Sri Lanka on top after day two

A batting collapse by the home side left Sri Lanka with a first innings lead in the second Test against New Zealand, and an improved effort in their second turn at bat put them in complete control of the Test and on track to tie the two-Test series 1-1.

Resuming on 66-4, New Zealand’s situation almost got worse immediately when Brendon McCullum slashed at the first ball and was dropped at point, but that was only a temporary moment of relief as Mathew Sinclair, Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram all fell cheaply, two each to Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan, the former picking up a five-wicket bag in the process.

McCullum batted bravely at the other end though, surviving a tough early period in which he received a nasty blow to the right ankle and also to an index finger, with the good results of later x-rays being one of the few good moments of the day for the New Zealanders. Unable to run, McCullum decided to target the boundary instead, but when he lost Shane Bond and had only Chris Martin at the other end he tried to do too much and was dismissed for 43, the innings coming to a close at 130 with Sri Lanka being handed a 138-run first innings lead.

They then managed something neither side had managed to date in the series – everyone in the top order getting a start. Everyone, that is, except first innings star Kumar Sangakkara, who managed just 8 before being caught by James Franklin off the bowling of Shane Bond. The openers, who had struggled to put together partnerships that reached single figures in their first three attempts, put on 44 in just over seven overs before Chris Martin broke through, with Sanath Jayasuriya at last showing glimpses of that brilliance we have come to expect from the veteran opener.

A small collapse followed, with two wickets falling with the score on 62, but then Sri Lanka managed to build another partnership and avoid the capitulations we have become used to seeing by both sides’ middle order lineups. Chamara Kapugedera and Mahela Jayawardene both looked to be heading for good scores as the team score reached triple figures and the lead 200, before Kapugedera was beaten by an excellent delivery from Daniel Vettori and Jayawardene followed – thanks to a doubtful umpiring decision – to the same bowler.

Chamara Silva, who played such a surprising and exciting innings for his 61 yesterday, was at it again, this time blasting his way through to an unbeaten 79 at stumps from just 114 balls, with wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene providing solid support at the other end as Sri Lanka made it to the end of the day with a very solid score of 225-5, a lead of 363 runs.

New Zealand are certainly on the back foot at this point, but with the Sri Lankan lower-order having proven itself to be badly out of form in the first three innings of the series there is still hope if they can take the remaining five wickets by lunch tomorrow. Sri Lanka though will be having a much more pleasant evening than the home team.

Sri Lanka 268 all out
Kumar Sangakkara 156 no, Chamara Silva 61
Chris Martin 3-50, Daniel Vettori 3-53

New Zealand 130 all out
Brendon McCullum 43, Jamie How 26
Lasith Malinga 5-68, Muttiah Muralitharan 4-31

Sri Lanka 225-5
Chamara Silva 79 no, Sanath Jayasuriya 31
Daniel Vettori 3-101, Chris Martin 1-41

Sri Lanka lead by 363 runs.