Kane Williamson had New Zealand on the brink of victory after a spectacular Sri Lanka collapse on the third day of the second Test in Hamilton on Sunday.
Kane Williamson had New Zealand on the brink of victory after a spectacular Sri Lanka collapse on the third day of the second Test in Hamilton on Sunday.
On a day when 16 wickets fell, New Zealand were 142/5 at the close of play, requiring a further 47 runs to claim the Test and sweep the series.
Shortly before lunch on the third day their hopes of a win seemed remote with Sri Lanka 126 runs ahead and with all second innings wickets in hand.
But the tourists’ fortunes swung from commanding to catastrophic when 10 wickets fell for 62. New Zealand went from being 55 behind on the first innings to chasing a target of 189 to win.
Williamson was not out on 78 at stumps, in sight of his 13th Test century with B.J.Watling yet to score. New Zealand left-arm seamer Neil Wagner called the day “bizarre” while Sri Lanka bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake was not happy his side did not bat safely as instructed.
“Right throughout the short ball was key to get wickets and for us what happened was we hooked,” he said.
Scoreboard Sri Lanka (1st innings): 292 New Zealand (1st innings): M. Guptill c Mathews b Herath 50, T. Latham c Karunaratne b Chameera 28, K. Williamson c Lakmal b Chameera 1, R. Taylor c Chandimal b Chameera 0, B. McCullum c Mendis b Herath 18, M. Santner c Chandimal b Pradeep 38, B. Watling c Vithanage b Lakmal 28, D. Bracewell (not out) 35, T. Southee c Jayasundera b Chameera 4, N. Wagner c Vithanage b Chameera 17, T. Boult c Herath b Pradeep 0. Extras: (lb3, nb7, w8) 18. Total: (in 79.4 overs) 237. FoW: 1-81, 2-83, 3-86, 4-89, 5-128, 6-168, 7-196, 8-201, 9-232. Bowling: Lakmal 16-4-48-1, Mathews 11-7-25-0, Pradeep 17.4-4-39-2, Herath 22-1-75-2, Chameera 13-3-47-5. Sri Lanka (2nd innings): D. Karunaratne c Southee b Bracewell 27, K. Mendis c Santner b Southee 46, U. Jayasundera c Watling b Bracewell 0, D. Chandimal c Guptill b Wagner 4, A. Mathews c Watling b Southee 2, M. Siriwardana c Boult b Wagner 26, K. Vithanage c Bracewell b Wagner 9, R. Herath b Southee 0, D. Chameera (run out) 2, S. Lakmal (not out) 1, N. Pradeep c Watling b Southee 0. Extras: (b4, lb2, w7, nb3) 16. Total: (in 36.3 overs) 133. FoW: 1-71, 2-71, 3-77, 4-87, 5-110, 6-123, 7-123, 8-131, 9-133. Bowling: Boult 7-1-30-0, Southee 12.3-2-26-4, Bracewell 8-1-31-2, Wagner 9-2-40-3. New Zealand (2nd innings): T. Latham c Pradeep b Chameera 4, M. Guptill c Karunaratne b Chameera 1, K. Williamson (batting) 78, R. Taylor c (sub) b Chameera 35, B. McCullum c Mathews b Chameera 18, M. Santner c Chandimal b Lakmal 4, B. Watling (batting) 0. Extras: (nb2) 2. Total: (for 5 wkts, in 42 overs) 142. FoW: 1-4, 2-11, 3-78, 4-130, 5-142. Bowling: Chameera 13-1-45-4, Lakmal 10-3-19-1, Herath 9-0-39-0, Pradeep 9-1-35-0, Mathews 1-0-4-0.
