New Zealand v Sri Lanka 1st Test, Day 3 Review: New Zealand in the driver seat with an impressive lead

The visitors tottered without much fight on a cold chilly morning at Dunedin. New Zealand induced the jitters in the very first over of the day when Tim Southee sent Dinesh Chandimal back with his second ball. The delivery swerved into the right-hander from over the wicket, landed on a good length around the middle and off stump, and seamed away. Sri Lanka then lost Kithuruwan Vithanage, as the batter chased a scrambled seam from Southee and successfully edging it to BJ Watling.

From 197/4, Mathews’ men drowned to 209/6 within 15 minutes into the third day’s play. Milinda Siriwardana, playing his third Test match; started on an aggressive note. He pulled it at times and smashed the leather coming down the ground on occasions. A crucial 43 runs stand between Milinda and Rangana Herath ensured a respectable total for the visitors. Herath faced the sweet chin music but hanged in there to score 15 runs from 74 balls, and more importantly, steady the ship to an extent.

Milinda went for the hook when short balls were hurried on him. He was caught on the long-leg boundary by Doug Bracewell, who fell slightly over the rope since he had been walking backwards and could not control his momentum, but three deliveries later Wagner sent down another short delivery and Siriwardana fended it to Taylor at slip.

A first innings lead of 137 runs was conceded by the Lankans who eventually bundled up for 294 in 117.1 overs. The first two sessions witnessed shaky batting with short pitch deliveries dominating the numbers and edges been rubbed onto the green grass.

Sri Lanka had to face the time’s call apart from a spirited host, and it was no surprise to see a defensive field in place for both the openers. Both Martin Guptill and Tom Latham played out the new ball and took minimum risk, guiding the bad ones at ease. Guptill was on a jolly mood in the last session, going after spinner Rangana Herath on a number of occasions. Guptill was dropped on 19 and 42, firstly, Kusal Mendis couldn’t hold on to a fierce cut at cover, and then Suranga Lakmal failed to catch a drive on his follow-through. Both Latham and Guptill looked promising and kept going, and it was the first time in six years that two half-century stands were made.

Guptill was finally cleaned up by Herath, and that made way for Kane Williamson, who continued his tryst with the bad. Latham was unbeaten on 72 at the close of third day’s play while Williamson crossed the 1000 run mark in a year and celebrated the milestone with an unbeaten 48. All the three Kiwi batsmen stroked five boundaries each, as New Zealand were 171/1 in 48 overs, making the most with a 308-run lead.

Brief score:

New Zealand – 431 and 171 for 1 (Latham 72*; Herath 1/39)

Sri Lanka – 294 (Karunaratne 84, Chandimal 83; Southee 3/71)

New Zealand lead by 308 runs.