GALLE:
Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath took five for 65 to help dismiss New Zealand for 221 on the opening day of the first Test yesterday.
The left-armer's effort was his fourth five-wicket haul in eight matches at the venue and means 40 of his 159 Test wickets have come there. New Zealand struck back late with Tim Southee dismissing Sri Lanka debutant Dimuth Karunaratne leg-before wicket for nought, as the home side reached nine for one at close.
"I like it here in Galle," said Herath. We've done well today. If we can get runs tomorrow we are well ahead in the game.”
Herath was the man who dismissed New Zealand's top-scorers Brendon McCullum (68) and Daniel Flynn (53), and was well supported by seam bowlers Shaminda Eranga (three for 51) and Nuwan Kulasekara (two for 31).
McCullum, who opened the innings, hit eight fours and two sixes in an innings which mixed positivity with watchful defence, while Flynn passed a half-century for the first time in Tests in more than three years, facing 152 balls and hitting seven fours.
"It was not the batting performance we were after as you win the toss in Galle and hope to get more than 400," said McCullum. "The pitch was good. It turned more than you might expect on day one but you also expect that in the sub-continent. We have to look forward to tomorrow and it is a big first hour for us to try and expose the Sri Lanka middle-order.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.
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