Cricket-Mitchell, Henry bat New Zealand again into first take a look at
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(Reuters) – A Daryl Mitchell century and an excellent 72 from Matt Henry helped New Zealand to an unlikely first-innings lead of 18 runs earlier than the house bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 83 for 3 on the finish of the third day of the primary take a look at on Saturday.
Sri Lanka will take a 65-run lead into day 4 in Christchurch however that will likely be scant comfort for blowing a dominant place in a match they should win to maintain alive their hopes of reaching the World Check Championship (WTC) ultimate.
The Black Caps resumed on 162-5, nonetheless trailing Sri Lanka’s 355 by nearly 200 runs, however Mitchell rapidly made it clear he was decided to chop the deficit to a manageable tally as he labored his solution to his fifth take a look at century.
In spite of everything-rounder Michael Bracewell had departed for 25, Mitchell placed on 47 with skipper Tim Southee (25) and one other 56 with Henry earlier than being caught behind off Lahiru Kumara for 102 with parity 64 runs away.
Supported by an equally aggressive 27 from Neil Wagner, Henry took the sport to the Sri Lankan bowlers and plundered 24 runs off one Kasun Rajith over to edge the Black Caps into the lead.
His 75-ball innings got here to an finish when he was bowled by a Asitha Fernando yorker, the wicket giving the Sri Lanka seamer figures of 4-85.
A ultimate flourish from Wagner eked out the lead somewhat additional earlier than the New Zealand bowlers put away their bats and acquired all the way down to the enterprise of attempting to drive residence the benefit.
The bowling was tight moderately than spectacular and Blair Tickner, the one bowler who by no means actually acquired began with the bat, took all three wickets on the expense of 28 runs.
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne departed for 17 to a high quality catch by Henry Nicholls at gully, whereas Oshada Fernando made 28 from 52 balls earlier than he edged the ball behind.
Kusal Mendis was caught within the slips off an imprudent shot leaving Angelo Matthews (20 not out) and Prabath Jayasuriya (2 not out) to renew on Sunday.
Sri Lanka will qualify for the WTC ultimate if they will sweep New Zealand on this two-test sequence and if Australia can deny India victory within the fourth take a look at in Ahmedabad.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Enhancing by Shri Navaratnam)
