GALLE (AFP) – Sri Lanka were just five wickets away from a crushing second Test and series victory over New Zealand yesterday, with the tourists 199-5 at stumps on the third day, having followed on after collapsing to 88 all out in their first innings.
Tom Blundell was not out on 47 and Glenn Phillips on 32 when bad light forced an early end to play in Galle after debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris took three top-order wickets.
“Obviously the first innings wasn’t ideal. It was a bitter pill to swallow,” said Blundell afterwards. “Things were happening very quick. Sri Lanka are a very good team and their spinners bowled really well.”
Devon Conway, battling to save both his team and his place in the side, joined forces with former captain Kane Williamson in a dogged 97-run partnership for the second wicket.
De Silva lured Conway, who had made 61 off 62 balls, into a drive towards the vacant deep cover boundary that was caught by Dinesh Chandimal in a spectacular backward running catch.
