New Zealand routed Sri Lanka by an innings and 65 runs in the second Test to secure a 1-1 series draw in Colombo.
BJ Watling joined Tom Latham in bringing up three figures at a P. Sara Oval once again sodden by rain and the tourist declared on 431 for 6 — a first-innings lead of 187.
Needing to bat out the rest of proceedings to secure a draw, Sri Lanka's top order proved wholly ill-equipped for the task at hand as it slipped to five down by lunch. Niroshan Dickwella held up the inevitable with 51 but a superb collective effort from New Zealand eventually overwhelmed his team. Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel and William Somerville took two wickets apiece in 122 all out.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Overnight rain delayed the start of the final day but Watling (105 not out) was in the mood to make up for lost time.
Colin de Grandhomme top-edged Lasith Embuldeniya out of the rough to be caught by Lahiru Kumara for 83, but Watling continued uninhibited — advancing down the track and cracking sweeps and reverse sweeps on his way to three figures.
Southee blasted an unbeaten 24 from 10 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes, and Kane Williamson called his side in after it had added 49 in five overs.
Lahiru Thirimanne's run out saw Sri Lanka begin its attempt to save the game in dismal fashion before Kusal Perera slashed Boult behind to Watling.
Sri Lanka was 11 for 3 when Angelo Mathews edged a De Grandhomme outswinger to Ross Taylor at slip. The procession continued as Southee pouched first-innings centurion Dhananjaya de Silva off Patel and Somerville bowled Kusal Mendis through the gate.
Having taken lunch on a dismal 33 for 5, Dickwella and Dimuth Karunaratne belatedly provided some staunch Sri Lankan resistance. Yet skipper Karunaratne — not able to bat higher than seven after suffering a quadricep tear — padded up to be dismissed lbw by Southee for 21, ending a 70-ball stay and handing the New Zealand seamer a 250th Test wicket.
Dilruwan Perera was caught in the cordon driving to give Southee (2 for 15) his second scalp before tea, but Dickwella still remained. However, the wicketkeeper's 161-ball vigil finally came to an end when Latham snaffled him at bat-pad off Patel — Suranga Lakmal having departed in similar fashion to Somerville.
It left the magnificently miserly Boult (2 for 17) to dispatch Lasith Embuldeniya with a fierce lifter he could only glove to a gleeful Williamson.
Comments
SHARE