Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Day 2 , 27 sep 2024

 

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 2nd Test match, Day 2, 2024

Galle International Stadium, Galle

10:30 AM

04:30 AM GMT / 10:00 AM LOCAL

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Day 2, 27 sep 2024

On Day 2 of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at Galle on September 27, 2024, Sri Lanka built upon their strong start from Day 1. Resuming from an overnight score of 306/3, the home side extended their dominance thanks to superb batting performances from Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis. Mathews, who was on 78* at stumps on Day 1, played a patient and composed innings, adding to his overnight score and eventually reaching a well-deserved century​

Mathews' knock was a masterclass in application and temperament, particularly on a pitch that began to offer more assistance to the spinners as the day progressed. His defensive resilience complemented by precise shot selection ensured Sri Lanka’s grip on the game tightened. Kamindu Mendis, who had come in late on Day 1, continued his positive and aggressive approach. He showcased his talent with a fluent half-century, playing with a strike rate well over 90, which put immense pressure on the New Zealand bowlers. Mendis’ innings included an array of boundaries that kept the scoreboard ticking briskly​.

The New Zealand bowling attack struggled to find answers. Mitchell Santner, who bowled a long spell, did his best to contain the batsmen, but wickets remained elusive. Glenn Phillips, who had picked up the crucial wicket of Dinesh Chandimal on Day 1, toiled hard but could not replicate his success. The Kiwi bowlers, particularly Will O’Rourke, were left frustrated by several missed opportunities, including three dropped catches, two of which came off O'Rourke's bowling​.

As the day wore on, the Galle pitch began to show signs of wear, with the ball starting to turn and bounce more for the spinners. However, this didn’t trouble the well-set Mathews, who displayed his vast experience playing spin in subcontinental conditions. He continued to score at a steady rate, while Mendis provided the more attacking option at the other end. Their partnership took Sri Lanka's score beyond the 400-run mark, putting them in a commanding position in the match​.

New Zealand’s frustration was compounded by their misfortune in the field. Along with the dropped catches, they also had a wicket overturned due to a no-ball, further adding to their woes. Despite these setbacks, the visitors continued to fight, with Ajaz Patel also delivering a tight spell of left-arm spin. However, their lack of breakthroughs early in the day meant that Sri Lanka continued to pile on the runs with little resistance​.

By the time the second session came to a close, Sri Lanka had built a formidable total, putting themselves in a dominant position in the Test match. Mathews’ century and Mendis’ quickfire fifty were the highlights of the day, as the Sri Lankan middle order took full advantage of a tiring New Zealand attack. The hosts will be looking to push on in the remaining sessions and bat New Zealand out of the game.

For New Zealand, the focus will now shift to how they can limit the damage in Sri Lanka's first innings and mount a solid reply with the bat. Their bowlers will need to regroup and look for ways to exploit any assistance from the deteriorating pitch, but as things stand, Sri Lanka are firmly in control heading into the latter half of Day 2​.