The Black Caps celebrate the dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal. Photo / Getty
The Black Caps celebrate the dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal. Photo / Getty
New Zealand took the honours on the third morning of their test against Sri Lanka at University Oval today.
With a chilly north-easterly breeze buffeting the players, New Zealand took three wickets in the opening session to have Sri Lanka on 262 for seven at the interval. They still trail New Zealand by 169 runs.
Gritty Rangana Herath had battled his way to 12 in 107 minutes off 61 balls, while Dushmantha Chameera was on six.
Herath had taken a series of blows on the hands from aggressive left armer Neil Wagner and a clunk on the back of his helmet from Tim Southee.
But the veteran spinner hung in gamely as New Zealand worked through the wickets at the other end.
The day began perfectly for New Zealand, when Southee dismissed key batsman Dinesh Chandimal with the second ball of the day.
Chandimal pushed forward and edged the catch to a diving Martin Guptill at second slip. It was the first ball he faced today and he was dismissed for 83.
In Southee's next over, Kithuruwan Vithanage followed suit, touching a ball to wicketkeeper BJ Watling for his fifth catch of the innings.
Allrounder Milinda Siriwardana looked good in getting to 35. He played a couple of crunching cover drives and hooked Wagner for six, Doug Bracewell taking the catch above his head as he fell back over the boundary.
Doug Bracewell makes the grab but tumbles over the boundary. Photo / Getty
Two balls later, however, Wagner had his man, a sharp lifter edged to first slip. The pair had put on a useful 43 and every bit of time Sri Lanka spent at the crease was shaping as valuable for the rest of the match.
When Wagner was giving Herath a hurry up, he had just two slips and a gully on the off side.
The rest of the field was on the leg, a leg gully, fine leg, short leg, square leg, deep mid wicket and a mid on.
Herath has a reputation for being vulnerable to short pitched fast bowling aimed at his body and although he was seriously inconvenienced, he hunt in resolutely.
When Chameera was facing Wagner just before lunch, New Zealand had a 9-0 field, that is no fielders on the on side.
Southee had taken three for 56 and Wagner two for 78.
