Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls made record centuries and Colin De Grandhomme a record half-century as New Zealand plundered 585-4 from Sri Lanka’s bowlers Friday before declaring with a lead of 659 on the third day of the second test.
Latham made 176 following his 264 in the first test at Wellington; Nicholls made an unbeaten 162, his highest test score and De Grandhomme dashed the fastest 50 by a New Zealander in tests, finishing 71 not out when the declaration came.
After toiling in the field for 153 overs, Sri Lanka’s batsmen were forced to pad up and try to survive the last hour of the day to keep alive the tourists’ faint hopes of saving the two-match series. Those odds became longer when Dimuth Karunaratne (0) fell in the first over of the innings and Danushka Gunathilaka (4) five balls later.
Captain Dinesh Chandimal joined with rising star Kusal Mendis to guide Sri Lanka to stumps without further loss, but two full days stretch ahead.
At stumps, Sri Lanka was 26-2 with Chandimal 14 not out and Mendis 6. In Sri Lanka’s favour, it still has in hand Angelo Mathes, its best batsman in this series with scores of 83, 121 not out and 33 not out.
Mathews put on an unbroken 274 with Mendis to save the first test which was drawn.
AP
