Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal celebrates after scoring century on day 1 of the second Test against New Zealand in Galle on September 26, 2024
| Photo Credit: AFP

Dinesh Chandimal’s century in Galle powered Sri Lanka to 306-3 at stumps on (September 26, 2024) Thursday’s opening day of the second Test against New Zealand.

Chandimal was bowled by Glenn Phillips in the final session after hitting 15 boundaries in his knock of 116 — his sixth Test century at the picturesque venue and his 16th overall.

Angelo Mathews (78) and Kamindu Mendis (51) will resume for the hosts on the second day after both hitting half-centuries.

For Kamindu it was a world record eighth consecutive fifty since the 25-year-old’s debut against Australia at the same venue two years ago.

Mathews reached his own milestone by becoming only the sixth cricketer to make 2,000 Test runs at a single venue — a select group that includes the likes of Joe Root and Graham Gooch — on the notoriously bowler-friendly Galle pitch.

Chandimal made his ton with a single off Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner in a knock that capitalised on loose deliveries.

He powered forwards after the end of his 122-run stand with Dimuth Karunaratne, who was run out on 46 and walked back to the pavilion fuming after a miscommunication between the pair.

New Zealand missed two opportunities to break the partnership earlier and failed to halt Sri Lanka’s momentum through the day.

Daryl Mitchell, fielding at slip, dropped two catches including a change to get Chandimal out on five in the fourth over.

Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell missed a stumping opportunity off Karunaratne.

Sri Lanka won the opening match of the two-Test series by 63 runs. New Zealand have not won any of their five previous Tests at Galle.

New Zealand players wore black armbands to honour the late Ian Taylor, who was the manager of the Black Caps from 1980 to 1990.

Sri Lanka’s players celebrate with teammates after their team’s win at the end of the first Test cricket match against New Zealand at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on September 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Prabath Jayasuriya took five wickets to steer Sri Lanka to a 63-run victory on Monday (September 23, 2024) against New Zealand on the final morning of the first Test in Galle.

Set a target of 275 to win, the Black Caps were bowled out for 211 less than 15 minutes after play resumed, with Rachin Ravindra top-scoring on 92.

“When you come to Galle, all that you need to do is to stick to the basics,” said man-of-the-match Jayasuriya.

“The wicket provides plenty of assistance and you just need to bowl with discipline. Your consistency is the key and there was lot of help from the rest of the spinners as well.”

Ravindra had finished on Sunday (September 22, 2024) waging a lone battle on a sharply turning pitch in Galle, where the tourists had lost all four of their previous Test encounters.

His knock was the highest score by a New Zealander at the ground, eclipsing Ross Taylor’s 89 in 2019.

But the slender path to victory he had opened was snapped shut when Jayasuriya trapped him lbw while trying to defend on the back foot.

The decision was upheld despite Ravindra’s review, and he departed having added just one run to his overnight total.

Jayasuriya, who took nine wickets across the match and finished the second innings five for 68, brought the match to an end when he bowled rookie pacer William O’Rourke for a duck.

“Disappointed we didn’t get enough lead in the first innings,” New Zealand skipper Tim Southee said.

“We had the game in the hand, but we threw it away.”

‘Sensational’ O’Rourke lauded

O’Rourke, 23, had impressed for New Zealand with eight wickets, including his second five-wicket haul from just three Test appearances in the first innings.

“William O’Rourke has been brilliant for us,” Southee said.

“For him to come here and do what he did was absolutely amazing. He’s never played in conditions like these… when there is not much for pace bowling. His effort was sensational.”

New Zealand had cause for cheer after fighting on for a fifth day during their first Test in six months on a pitch where they have always struggled.

Their scheduled warm-up against Afghanistan earlier in September was washed out without a ball being bowled.

Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel claimed 6-90 in Sri Lanka’s second innings, the best figures by a New Zealand bowler in Sri Lanka since Daniel Vettori’s 6-64 in Colombo in 1998.

Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, and Daryl Mitchell all contributed with half-centuries in the first innings.

The second and final match of the series will be held at the same venue from Thursday.