Sri Lanka 225 for 6 (Mathews 47, Samaraweera 76*, Southee 4-51) trail New Zealand 412 by 187 runs
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Sri Lanka were still a long way off from matching New Zealand's score at
the end of the third day, but gained a psychological boost by edging
past the follow-on target of 213, thanks to a dogged stand between
Thilan Samaraweera and Suraj Randiv. New Zealand would have fancied
their chances of bundling out the hosts before that target and possibly
making them bat again, but were held up by the pair and the fading light
in Colombo that forced an early finish with another 25 overs remaining.
It was attritional cricket on the third day, because of the pressure
created by the loss of wickets before lunch and shortly after. Like Ross
Taylor and Kane Williamson had done on day two, Angelo Mathews and
Tharanga Paranavitana kept the bowlers at bay for the majority of the
morning session, but couldn't hold their guard till the break. Tim
Southee's opening spell on the second evening gave New Zealand the
initiative, and he proved to be just as incisive with the older ball,
removing the set pair and making Sri Lanka's march towards the follow-on
target a little tougher.
Samaraweera and Randiv came together at 128 for 6, after Prasanna
Jayawardene top-edged a sweep to fine leg after lunch. The pair focused
on wearing down the spinners, at a time when the seamers - Southee in
particular - were given a rest. Randiv, who was shaky as a nightwatchman
in Galle, appeared more at ease in his familiar position down the order
and focused on supporting Samaraweera.
Samaraweera, who had injured his finger while fielding on the first day,
didn't appear in discomfort against the ball that turned and bounced.
All his boundaries in the second session came off Doug Bracewell,
including a delicate dab wide of gully, a square cut and a flick past
midwicket. Bracewell looked out of his depth, either bowling too short
or too full. Bracewell likes to hit the deck hard but he often strayed
too wide of the off stump. He failed to create chances, like Southee and
Trent Boult had done. At one stage, he ran in from round the wicket
with a slip, short leg, silly point and leg slip but Randiv was happy to
evade the short balls.
Patel got turn and bounce off the rough and Samaraweera wasn't afraid to
cut against the turn. The sluggish outfield and sweepers on either side
of the wicket checked the scoring, but Sri Lanka eventually got past
the follow-on mark, via an edged boundary past slip. New Zealand waited
to take the new ball after tea, but couldn't break the partnership,
which had extended to 97 before the umpires took a call on the light.
The majority of the morning session had been just as frustrating for New
Zealand. It was a steady build by Mathews and Paranavitana, who gave
the seamers some respect earlier in the morning with the movement on
offer. Paranavitana needed a good innings to gain some more confidence
ahead of a tough tour of Australia, and was strong square of the wicket,
cutting Boult and Bracewell past point. Mathews offered the full face
of the bat with his straighter drives. Mathews greeted Patel with a
massive six over long-on but the bowler nearly had him leg before on 36
with one that pitched on middle and looked quite adjacent to the leg
stump. Also, Ross Taylor fluffed a straightforward catch at first slip
to give Paranavitana a life.
Southee's second spell changed the complexion of the morning. He ensured
that dropped chance didn't cost much as he drew Paranavitana forward
and induced an edge to Kruger van Wyk. Southee managed to squeeze in one
more wicket, in his following over, when he got Mathews driving and
edging behind. What looked like a regulation fourth-slip catch was taken
spectacularly by Martin Guptill at third slip, diving full length to
his right.
New Zealand picked up just one more wicket, shortly after lunch, and
then failed to dislodge the seventh-wicket pair. They would have to make
the new ball count on the fourth morning and secure a big enough lead
before setting a target for the hosts to chase on the fifth day. They
will also be fighting against time, given that all three days have been
curtailed by the elements.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: Kanishkaa Balachandran
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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