Sri Lanka put on a dominant display on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand, reaching a commanding 306/3 thanks to a brilliant century from Dinesh Chandimal. Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka lost early wicket with Pathum Nissanka falling in the first over. However, Chandimal, in his 16th Test century, steadied the ship and formed a crucial partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne to guide Sri Lanka to a strong position.
Karunaratne, who received two reprieves during his innings, fell short of his half-century after a mix-up with Chandimal resulted in his run-out. Despite the setback, Chandimal continued to press on, bringing up his maiden Test century against New Zealand. He eventually fell for 116, dismissed by Graham Phillip, who lured him out of his crease and beat his bat to hit the off-stump.
Angelo Mathews, batting on 78 at stumps, and the in-form Kamindu Mendis (51) ensured Sri Lanka maintained their strong position. Mendis, who became the first batter to score a half-century in each of his first eight Test matches, provided valuable support to Mathews, who was also dropped on a couple of occasions by the New Zealand fielders.
The New Zealand bowlers, despite taking an early wicket, struggled to contain Sri Lanka’s batsmen due to a number of dropped catches and missed opportunities. The sloppy fielding performance allowed Sri Lanka to capitalise and establish a commanding lead heading into the second day. With a strong batting lineup, Sri Lanka will be aiming to take complete control of the match and go 2-0 up in the two-test series.
