New Zealand, DEC 26,
Tim Southee rescued New Zealand with the bat, then dragged his side back into the match with the ball after Sri Lanka’s Suranga Lakmal’s career-best figures had threatened to dominate the first day of the second Test in Christchurch on Wednesday.
Southee partnered with wicketkeeper BJ Watling to blast 68 from 65 balls and bring his side from the depths of despair on 64 for 6 after Lakmal had demolished the top order on a green wicket at Hagley Oval.
The 30-year-old Southee and Watling (46) put up a partnership for 108 runs as New Zealand were bowled out for 178 with Lakmal finishing with figures of 5 for 54.
First Test centurion Angelo Mathews was on 27 with Roshen Silva (15) as the visitors were 88 for 4 at stumps, with neither team holding the advantage as both seek to win the two-match series with victory in Christchurch.
The first Test in Wellington ended last week in a damp draw after virtually all of the final day’s play was washed out.
The 31-year-old Lakmal had reduced the hosts to 36 for 4 after Dinesh Chandimal had won the toss and wasted no time in choosing to field.
Both teams went to lunch with Lakmal cleaning up the top order leaving New Zealand at 51 for 4. Southee then decided attack was the best form of defense and belted six fours and three sixes to resurrect his side’s fortunes. His dismissal, to a brilliant, one-handed leaping catch by Danushka Gunathilaka at short mid-wicket, resulted in another collapse with the last three wickets adding just six runs. Southee took 3 quick wickets to reduce Sri Lanka at 21 for 3 inside 10 overs. The second victim — Chandimal for six — moved him to 234 Test wickets and third on New Zealand’s all-time list.
After his initial spell, Southee continued to be a threat towards the end of the day’s play as Silva and Mathews played and missed several times but saw their side through to stumps.
