37, Matt Henry 3/44, Michael Bracewell 3/50, Doug Bracewell 1/19, Blair Tickner 1/21)

Following on 113/2 (43 Overs) (Dimuth Karunaratne 51, Kusal Mendis n.o. 50, Angelo Matthews n.o. 1, Tim Southee.1/9, Doug Bracewell 1/20)