Galle (Sri Lanka): Thanks to a stunning performance by spinners Sri Lanka registered a clean sweep over New Zealand by 2-0 in the Test series. The Island nation scripted the first series win over New Zealand in 15 years. They beat the Blackcaps in Test series 15 years ago in a two-match Test series. Sri Lanka suffered a loss against the Kiwis away from home by 0-2 in the 2022-23 season and also drew the two-match home series in 2019 by 1-1. In the span of the last 15 years, Sri Lanka lost three series away from home and drew two home series against New Zealand.
Sri Lanka spinners spun a web around the New Zealand batters and they were unable to handle the skills of the Sri Lankan spinners. Nishan Peiris starred for the Sri Lankan side in the second Test taking six wickets in the second innings while Prabath Jayasuriya picked six wickets in the first innings. With the bat, Dinesh Chandimal scored 116 while Kamindu Mendis was the top-scorer with a marathon knock of 182 runs. Mendis equalled the record of legendary Sir Don Bradman and became the second-fastest batter to complete 1000 Test runs achieving the feat in just 13 innings. He also became the fastest to reach the milestone since 1949.
Sri Lanka clinch the series in style! 🏆🇱🇰 #SLvNZ
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 29, 2024
Dominant performance sees them win the second Test by an innings and 154 runs, taking the series 2-0.
Congratulations to the team on a fantastic series win! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/XbbAdlvo7k
Apart from him, wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis also produced brilliant strokeplay against spinner smashing 106 runs from 149 deliveries during his stay at the crease. His knock helped Sri Lanka post a mammoth total of 602/5 in the first innings. Such a huge total meant that Sri Lanka didn't need to bat again and they bundled out the opposition twice to register a victory by innings.
In response to the mammoth total, New Zealand were all-out for a meagre 88 in the first innings with the No.9 batter Mitchell Santner contributing with the top-score of 29 runs. A follow-on was enforced on the team after that. The visitors didn't get the perfect start losing opener Tom Latham on a duck. For New Zealand several batters played valiant knocks in the second innings - Glenn Phillips (78), Mitchell Santner (67), Tom Blundell (60), Devon Conway (61). However, their efforts went in vain as the last wicket fell with the team being 154 runs short of the innings deficit.
