Karunaratne, Chandimal fire as Sri Lanka take control of first New Zealand Test

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Sep 20, 2024, 18:54 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Sri Lanka concluded the third day of the first Test against New Zealand at 237-4 in Galle. Dimuth Karunaratne scored 83 and Dinesh Chandimal made 61, forming a crucial partnership. With a lead of 202 runs, Angelo Mathews and captain Dhananjaya de Silva aim to extend it further when play resumes after a rest day due to the presidential election in Sri Lanka..

Karunaratne, Chandimal fire as Sri Lanka take control of first New Zealand Test

Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne. (Pic Credit - X)

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka positioned themselves strongly, ending at 237-4 at stumps against New Zealand on the third day of the opening Test in Galle.
Dimuth Karunaratne scored 83, and Dinesh Chandimal made 61, contributing to a crucial 147-run partnership that challenged the Black Caps. However, their dismissals left the game evenly balanced, with Sri Lanka leading by 202 runs.
Angelo Mathews and captain Dhananjaya de Silva, both on 34, remained at the crease.They aim to build on Sri Lanka's lead when play resumes on Sunday, as Saturday is a rest day due to the presidential election in Sri Lanka, reported Reuters. This marks the first time a Test match has paused for an election since Bangladesh hosted Sri Lanka in 2008.
New Zealand initially made a positive start, highlighted by skipper Tim Southee's spectacular catch to dismiss Pathum Nissanka. However, breakthroughs were sparse on a pitch that gradually deteriorated.

Spinner Ajaz Patel finally got one past Karunaratne's defense after a wicketless second session. Soon after, speedster William O'Rourke dismissed Chandimal, bringing New Zealand back into the game at 153-3.
O'Rourke continued his efforts by dismissing first innings centurion Kamindu Mendis (13), increasing the pressure on Sri Lanka. Despite this, Sri Lanka maintained composure late in the day.
Earlier, New Zealand resumed on 255-4 but could only add 85 runs, finishing with a lead of 35. Sri Lankan spinners used the new ball effectively to clean up the tail.

Tom Blundell was the first to depart, with a delivery from Prabath Jayasuriya glancing off his glove to slip. Fellow overnight batsman Daryl Mitchell was run out for 57.
Jayasuriya then dismissed Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee, ending with figures of 4-136. Ramesh Mendis chipped in by getting rid of Patel, although Glenn Phillips continued to frustrate Sri Lanka.
Phillips raised the tempo with powerful hitting, remaining unbeaten on 49 from 48 balls, featuring two fours and five sixes. Ramesh finally bowled last man O'Rourke, concluding with figures of 3-101.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article