When we talk about Test cricket, we talk about the 4th innings total being tricky. The factors come into play, the pitch gets from fresh to stale. The spinners come into play. Even the 100 odd runs target can come into play. But Sri Lanka looked determined to chase it.
Sri Lanka, apart from being very ordinary in the ODI format from quite a few time - and a World Cup outing in which not much stood out for them - are going great in the red-ball format.
After the retirement of their big weapon, Rangana Herath, they have been finding good team combinations mixed with spinners and seamers. Spinners, however, are looked upon more often to clean up the opposition batting lineup in their home conditions.
On the tour to South Africa this year, before the World Cup, Sri Lanka were clean-swept by the Proteas in the ODI and T20 format by 5-0 and 3-0 respectively. But that was not what they were entirely remembered for at the end of that tour.
They won the Tests effectively having last won a Test match 7 years ago in South Africa. The first match was all about Kusal Perera's gritty 153* which saw his team home. This knock brought about comparisons to Brian Lara's famous 153* against Australia to win a Test match. Both were great knocks under great amount of pressure. Sri Lanka won the 2nd Test fairly easily by 8 wickets and made history.
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New Zealand were ready to face the challenge of a Test in Aisa after going through a heartbreak a month earlier in England. They chose three spinners - Will Somerville, Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner - to cope with the conditions. Having won the toss, New Zealand decided to bat.
New Zealand batted carefully in the first hour or so with their first wicket partnership going on to 64 runs. But then they lost 3 quick wickets in a short period of time. Sri Lanka were right in the game as New Zealand were 71/3, having lost their captain, Kane Williamson, for a duck.
Henry Nicholls and Ross Taylor pulled New Zealand oit of this trouble, Taylor once again being the anchor that he is so often in the middle. New Zealand finished on 249 at the end of first innings.
In reply to that, Sri Lanka lost their first wicket on 27. It was because of a fifty by Mathews and a late order partnership of 81 between Suranga Lakma and Niroshan Dickwella that saw them taking a minor lead.
New Zealand were in trouble again early on with the dismissal of Jeet Raval and Kane Williamsom once again failed. This time the New Zealand had a new saviour, BJ Watling who fought through and help put on a respective total for Sri Lanka to chase.
Sri Lanka had loads of time to chase the target of 268 and openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne put up a huge partnership of 161 after starting slowly and calmly. It made sure that the Sri Lankans chaee the target with utmost ease. Their captain led from the front and made a scintillating 122.
Player of the match: Dimuth Karunaratne 39 &. 122
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