Rookie left-hander Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 91 gave New Zealand a slender probability for victory in opposition to Sri Lanka, with the vacationers needing one other 68 runs with two wickets in hand after day 4 of the primary Check on Sunday. Set a goal of 275, New Zealand have been 207-8 at stumps with spinner Ajaz Patel, on nought, to renew with Ravindra on Monday. Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya picked up three wickets every on a sharply turning pitch in Galle, the place the Black Caps have misplaced all 4 of their earlier Check encounters. Ravindra’s knock was the very best rating by a New Zealander on the floor, eclipsing Ross Taylor’s 89 in 2019.
The left-hander appeared stable on a spin-friendly wicket however lacked assist from different batsmen, with Kane Williamson and Tom Blundell the subsequent greatest scorers on 30 apiece.
The vacationers misplaced 4 wickets by tea earlier than Ravindra’s 56-run stand with Blundell briefly revived hopes till the latter was bowled by Jayasuriya.
Jayasuriya additionally secured the important thing wicket of Williamson for 30, the previous skipper lured out of his crease and stumped by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.
New Zealand opener Tom Latham was trapped lbw by Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 28, whereas Ramesh bowled Daryl Mitchell for eight.
Williamson, Latham and Mitchell had all made half-centuries within the first innings.
Ajaz Patel’s six-wicket haul helped prohibit Sri Lanka to 309 within the morning.
His figures of 6-90 have been the most effective by a New Zealand bowler in Sri Lanka since Daniel Vettori’s 6-64 in Colombo in 1998.
The match had a relaxation day on Saturday because of Sri Lanka’s presidential elections and play resumed on Sunday morning with out spectators.
Followers returned after lunch when the election curfew was lifted.
The hosts have been 237-4 initially of the day and added one other 72 runs, with veteran Angelo Matthews making 50 earlier than providing a easy catch to first slip off Patel’s bowling.
Dimuth Karunaratne top-scored for Sri Lanka with 83 earlier than he was bowled by Patel on Friday.
The second and closing match of the collection will probably be held on the identical venue from Thursday.
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