SL Vs NZ: Sri Lanka continues to take small leaps in Test match cricket. After their win over England in the last red ball of the three match series, the home side has also won the first match of the Test series against the Kiwis. The hosts, Sri Lanka have taken a series of 1-0 and still one more match to be played at the same stadium where the first match ended today.
New Zealand continued to perform poorly in the sub-continent and despite posing a challenge in the first red ball match, the Blackcaps lost the Test match by 63 runs. The second and last match of this red ball series will be played from Thursday, 26th September 2024 to Monday, 30th September 2024 at Galle International Stadium in Galle. The game will start at 10 AM according to the Indian Standard Time and the viewers of our country can watch it live on Sony Sports Networks and SonyLiv mobile app.
Today We Shall Name The Top Six Performers Of The 1st Test Match Played Between SL Vs NZ In Galle –
1. Kamindu Mendis –
This young batter from Sri Lanka has been impressive in his short red-ball career. Kamindu Mendis has played just seven Test matches for the island nation and has already taken centre stage in Sri Lankan cricket. Kamindu was also the highest run-getter for the Lankans in that series against England. He has scored 267 runs in just three games and has even been listed as the third-highest scorer in the overall list of that red ball series.
In the 1st innings of the first red ball match versus New Zealand, Kamindu scored a ton. His knock of 114 runs from 173 deliveries came at the crucial juncture of the match especially when the top four didn’t convert their starts into a big score. That knock from Kamindu allowed the home side to score a decent 1st innings total of 305 runs.
2. Ajaz Patel –
The spin bowler of the Kiwi side, Ajaz Patel picked up 11 wickets in the 1st match of this Test series. In the first innings, Patel took a five-wicket haul to his name; in the 2nd innings, Ajaz picked up a six-wicket haul, allowing New Zealand to be in the game. Ajaz was the lone warrior in the second innings as just Willam Orourke picked up three scalps and Micthell Santner picked up a lone wicket to his name.
3. Tom Latham –
The Kiwi batter Tom Latham was the top scorer for the visitors New Zealand in the first innings of the opening red ball game played at Galle. New Zealand batted decently in the first innings and they amassed more runs than Sri Lanka in the first innings. Tom Latham scored 70 runs in the opening innings of the first match and also shared a decent opening stand with Devon Conway.
4. Prabhat Jayasuriya –
The spin bowler of the Sri Lankan side, Prabhat Jayasuriya had picked up the most wickets in this match for the home team. He picked up four wickets in the first innings and took a five-wicket haul in the second innings which allowed the Lankans to restrict New Zealand for 211 runs in their last innings when they batted. Prabhat picked up nine wickets in the first match which Sri Lanka won by 63 runs.
5. Dimuth Karunaratne –
In the 2nd innings, the hosts, Sri Lanka had batted better than their first innings. The top three batsmen had scored half-centuries in their 2nd innings and that was the reason why Sri Lanka reached a good score of 309 runs. Dimuth Karunaratne top scored with 83 runs in that innings for the Lankans. He also shared a good partnership with Dinesh Chandimal after the early loss of Pathum Nissanka.
6. Rachin Ravindra –
The star batter of New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra tried his best to take his side home in the run chase of 275 runs. but he couldn’t get any support and that’s why New Zealand fell 63 runs short of that score in their second innings. Rachin’s 92 runs was the highest score in the second innings of New Zealand and no other batter even came closer to getting a half-century in that innings for them.
