New Zealand’s Blair Tickner and his teammates have a good time the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis throughout the third day of the primary Test cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on March 11, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP
A cussed century from Daryl Mitchell, a blazing 72 from Matt Henry and three wickets to Blair Tickner swung the momentum New Zealand’s means within the first Test in opposition to Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Sri Lanka had claimed the initiative on the primary two days of the Christchurch Test however have been 83 for 3 of their second innings at stumps on day three, a lead of 65 runs.
New Zealand have “swung the game to their side,” Sri Lanka assistant coach Naveed Nawaz conceded.
Angelo Mathews was not out 20, with Prabath Jayasuriya additionally on the crease on two, and Nawaz recommended Sri Lanka would want not less than 200 extra runs.
“Daryl Mitchell and Matt Henry, the partnership, took the game away from us,” he stated.
“But we have to back ourselves that a couple of our batsmen will go in there and get stuck in and get some big runs to swing the game back to our side.
“Its a very good wicket to bat on and provides a little bit bit to the quick bowlers nonetheless so I suppose something above 275-300 could be a very good rating.”
New Zealand earlier recovered from 151 for 5 to be all out for 373, an 18-run lead, after a dogged 102 from Mitchell and Henry’s swashbuckling efficiency that included 58 runs from boundaries.
Tickner claimed the wickets of captain Dimuth Karunaratne for 17, Oshada Fernando for 28 and Kusal Mendis for 14 within the 38 overs earlier than stumps to complete with three wickets for 28 runs off 10 overs.
Sri Lanka, who want to brush the two-Test sequence to maintain their hopes of creating the World Test Championship remaining alive, had ripped via the New Zealand prime order.
But Mitchell, who has so usually been New Zealand’s saviour in his 17-Test profession, refused to offer in as he toiled via 193 deliveries for his eighth century.
The 31-year-old right-hander, son of former All Blacks participant and coach John Mitchell, lifted his common to a exceptional 58 from 25 innings.
He put on 54 for the sixth wicket with Michael Bracewell, an extra 47 with Tim Southee and 55 with Henry.
Mitchell leapt within the air when he reached his century, waved his bat and obtained a hug from Henry to have a good time. He added solely two extra runs earlier than was caught behind off Lahiru Kumara and New Zealand have been 291-8.
Henry then exploded together with his personal-best 72, which included 10 fours and three sixes.
He belted spinner Dhananjaya de Silva out of the assault by taking 17 runs in only one over.
Worse was to return for Sri Lanka when de Silva’s substitute Kasun Rajitha conceded 24 to Henry in his first over.
This was on a third-day wicket that continued to supply help to the bowlers, with Rajitha and Asitha Fernando each getting motion early within the day.
Leading as much as the drinks break, Bracewell, who had appeared the extra settled of the New Zealand in a single day pair, was undone by the introduction of left-arm spinner Jayasuriya.
Bracewell had a life when an attraction for lbw was turned down, with critiques exhibiting peak was a difficulty, however with the subsequent supply Jayasuriya discovered an edge and Bracewell was caught behind for 25.
Southee introduced up New Zealand’s 200, belting Jayasuriya over the mid-wicket fence, and continued to swing till the third over with the brand new ball when he was out to a diving catch by Kumara at sq. leg.
The New Zealand captain had smashed back-to-back fours off Rajitha however his try at a 3rd fell quick and he was out for 25 off 20 deliveries.
For Sri Lanka, Fernando returned the most effective figures of 4 for 85 whereas Kumara took three for 76.
Of concern for New Zealand was the health of Neil Wagner, who left the sphere within the remaining session for remedy to a leg harm.
