WELLINGTON, Jan 3 (AFP): Fifteen wickets fell in a bowlers� blitz today as Sri Lanka ended the first day of the second Test in Wellington at 78-5 in reply to New Zealand�s first innings 221.
Sri Lanka�s response in their attempt to level the series after an eight wicket drubbing in the first Test has been highlighted by Kumar Sangakkara becoming just the fifth player in cricket history to post 12,000 career runs. New Zealand�s innings was rocked by batting hero Brendon McCullum�s second-ball duck. At stumps Sangakkara was 33 not out while recalled New Zealand paceman Doug Bracewell had three for 23.
With conditions ripe for bowlers, Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews had no hesitation in making New Zealand bat first on a green strip with overcast skies and a blustery wind.
New ball bowlers Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal wasted the advantage in the first session, bowling short and wide, but still managed to remove New Zealand openers Tom Latham for six and Hamish Rutherford for 37.
But the game changed as they pitched the ball up more in the middle session when five New Zealand wickets fell, while the last three New Zealand wickets and five top Sri Lankans were removed after tea.
SCORECARD
New Zealand 1st innings: T Latham c Jayawardene b Lakmal 6, H Rutherford c Jayawardene b Pradeep 37, K Williamson b Prasad 69, R Taylor b Pradeep 35, B McCullum b Lakmal 0, J Neesham c Jayawardene b Pradeep 15, B Watling c Chandimal b Mathews 11, M Craig c Mathews b Lakmal 7, D Bracewell b Prasad 16, T Southee c Sangakkara b Pradeep 0, T Boult not out 16. Extras: (LB-1, W-3, NB-5) 9. Total: (10 wickets in 55.1 overs) 221. Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-62, 3-141, 4-142, 5-162, 6-181, 7-182, 8-194, 9-195, 10-221. Bowling: Lakmal 17-2-71-3, Pradeep 16-0-63-4, Prasad 11.1-1-50-2, Mathews 9-3-29-1, Herath 2-0-7-0.
Sri Lanka 1st innings: D Karunaratne c Neesham b Boult 16, K Silva b Bracewell 5, K Sangakkara not out 33, L Thirimanne c McCullum b Bracewell 0, A Mathews c Watling b Southee 15, P Jayawardene c Neesham b Bracewell 6. Extras: (LB-1, NB-2) 3. Total: (five wickets in 25.4 overs) 78. Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-25, 3-29, 4-58, 5-78. Bowling: Boult 7-1-18-1, Southee 9-2-30-1, Bracewell 7.4-1-23-3, Neesham 2-0-6-0.
