Fifteen wickets fell in a bowlers’ blitz yesterday as Sri Lanka ended the first day of the second Test in Wellington at 78-5 in reply to New Zealand’s first innings of 221.
New Zealand’s innings was rocked by batting hero Brendon McCullum’s second-ball duck.
At stumps Kumar Sangakkara was 33 not out, while recalled New Zealand paceman Doug Bracewell had 3-23.
Photo: AFP
With conditions ripe for bowlers, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had no hesitation in making New Zealand bat first on a green strip with overcast skies and a blustery wind.
New ball bowlers Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal wasted the advantage in the first session, bowling short and wide, but still managed to remove New Zealand openers Tom Latham (6) and Hamish Rutherford for 37.
However, the game changed as they pitched the ball up more in the middle session, during which five New Zealand wickets fell, while the last three New Zealand wickets and five top Sri Lankans were removed after tea.
First Test centurion Dimuth Karunaratne (16) was first to go for Sri Lanka when he was lured into chasing a ball that moved off the seam and edged a comfortable catch to Jimmy Neesham in the slips.
Kaushal Silva (5), in a cautious start, faced 30 deliveries before he played on to Doug Bracewell.
Bracewell, recalled to the side in place of Neil Wagner, followed with the dismissal of Lahiru Thirimanne, who lobbed a simple catch to McCullum at mid-off without scoring.
Mathews, Sri Lanka’s rock with two half centuries in Christchurch, could only manage 15 before he was squared up by Tim Southee and edged the ball to wicketkeeper B.J. Watling.
Prasanna Jayawardene (6) gave Bracewell his third wicket when he was caught off the last ball of the day.
Paceman Trent Boult had figures of 1-18, while new-ball partner Southee had 1-30.
As the wickets fell at one end Sangakkara proved an unshakeable force at the other.
New Zealand made a bright start to the day, reaching 141-2 before the Sri Lanka bowlers found how best to utilize the conditions and the last eight wickets fell for 80.
McCullum’s return to the scene of his greatest triumph, a New Zealand record 302 knock against India in February last year, only lasted two deliveries.
He had been feted on his return to Wellington and was presented with the keys to the city during a lunch-break ceremony.
However, this time there was to be no marathon session in the middle, nor a replay of the rollicking 195 he blasted in a shade over two hours in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.
He received a heroes welcome as he strode to the middle eight overs after the lunch break, played at two deliveries and returned to the shed after chopping a fuller ball from Suranga Lakmal onto his stumps.
Kane Williamson (69) and Ross Taylor, who made 35, propped up the New Zealand innings with a 79-run stand for the third wicket.
Bracewell and Boult added 16 each late in the order.
Nuwan Pradeep was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers with 4-63, while Lakmal took 3-71.
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