The first Test match in Galle for SL vs NZ was really heartbreaking for the Kiwis, as they could not chase the 268 runs mark. But they came back in the second Test held in Colombo with a bang and now at the same level with the Lankans. The Sri Lanka cricket team batted first. With the help of Dhananjaya de Silva’s century, they scored 244. From the New Zealand team, Tom Latham, BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme batted really well and scored 154, 105 and 83 consecutively. So, the visitors were leading with a score 431/6 and the innings was declared after that. But from the hardly any batsman could fight except Niroshan Dickwella who obtained 51. The Lankan’s were beat by 65 runs and lost it.
Latham’s record ton:
1 – From the Blackcaps end, Tom Latham opened the match first. He successfully scored a Test century against Sri Lanka on their home ground in the NZ vs SL test series. Previously, Mark Richardson was the one who had the record of scoring the highest score against Sri Lanka as an opener. It happened at the P Sara Oval in 2003.
4 – Within one year, this is the first time Latham had crossed the 150 runs mark in Test matches which was much needed for his team. Except Latham, 11 other players also touch the 150+ runs, but not more than Latham’s score.
A rare ton in the top:
105* – BJ Watling also did a fantastic job and scored 105. He was unbeaten as well. As a wicket- keeper for The New Zealand team, this is the first century achieved in Test cricket by Watling while being in the top six batting position. In 2008, Brendon McCullum obtained 97 runs against England team in the Lord’s Test. His batting position was No. 6. As per the record book, 11 wicket keepers from the Kiwis hit centuries in Test matches from the No. 7 position. The three centuries were hit from the No. 8 position and two were from No. 9 batting position.
Milestones for Boult and Southee:
250 – Trent Boult andTim Southee were great as bowlers and touched the 250 wickets’ club at NZ vs SL 2019 Test match. From the New Zealand team, they are the third and fourth wicket-takers to do that. Sir Richard Hadlee (431) is on top of the list and Daniel Vettori (361) is on the second position in the Test matches.
Southee @ 50:
53 – In the SL-NZ Tests, Muttiah Muralitharan (81) took the highest wicket in the Test macthes. Tim Southee (53) is now in the second position after his tremendous performance in Colombo. Daniel Vettori got total 51 wickets in the SL-NZ Test matches.
Williamson’s worst series:
24 – Kane Williamson disappointed everyone with his unexpected poor performance. He only scored 24, which was so unlikely of him, while he batted three innings. The previous worst score was 43 while playing four innings against South Africa in 2013. In a 2012 Test match at home ground, he batted for a single innings and scored 4 against Zimbabwe.
1 – As a captain this was his first Test series where he failed to hit 50. All the previous 11 Test matches where he led the team, his score was always more than that.
Losing after winning the toss:
8 – New Zealandcould not win the toss,but still manage todefeat Sri Lanka. In the last eight Tests, only the toss winning team won the match. This happened with New Zealand as well in the first innings, lost the match after winning the toss.
In 2009, Pakistan won the toss in both two matches in Sri Lanka and could not win against Sri Lanka.
Southee goes past Tendulkar:
71 – He hit two sixes in this match. In this format, he already surpassed Younis Khan (70), Clive Lloyd (70) and Sachin Tendulkar (69). He is on the 15th position on the list who achieved the most sixes in Test matches.
Sri Lanka’s poor record at home:
3 – Since 2017, Sri Lanka lost 3 Test matches at the home ground. First, India defeated in 2017 at a 3- Test matches by Innings margin. Before that, from 2000 – 2017, Sri Lanka never lost any innings in their home like this innings margin.
