In just twenty-two balls, Sri Lanka completed the first Test match against New Zealand in Galle on Monday morning. Securing a 1-0 series lead. After taking the final two wickets of New Zealand’s innings to dismiss them for 211. Prabath Jayasuriya completed a fifer that enabled the hosts to win by 63 runs.
The game was evenly poised with two wickets remaining, and on a surface that was starting to collapse. New Zealand needed to win by 68 runs. The visitors were still hopeful, though, because Rachin Ravindra had performed admirably in the given circumstances on the penultimate day and was unbeaten at stumps on 91.
Regretfully, Prabath Jayasuriya’s delivery, which pitched on legstump and straightened, trapped the southpaw on the back leg in the second over of the morning, thereby putting an end to it. He was beyond saving by even a review.
A few balls later, the spinner almost had William O’Rourke, but this time, the review wasn’t in Sri Lanka’s favor. Still, the opposition was only going to continue temporarily. After two overs, O’Rourke was leaned up by Prabath Jayasuriya. Who had broken his outside edge.
Regarding the WTC, this outcome maintains Sri Lanka’s outside prospects of qualifying for the championship match. However, it makes their mission much more difficult for New Zealand, given they have an away series against India and an upcoming home series against England in the upcoming months.
Summary:
Sri Lanka 305 & 309 (Ajaz Patel 6/90; Diputh Karunaratne 83) defeated New Zealand 340 & 211 (Rachin Ravindra 92; Prabath Jayasuriya 5/68, Ramesh Mendis 3-83) by 63 runs.
