Galle (Sri Lanka), Sep 20 (AP) Former captains Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal combined for 147 to earn Sri Lanka a 202-run lead against New Zealand after three days of the first test on Friday.
Karunaratne made 83 and Chandimal 61 as Sri Lanka reached stumps on 237-4 in its second innings.
They combined from the third over after Pathum Nissanka was dismissed, and navigated challenging moments on a pitch that is increasingly difficult to bat on, with the ball spinning and bouncing as it typically does in Galle.
“When the ball is turning in Galle, defense is a dangerous option. You should always look at scoring runs,” Karunaratne said. “It was a good partnership with Chandimal. We have played lot of cricket together and we understand each other's game.”
While New Zealand's spinners were handled quite comfortably, pacer William O'Rourke was again its most effective bowler. After taking a five-for in the first innings, he grabbed three more wickets with his extra bounce on Friday.
Karunaratne was cleaned up by leftie Ajaz Patel after his 39th fifty. Chandimal, following his third fifty this month, went in the next over, caught at leg slip off O'Rourke.
O'Rourke then got first-innings centurion Kamindu Mendis to edge to slip on 13.
New Zealand bowled to attacking fields but shifted to a more defensive approach when the lead exceeded 150, keen to protect boundaries.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Mathews, with 34 each, were involved in an unfinished 59-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Mathews survived a big appeal in the day's last over. After he was hit on the back leg by Glenn Phillips, umpire Michael Gough gave not out. Replays showed the ball would have hit leg stump but it was umpire's call.
New Zealand was batting at the start of Friday, resumed on 255-4 and was all out for 340 for a lead of 35.
Daryl Mitchell posted a half-century beside Tom Latham and Kane Williamson and batted well for his 57, but his run out shifted the momentum.
Phillips smashed an unbeaten 49 off 48 balls with two fours and five sixes, and missed out on a fifty when Ramesh Mendis cleaned up last man O'Rourke.
“We had the momentum in the morning and then that run out gave Sri Lanka a chance to get back into the game,” Phillips said. “I thought there was a run. My partner trusted my call. I take responsibility and hopefully my options will be better next time.”
Prabath Jayasuriya was the standout bowler, finishing with four wickets, while Ramesh Mendis and De Silva shared five wickets.
Saturday will be a rest day as Sri Lanka goes to the polls to elect a president. The test match will resume on Sunday.
“We have a lead of 200. Ideally we would like 350, but we will settle for 300 in any case,” Karunaratne said. “It's not easy to score that many runs in the fourth innings in Galle. We are having a rest day tomorrow so the wicket might settle down as well. I have never been in a (delay) situation like this before.” (AP) APA