Trent Boult took his best Test bowling figures as he scythed through the Sri Lanka tail, dismissing the last six batters for the addition of just 10 runs, with the last four all trapped leg-before for ducks on day two of the second Test at Christchurch.
Sri Lanka’s overnight position at 88-4 would have given them hopes of drawing level with their hosts, but they hadn’t reckoned on an astonishing spell of bowling by Boult.
Roshen Silva fell without adding to his overnight score of 15 with Sri Lanka’s score on 94. Niroshan Dickwella scored four runs before Boult had him caught off the first ball of the 39th over with the total on 100, and added the wickets of Dilruwan Perera and Suranga Lakmal for ducks off the fifth and sixth balls of the same over as Sri Lanka were reduced to 100-8.
Boult removed the last two batters off the second and sixth balls of his next over to end the Sri Lanka innings on 104 off 41 overs, with Angelo Mathews undefeated on 33 off 88 balls.
Boult ended with a sensational 6-30 off 15 overs (including eight maidens), while Tim Southee’s 3-35 played a vital role in knocking over the top three Sri Lankan batters at the end of day one.
Jeet Raval and Tom Latham put together a cautious opening stand of 121 off 48 overs before Raval fell for 74 off 162 balls (8×4). Kane Williamson dominated a second-wicket stand of 68 with Latham, Williamson scoring 48 off 75 balls to Latham’s 16 off 59 balls.
Ross Taylor and Latham saw the day through to a close, adding 42 off 53 balls, with Taylor ending on a breezy 25 not out off 27 balls, including five fours, while Latham will resume his innings tomorrow morning on 74 off 213 balls (8×4).
New Zealand will resume their second innings on 231-2, a healthy lead of 305, with eight second-innings wickets in hand.
Photo: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images
