Christchurch: Angelo Mathews’ brilliant half-century helped Sri Lanka reach 150 for four by lunch on the fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand on Sunday.
At Hagley Oval in Christchurch, Mathews was not out on 54 and Dinesh Chandimal was not out on 27 and their partnership was 55.
Nightwatchman Parbat Jayasuriya’s only wicket fell in the session.
Sri Lanka, trailing by 18 runs after New Zealand’s first innings, will want to set the hosts a target of at least 275-300 on a pitch that will continue to support the fast bowlers, their assistant coach said. said after the conclusion. on Saturday.
They will need to win again in the second Test in Christchurch and Wellington to book a place in the final of the World Test Championship.
Sri Lanka resumed on Sunday at 83 for three, with Mathews and Jayasuriya adding 12 runs in seven overs, before Blair Tickner caught the nightwatchman for six.
Tickner, in just his second Test, has taken all four second wickets to fall so far and faces an added workload with veteran fast bowler Neil Wagner out of the attack.
Wagner has a back problem that forced him off the field late yesterday.
Mathews pushed for his 39th Test half-century, staying out of danger for most of 148 balls.
But luck was with him as the ball was on the top edge of the boundary.
Chandimal was also lucky when on 25 he miscued an attempt to pull Daryl Mitchell to the boundary and the ball fell just short of Michael Bracewell at square leg.
