GALLE: Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel became the first New Zealander to claim a five-wicket haul in Galle as the tourists restricted Sri Lanka to 227 for seven at stumps on day two of the first Test on Thursday.
Sri Lanka trail New Zealand by 22 runs with three first-innings wickets remaining after the tourists were bowled out for 249 in the morning session at the Galle International Stadium.
Sri Lanka were well placed on 143-2 just before tea when Patel — playing just in his sixth Test — had Kusal Mendis caught by Ross Taylor at slip. Mendis’ dismissal for 53 ended a 77-run partnership with Angelo Mathews (50) and opened the gates for four more wickets to fall within 40 minutes after tea.
Mendis hit seven boundaries and a six during his 10th half-century in Tests.
Kusal Perera (1) was confused by a rising ball from fast bowler Trent Boult and was caught at cover by Mitchell Santner, and Dhananjaya de Silva (5) stepped out to drive but gave a sharp return catch to Patel.
Angelo Mathews made 50 and edged a sharp turning delivery from Patel to Taylor at slip. He also hit seven boundaries and a six.
Sri Lanka slumped to 161-7, losing five wickets for 18 runs, before Niroshan Dickwella and tailender Suranga Lakmal added an unbeaten 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Dickwella is on 39 and Lakmal 28 not out.
There were some cheeky shots played by Dickwella, who is under pressure to save his place having been overlooked for the World Cup.
Lakmal’s contributions were welcomed as well as Sri Lanka know that chasing anything above 150 on this track is dicey.
It was the second five-wicket haul in Test cricket for Bombay-born Patel, who was tidy with his length on a track that offered lot of assistance for spinners.
“I think with surfaces like that offer you something, you’ve got to stay patient and ask good questions of the batsman,” Patel told reporters.
“We know Sri Lankans are good players of spin, so you’ve got to respect that and make sure you put balls in good areas for long period. I think you’ve got to keep hanging in and play the long game. Yes, there’s turn, but it’s slow turn.”
Sri Lanka went to lunch at 34-1 with Mendis and captain Dimuth Karunaratne at the crease. Karunaratne (39) was out with the total on 66, trapped lbw by Patel, bringing Mendis and Mathews together.
Opener Lahiru Thirimanne was first out for 10, stumped by B.J. Watling off Patel.
Sri Lanka seamer Lakmal earlier ripped through New Zealand’s middle and lower order with 4-29.
New Zealand resumed the day on 203-5 with Taylor looking solid on 86 and Mitchell Santner on eight before collapsing.
Play started 15 minutes early because only 34 deliveries were possible in the third session on the opening day because of rain.
Taylor was out in the first delivery he faced for the day, slashing at a ball leaving him from Lakmal’s bowling and giving a catch to wicket-keeper Dickwella.
Taylor’s 132-ball innings included six boundaries. It was his 31st half-century in Test cricket.
With 11 runs added to the score, Santner (13) left a ball from Lakmal pitching outside off stump, which came back to trap him lbw.
Spinner Akila Dananjaya, who didn’t claim any wicket on day two, returned Sri Lanka’s best bowling figures of 5-80.
New Zealand won the toss Wednesday and opted to bat first.
Scoreboard
NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings, overnight 203-5):
J.A. Raval c de Silva b Dananjaya 33
T.W.M. Latham c Dickwella b Dananjaya 30
K.S. Williamson c Karunaratne b Dananjaya 0
L.R.P.L. Taylor c Dickwella b Lakmal 86
H.M. Nicholls lbw b Dananjaya 42
B.J. Watling lbw b Dananjaya 1
M.J. Santner lbw b Lakmal 13
T.G. Southee run out 14
W.E.R. Somerville not out 9
T.A. Boult c Perera b Lakmal 18
A.Y. Patel lbw b Lakmal 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1) 3
TOTAL (all out, 83.2 overs) 249
FALL OF WKTS: 1-64, 2-64, 3-71, 4-171, 5-179, 6- 205, 7-216, 8-222, 9-249.
BOWLING: Lakmal 15.2-5-29-4 (1nb); Kumara 10-1-37-0; Dananjaya 30-3-80-5; de Silva 6-0-20-0; Embuldeniya 22-1-81-0.
SRI LANKA (1st Innings):
F.D.M. Karunaratne lbw b Patel 39
H.D.R.L. Thirimanne st Watling b Patel 10
B.K.G. Mendis c Taylor b Patel 53
A.D. Mathews c Taylor b Patel 50
M.D.K.J. Perera c Santner b Boult 1
D.M. de Silva c & b Patel 5
N. Dickwella not out 39
A. Dananjaya c Taylor b Somerville 0
R.A.S. Lakmal not out 28
EXTRAS (LB-1, W -1) 2
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 80 overs) 227
FALL OF WKTS: 1-27, 2-66, 3-143, 4-144, 5-155, 6-158, 7-161.
TO BAT: L. Embuldeniya, C.B.R.L.S. Kumara.
BOWLING (to-date): Boult 13-3-24-1 (1w); Southee 7-3-17-0; Somerville 20-2-78-1; Patel 29-6-76-5; Santner 11-0-31-0.
