Sri Lanka in driver's seat by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Galle International Stadium, Galle
Scorecard:	Sri Lanka v New Zealand
Player:	TG McIntosh, M Muralitharan, MTT Mirando, JD Ryder
Event:	New Zealand in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 20th August 2009

 

Sri Lanka maintained their stranglehold over the visiting New Zealand as New Zealand finished the day at a shaky 281 for the loss of eight wickets.

 

The start of play was delayed for 90 minutes as heavy rain had lashed through the ground the previous night. Once the conditions were fit for play New Zealand resumed their innings at 87 for 2 and the overnight pair McIntosh and Patel frustrated the Lankan bowlers for sometime. The pair added 49 runs in 18 overs before Muralitharan trapped Patel lbw.

 

McIntosh was joined by Taylor and the pair added 51 in 26.5 overs. McIntosh survived a couple of vociferous leg-before shouts from Murali, while Taylor was twice reprieved, on 15 and 27. Mahela Jayawardene couldn't get his hands to a low chance at slip off Ajantha Mendis and then dropped by Kulasekara at square leg off the same bowler. Taylor and McIntosh struck one six apiece but such attacking shots were by far very few as the pair defended solidly. Mendis and Muralitharan bowled in tandem for very long time and just when It seemed that the batting pair looked comfortable against them, Sangakkara summoned up Thushara.

 

That bowling change brought immediate reward as he had Taylor edging to keeper Jayawardene very soon. Muralitharan then trapped McIntosh lbw though it looked tad unlucky. Thushara also bowled McCullum off a thick inside edge to reduce New Zealand to 195 for 6 with follow-on threat looming large. Oram stuck around bravely but Muralitharan able to prise him out via an umpiring error. Ryder and Vettori added 36 in 14.4 overs as they looked to avert the follow-on. Ryder with an elegant drive through covers was able to get past the follow-on mark but a loss of concentration undid his good work as he inside-edged a harmless Thushara ball onto his stumps. Vettori and O’Brien then negotiated the remaining few overs to take New Zealand to stumps.