Kiwis eye win as Southee, Bracewell strike
Ranjan Anandappa
New Zealand had Sri Lanka batting on a tight string in the second and
final Test when they reduced the host to 47 for 4 while in pursuit of a
victory target of 363 runs with a session and a day on the fourth day at
the P.Sara Oval yesterday.
The Lankans had a dreadful start losing opener Tharanga Paranavithana
in the first ball of the second innings without a run on the board while
chasing the runs and kept on losing wickets in rapid succession amidst a
steady pace attack comprising Tim Southee, Doug Brcewell and Trent
Boult.
The Kiwi pace bowlers bowled with craft and resource to have the Sri
Lankan batting badly exposed prior to their visit to Australia. The
pitch had no help. All they could do was to bowl a good line and length
which they did expertly .Tim Southee who took five wickets in the first
innings was the man who opened the ‘gates’ for the Kiwis in the
second innings . He trapped Paranavithana lbw with his first delivery
and then dealt a severe blow by sending Dishan caught behind and
Bracewell despatching Sangakkara and Jayawardene in the space of 15
overs.
Sri Lanka still require 316 runs more with 6 wickets in hand to win
and a lot will depend on the two last recognised batsmen Angelo Mathews
and Thilan Samaraweera along with Prasanna Jayawadene to deprive the
visitors in squaring the series 1-1 which looks extremely remote
provided the weather Gods come to the rescue of the side.
Expectations were high of a substantial first innings score by the
Sri Lankans in reply to New Zealand’s 412 with Thilan Samaraweera and
Suraj Randiv adding 97 runs for the seventh wicket on the third day
evening. They walked in to continue from where they left on the previous
day where 25 overs were lost due to bad light (225) for 6 with
Samaraweera 76 n.o and Randiv 32 n.o. But the Lankans immediately lost
their way losing the reliable Samaraweera without any addition to his
overnight score of 76 denying the century partnership with Randiv for
the seventh wicket. There after it was a procession of the remaining
three batsmen appearing and disappearing into the dressing room. Nuwan
Kulasekera, Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv walking back to the
pavilion. The last four wickets were able add only 19 runs in 7.4 overs.
The Kiwi attack was impressive in the morning. It was left armer Trent
Boult who got the early break through in the third over of the morning
when he had Thilan Samaraweera caught by Guptil in the slips without any
addition to his overnight 76. He had faced 167 deliveries and struck
five fours in his productive innings. Boult went on to capture the
wickets of Randiv lbw for 39 and Herath for 5 and the Sri Lankans were
all out for 244 conceding a 168 run lead will no doubt be a vital factor
in the out come of the match.
The breaking of Samarweera- Randiv seventh wicket stand should turn
the match slightly towards the Kiwis with their 168 run first innings
lead. Trent Boult took three of the four wickets which fell in the
morning to have figures of (4 for 42) and Tim Southee completed his
five-wicket haul (5 for 62) when he got Kulasekera to edge one into the
slips for Taylor to take the catch.
New Zealand with a healthy 168 runs first innings lead began their
dig in the second innings. Openers Martin Guptil and Brendon McCullum
looking to consolidate on the lead added 32 runs for the first wicket.
Shaminda Eranda made one to move away which found the edge of Gupti’s
bat and Dilshan took the catch at the second attempt. The match balls
were changed frequently on numerous occasions. Stand by umpire Tyronne
Wijewardene was a common sight carrying his box of cricket balls to
replace the match ball, which had gone out of shape, or splitting from
the seam. With the demise of Guptil , Brendon McCullum who was unlucky
to be out lbw in the first innings followed suit at 56. With the side
building up a challenging total for the Sri Lankans in the second
innings, McCullum showed clear signs of accelerating the scoring, was
deceived by a Herath delivery and was groping forward with his right
foot out of the crease and Prasanna Jayawardene did a smart bit of
stumping. They were 2 for 56 at lunch with Guptil and McCullum gone.
The Kiwis contrived a mini batting collapse in the post lunch session
losing the first innings centurion Kane Williamson and Daniel Flynn in
successive deliveries to Kulasekera who was on a hat-rick in the 5th and
6th balls in the third over after lunch. Wicket keeper Krugger Van Wyke
who was on a ‘pair’ walked in to replace Flynn and he managed to obtain
it when Flynn pushed forward to Herath and Paranvithana at backward
short leg accepted the catch.
Taylor the first innings centurion kept company with Todd Astle the
debutant Astle, a batsman turned leg spinner brought the score to 154
for 5 at tea with an overall lead o 322 with five wickets in tact.
Taylors contribution was 53 n.o facing 78 deliveries while Astle who did
not impress much as a leg spinner while bowling, came good with the bat
compiling an unbeaten 32 facing 91 deliveries with two boundaries.
After tea with a healthy lead of 322, new Zealand in the quest of
scoring quick runs lost the wickets of Todd Astle, Doug Bracewell and
skipper Ross Taylor who was 25 runs short of a twin hundreds. Taylor
going for the second run was turned back by Southee and was short of his
crease when wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardene whipped the bails off.
Taylor’s 75 had seven fours facing 95 deliveries. The post tea session
saw 108 runs being scored and the declaration came around 3.50 pm
leaving Sri Lanka 363 runs to win with an hours play and a full final
day left.
S C O REC A R D
New Zealand 1st innings 412
(K. Williamson 135, R. Taylor 142, D. Flynn 53, R. Herath 6-103)
Sri Lanka 1st innings 244 (T. Samaraweera 76 A Mathews 47 T.
Paranavitana 40 S. Randiv 39 Southee 5-62, Boult 4-42
New Zealand 2nd innings:
M. Guptill c Dilshan b Eranga 11
B. McCullum st P. Jayawardene b Herath 35
K. Williamson c Paranavitana b Kulasekara 18
R. Taylor run out 74
D. Flynn lbw b Kulasekara 00
K. van Wyk c Paranavitana b Herath 00
T. Astle not out 35
DA J Bracewell c Kulasekara b Herath 01
TG Southee not out 08
JS Patel st HAPW Jayawardene b Randiv 00
TA Boult not out 06
Extras (lb 4, nb 2) 06
Total (9 wickets dec; 54 overs) 194
Fall of wickets 1-32 (Guptill, 7.1ov), 2-56 (McCullum, 14.6 ov), 3-74
(Williamson, 19.5 ov),4-74 (Flynn, 19.6 ov), 5-75 (van Wyk, 20.2 ov),
6-172 (Astle, 50.4 ov), 7-177 (Bracewell, 51.3 ov),
8-180 (Taylor, 51.5 ov), 9-182 (Patel, 52.3 ov)
Bowling : KMDN Kulasekara 12-2-47-2-3.91, RMS Eranga 10-1-39-1-3.90,
HMRKB Herath 21-3-67-3-3.19, S. Randiv 11-1- 37-2-3.36,
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
NT Paranavitana lbw b Southee 00
TM Dilshan c van Wyk b Southee 14
KC Sangakkara b Bracewell 16
DPMD Jayawardene c van Wyk b Bracewell 05
TT Samaraweera not out 01
AD Mathews not out 01
Extras (b 4, lb 6) 10
Total (4 wickets; 15.4 overs) 47
Fall of wickets 1-0 (Paranavitana, 0.1 ov), 2-35 (Dilshan, 6.6 ov), 3-41
(Sangakkara, 11.5 ov), 4-46 (DPMD Jayawardene, 13.6 ov)
Bowling :TG Southee 6-0-19-2- 3.16,TA Boult 5-2-12-0-2.40,
DAJ Bracewell 4-3-5-2-1.25, JS Patel 0.4-0-1-0-1.50 |
