New Zealand mounted a strong fightback on the rain-affected second day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, thanks to sparkling half-centuries from Tom Latham and Kane Williamson. The Black Caps reached 255-4 at the close of play, still trailing by 50 runs, but with a much stronger footing after a challenging morning session.
Latham, in particular, thrived in the favorable batting conditions after rain washed out most of the morning session. He reached his 29th Test half-century, scoring 70 runs off 111 balls, before falling just before tea. Williamson, meanwhile, took charge as the day wore on, reaching 55 off 104 deliveries and forming a crucial 73-run partnership with Latham.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had resumed on 302-7, with Kamindu Mendis’ battling 114 setting the stage. However, they lost momentum early in the day as Ajaz Patel removed Prabath Jayasuriya for a duck. Two rain delays further disrupted the day’s play.
After lunch, Sri Lanka struggled to contain the flow of runs as Latham continued his fluent knock. He was eventually dismissed by Jayasuriya, caught by substitute Sadeera Samarawickrama. Despite Latham’s departure, Williamson continued his impressive form, forging another strong partnership with Rachin Ravindra, who contributed a quick 39 runs.
However, Sri Lanka’s captain Dhananjaya de Silva struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both Williamson and Ravindra, pulling his team back into the match. Despite these late blows, Daryl Mitchell (41 not out) and Tom Blundell (18 not out) steered New Zealand to stumps, leaving them in a promising position heading into day three.
The match remains closely contested, with both teams vying for an early advantage in this important Test series.
