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September 29, 2024
New Zealand ended the second day of play at 22 for 2, trailing Sri Lanka by 580 runs after Devon Conway was dismissed controversially.
For Sri Lanka, it was a day filled with impressive achievements. Kamindu Mendis became the fastest player to reach 1,000 Test runs in 75 years, scoring 182 not out. His milestone matched Don Bradman’s legendary pace, placing Mendis alongside some of cricket’s greatest players. Kusal Mendis also contributed significantly, scoring his tenth Test century as he and Kamindu shared an unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 200 runs. Sri Lanka finished their innings at 602 for 5 before declaring, having batted for 163.4 overs.
In contrast, New Zealand had a challenging day, taking only two wickets in 73.4 overs. Glenn Phillips was the sole bowler who achieved breakthroughs for New Zealand.
As the day drew to a close, New Zealand faced 14 overs, during which they lost Tom Latham for just 2 runs and Devon Conway, dismissed in a controversial third-umpire decision, for 9 runs. They finished the day at 22 for 2, with their chances of competing meaningfully in the match growing slimmer. The pitch began to turn significantly, especially as Sri Lanka took advantage of the new ball.
Kamindu Mendis, who started the day at 51, played impressively in the morning session, reaching 93 runs. He consistently found scoring opportunities, particularly square of the wicket. Glenn Phillips emerged as the most threatening bowler, putting in extra effort with the ball. He ultimately took two wickets from the top edges as Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva attempted sweep shots. Mathews added only ten runs to his overnight score of 78, while de Silva contributed 44 runs alongside Kamindu.
After lunch, Sri Lanka took complete control of the match. Kamindu Mendis calmly reached his fifth Test century and celebrated in his signature understated style. Kusal Mendis started slowly, as New Zealand bowled tightly—Mitchell Santner, in particular, was very economical. Kusal managed just 24 runs off his first 71 balls, hitting only one four. However, as Sri Lanka’s total ballooned, he became more aggressive, especially targeting Glenn Phillips.
Kusal quickly reached his fifty in a single over, hitting two fours and a six. He then adopted a more positive approach, launching two sixes off Ajaz Patel. He went wicketless and gave away 135 runs in his spell. Kamindu also hit a six off Patel, contributing to Sri Lanka’s growing dominance.
The two batsmen batted through the middle session, reaching tea with scores of 135 and 70. The evening was about achieving personal milestones: Kamindu Mendis celebrated his second career 150, while Kusal Mendis reached his century off 148 balls.
After that, the focus shifted to Kamindu, who aimed for 178 to surpass the 1,000-run mark in his career. Sri Lanka’s captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, declared the innings when Kamindu hit a six off Ravindra, achieving his milestone.
New Zealand then faced a challenging opening spell from Asitha Fernando, who generated a significant late swing into the left-handed openers. In his first over, one of Fernando’s deliveries swung back into Tom Latham, took the edge, and flew to the gully, where Pathum Nissanka made a good catch.
The dismissal of the struggling Devon Conway in the ninth over was quite controversial. Conway had defended a turning ball from Prabath Jayasuriya when both the bowler and the wicketkeeper immediately appealed, likely for leg before wicket (LBW). Umpire Nitin Menon ruled him out, but when Conway reviewed the decision, replays showed a prominent outside edge before the ball hit his thigh pad.
After hitting the pad, the ball flew to Dhananjaya de Silva at slip, who appeared to take a low catch. However, the replays did not clearly confirm that de Silva had his fingers under the ball, making it a close call. The third umpire ultimately ruled the catch valid, much to Conway’s frustration.
Sri Lanka’s spinners were generating significant turns by the end of the day, making it difficult for even Kane Williamson, who ended the day with just 6 runs off 42 balls, alongside nightwatchman Ajaz Patel.
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for The Wicket Insider, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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