Cricket: Black Caps recap - The best and worst from day two

NZ Herald

16 Dec, 2018 06:40 AM2 mins to read

Kane Williamson was at his best for the Black Caps on day two. Photo / Photosport

The best and the worst from the second day of the first test between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Shock of the day

Kane Williamson getting out. The Black Caps skipper looked imperious as he cruised through to 91 from just 93 balls, but somehow he lapped Dhananjaya de Silva straight to a fielder, leaving journalists scrambling to re-write their stories, and fans in stunned confusion.

Catch of the day

Colin de Grandhomme took a beauty to start a brilliant day for New Zealand. Lahiru Kumara managed to inside edge a delivery between his legs, and de Grandhomme – unsighted for a long time at leg gully – clung on for a stunning grab.

Comeback of the day

Angelo Mathews returned to the bowling crease for the first time since January 2017 – 23 test innings ago, after battling with injuries. Strangely, he came on at first change, bowling four decent overs, and then disappeared for the rest of the day as part of his load management – though his test bowling average of 52.6 means Sri Lanka probably weren't missing much.

Stat of the day

6453 - The amount of test runs accumulated by Brendon McCullum, who is now third all-time on the test runscoring charts for New Zealand, after Ross Taylor surpassed him when he reached 48 in his innings, late in the day.

Tweets of the day

Things are getting heated on the Dilmah Tea Party... pic.twitter.com/dzhjtjMZz1
— The ACC (@TheACCnz) December 16, 2018

I actually don’t think Kane is human. I believe he must have arrived on earth from outer space, fully formed, with the in-built ability to bat like this @BLACKCAPS #NZvSL
— Jason Pine (@pineynz) December 16, 2018