Test cricket's thrill escalates with a fast bowler on the prowl and Dushmantha Chameera had his best day in the jungle. His maiden five-for tore through New Zealand's batting line-up. All that was left was the final wicket pair, staring at a deficit of 60 runs.
It was his spell right after lunch that became the fulcrum on which the match spun. Sri Lanka spent the first one almost in slumber: they took 16.1 overs for 28 runs, and lost three wickets to be bowled out for 292. Then they spent the rest of the morning like a lightweight boxer thrown in a heavyweight fight - working within limitations and hoping for a mistake. After lunch, however, Sri Lanka did that thing all Davids do. They punched and punched and punched, and are close to knocking their opponent out.
New Zealand lost five wickets for 72 runs in the second session and that slide began once Angelo Mathews woke up to the fact that he had the fastest bowler in the match. Chameera bounced Tom Latham out in minutes. Will the same trick work against the No. 2-ranked batsman in the world? Yes, Kane Williamson was caught at long leg for 1. Will it work against a world-record holder? Ross Taylor, who had struck 290 against Australia only last month, bagged a duck. Chameera, with three Tests' experience behind him, had hustled New Zealand's in-form batsmen back into the dressing room and 81 for 0 became 89 for 4.
BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner did their best to fight against the current. They kept each other company for 19 overs and the 40 runs they made was more the consequence of their primary aim - to stay at the crease for as long as possible. Both batsmen managed the threat of the short ball better, although it had to be said that Sri Lanka helped them out by underusing their main threat. They faced only 10 deliveries from Chameera, who was put on ice for for 21 overs after tea in addition to a 20-over wait to get his first ball of the match.
Perhaps it was a case of injury management. Sri Lanka's quicks have a history of breaking down, and it may have weighed on Mathews' mind. Chameera is a case study himself - after making just as startling an impression on Test debut in July, he spent the next few weeks out of cricket with a side strain.
Of course, that was the last thing on anyone's mind when he got through seven overs at a stretch before tea bowling fast, getting the ball around the batsman's ear and rarely missed his mark. Then people were only talking about advantage of having 23-year-old legs. And he made them right when his fastest of 146 kph came in the sixth of a seven-over spell.
By the time Chameera was done, McCullum may well have been nursing a bruised hand considering all the fending he had to do. Taylor and Williamson may be nursing bruised egos, and Latham would have suffered the most pain watching it all from the dressing room since it was his wicket that derailed the innings. He had surveyed the change in field - short leg and leg slip installed close, deep square leg and long leg posted back - and yet the first short ball he got, he tucked it to Dimuth Karunaratne's hands at leg slip.
Martin Guptill would come in a close second in the 'why did I play that shot' lament. He had just completed a pretty fifty, but next ball was caught at slip trying to slog Herath for a six, when long-on and long-off were both back.
The short-ball template was passed on to Nuwan Pradeep who got McCullum to top-edge a hook to the boundary rider at fine leg, but he had overstepped by an agonising inch. Sri Lanka looked to their senior to be their savior again, and Rangana Herath had McCullum inside edging to silly point seven balls after his reprieve and just minutes before tea. Kusal Mendis was the man under the lid, staying low and reaching to his right to claim a sharp catch.
Until then the day had gone New Zealand's way. There were only three Sri Lanka wickets standing when play began half an hour early. New Zealand had seemed content plying Mathews with straight balls - which worked out well for the Sri Lanka captain as he moved to 4000 Test runs - and probing the tailender for the outside edge.
The slips were lined up like a shooting gallery, only these targets wanted to be hit. They were largely for show on the first morning, but in humid conditions and with the seamers deciding to plant six balls on the same spot, business was booming. And their biggest scalp came within the first half hour.
Tom Latham moved to his right to hold on to a low catch and Mathews, the last specialist batsman and a wizard at batting with the most brittle of tails, was walking back having added only 14 to his overnight 67. Southee, who took the wicket, had gone wide of the crease. The ensuing angle was the reason Mathews felt like he had to play, and though he did so with soft hands, New Zealand's cordon had moved up since the first day when one catch fell short of Ross Taylor at first slip. This one was, in every description, smartly taken.
Another reminder of the first day popped up in the 78th over when a Neil Wagner bouncer struck Suranga Lakmal's right shoulder, then dropped onto the base of middle stump but the bails would not move. It didn't cost New Zealand much. Wagner tried the short ball again and Lakmal fended a catch away to gully. Bracewell, as he had done in Dunedin, picked up the last wicket of the Sri Lanka innings.
New Zealand's openers began steadily in their 81-run stand. The green mask on the Seddon Park pitch has slipped with the sun beating down on a glorious day in Hamilton. Sideways movement, while still present, was diminished. Guptill and Latham spent the first nine overs working that out - 19 runs, with only three fours. Having sussed up the changing conditions, the openers took 42 runs off the next 11 overs, with six fours and two sixes.
The bounce and pace, however, have been outstanding. So Sri Lanka simply set the tearaway loose.
(espncricinfo)
