Trent Boult and Tim Southee yesterday led New Zealand’s charge against Sri Lanka on day two of the rain-hit second Test in Colombo.
The pacemen claimed two wickets each as Sri Lanka reached 144-6 at lunch, when rain came down and no further play was possible.
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne moved from his overnight 49 to score 65 and provided the only bit of resistance in the morning session, which saw 29.3 overs bowled.
Boult took two early wickets in one over after Sri Lanka resumed the day at 85-2.
Dhananjaya de Silva on 32 and Dilruwan Perera on 5 were at the crease.
Southee, like Boult, also delivered a double-wicket maiden as the duo put on a superb display of seam bowling under overcast conditions.
Boult got overnight batsman Angelo Mathews caught behind for 2 to reach a landmark of 250 Test wickets — only the third New Zealand bowler to achieve the feat.
Boult trapped Kusal Perera LBW for naught after just three balls as Sri Lanka slipped to 93-4 and would have been in further trouble had Boult held on to a simple catch from De Silva off his own bowling a few overs later.
“Today’s a special day for Trent. He’s become the third-highest wicket-taker for New Zealand,” New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen told reporters. “He’s got great passion and energy which he brings to our team. I think the skill and execution and the way he’s contributed to the team has been amazing.”
Karunaratne also got a lifeline on 61 when Kane Williamson could not grab a tough chance at short mid-wicket off Ajaz Patel.
However, the left-hander, who completed his 23rd Test fifty after resuming the day on 49, soon fell, caught behind off Southee for 65.
Southee struck again in the same over to send Niroshan Dickwella trudging back to the pavilion for naught.
“Tim and Trent have been doing it for a while. They’ve been creating wickets and they’re very accurate, and they’ve got the ability to swing the ball,” Jurgensen said.
“Today there might have been a little bit of swing with the overhead conditions, and it just seemed to be doing a little bit. They both work really hard on their fitness, and that’s a big factor in their resilience,” he said.
“And they don’t just play Test cricket. They play basically all formats. To play all formats and do as well as they’ve done is awesome,” he added.
Perera then played out the rest of the session with De Silva.
Medium-pace bowler Colin de Grandhomme and spinner William Somerville took a wicket each on the opening day after Sri Lanka elected to bat first.
Weather permitting, extended playing time is planned for the third day after two days of continuous rain interruptions in the Sri Lankan capital.
THE ASHES
Reuters, LEEDS, England
Australia yesterday ripped through England to leave the hosts floundering on 54-6 at lunch in their first innings on day two of the third Ashes Test at Headingley, still trailing the tourists by 125 runs.
Opener Jason Roy’s struggles continued as he edged to the slips for 9, before Yorkshireman Joe Root followed his golden duck at Lord’s by lasting one more ball on his home ground without scoring.
Rory Burns went next, gloving one to Tim Paine behind the stumps for 9 before England’s in-form batsman Ben Stokes, on 8, went for a shot he did not need to and edged to David Warner — one of four catches taken by the Australia opener.
Joe Denly played and missed at numerous deliveries before departing for 12 — the only England batsman to make double figures — with Jonny Bairstow out before lunch for 4 to leave the hosts in disarray after the morning session.
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