The opening Test of the two-match series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand had a lot of ebbs and flows to it. Like any typical Test match at Galle, momentum shifts were drastic and eventually, the most frequent result of a Sri Lanka win surfaced. It’s been a good year for the Lankans in Test cricket although the sample size of matches played isn’t big enough to make significant conclusions.
Wins over Afghanistan and Bangladesh were followed by the England tour, where Sri Lanka managed to nail a win in the third and final Test. That momentum rubbed off into the first Test at Galle as the Lankans were relentless even when under the pump.
SL vs NZ : Previous Performances
Sri Lanka and New Zealand are all set to take on each other in the second Test of the ongoing series. Both sides will lock horns at the Galle International Stadium from Thursday, September 26. The first Test of the series did not end well for New Zealand, as the side faced a huge upset.
Both sides faced off in the first Test in Galle as well, and the clash began with Sri Lanka coming in to bat first, and after a brilliant ton by Kamindu Mendis, the hosts managed to post a total of 305 runs in the first innings. In response, New Zealand replied with a total of 340 runs in the first innings.
In the second innings, Sri Lanka put in another good showing with the bat. Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal impressed as the hosts scored 309 runs and gave New Zealand a target of 275 runs to win the game. However, through an excellent performance with the ball, Sri Lanka bundled out New Zealand for 211, winning the game by 63 runs.
With the advantage in the series, Sri Lanka will hope to clinch the two-game affair by registering a win in the second Test. On the other hand, New Zealand will hope to tie the series by levelling the score.
SL vs NZ : Head to Head
| Matches | 39 |
| Won by Sri Lanka | 10 |
| Won by New Zealand | 18 |
| Draw | 11 |
| No Result | 00 |
| First-ever Fixture | 4-6 March 1983 |
| Most-recent Fixture | 18-23 September 2024 |
SL vs NZ : Pitch Report
The surface at the Galle International Stadium is one that is preferred by the spinners. A slow surface could once again pose problems for New Zealand, and with batting expected to become tough as time goes on, both sides will aim to make the most of the first innings. Historically, the venue has aided the spinners with the first couple of days being the best time to bat.
The opening Test match had all the ingredients of a traditional ‘Galle Test’ and expect more of the same. It is a rainy week in Galle and there could be partial interruptions during the game.
It’s Galle. Expect another rank turner. But also, given the evidence of the first Test, expect O’Rourke, Southee and Asitha Fernando to dig up the pitch on one side, creating big footmarks outside the left-hand batters’ off stump (or right-hand batters’ leg stump) on either side of the pitch as the game wears on. And it’s southern Sri Lanka in September. Expect short, sharp showers.
SL vs NZ : Big Picture : Both New Zealand and Sri Lanka hope to keep WTC final chances alive
New Zealand lost their first ever Test in Galle by an innings and 16 runs, their next by 202 runs, the one after that by 10 wickets, the next by six wickets, and the match that ended on Monday by 63 runs. They might be zero for five here, but at least those margins have grown slimmer with each outing.
With luck, they can close the gap even further in the Test starting Thursday. They could really do with a win here, though, to keep their hopes of making the World Test Championship final alive if nothing else; their next assignment is three Tests in India, which is very likely the toughest tour in the game.
New Zealand weren’t especially far away in the first Test, either. If Daryl Mitchell – batting nicely on 57 at the time – hadn’t been run out on the second morning, they could have pushed on to a commanding first-innings lead. And then, on a wearing track, who knows how Sri Lanka would have responded? Sri Lanka are obviously a skilled team playing in familiar conditions, but through the likes of Ajaz Patel, Mitchell, Will O’Rourke and Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand brought plenty of skill on a dusty Galle surface.
Sri Lanka, however, will be brimming with good vibes. They are on a bit of a hot streak under interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya. There was one disastrous Test at Lord’s, but before that, they had competed in Manchester, and won an ODI series against India for the first time since the late 1990s.
Now, they have notched up two consecutive Test victories for the second time this year, having also defeated Bangladesh twice (away from home, no less) earlier in the year. Their bowlers have been the heart of this success, but the batters have found ways to contribute too. Another win at Galle will put their WTC percentage points at 56 – not very far away from Australia (62.5), who are second on that table at the moment.
Kamindu Mendis once again rose to the occasion with a majestic first innings ton but Sri Lanka would be disappointed at the other batters not converting their starts in both innings. To an extent, the second innings performance was excusable with the ball gripping and turning square but in general, the batting did underperform for the home side.
The bowling also wasn’t consistent with Ramesh Mendis in particular having a torrid time despite helpful conditions on offer. To their credit, New Zealand capitalized on every drawback from their opponents to stretch the game deep.
The visitors, however, would have hoped for a lot more from their talisman Kane Williamson who got fluent starts in both innings, only to slip at crucial junctures of the game.
He along with Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell continue to the bedrock of New Zealand’s batting, and the trio will need to better their performance in the second Test if the visitors wish to draw level. Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra and William O’Rourke put in standout performances which suggest that the support act is there for the Black Caps, it is for their lead actors to show the way.
SL vs NZ : In the spotlight : Dinesh Chandimal and Kane Williamson
Dinesh Chandimal has been asked to shuffle up the order to No. 3. He will have known he doesn’t have a stellar record in that position, having made just one fifty in eight innings before the first Test. But he took the spot anyway, to allow the team to make two other moves – sending Kamindu Mendis up to No. 5, and Kusal Mendis down, as wicketkeeper-batter, to No. 7.
Chandimal has, however, made a strong start in his new role, producing a vital 61 in the second innings of the first Test. Dimuth Karunaratne, his partner for much of that knock, praised Chandimal for his positivity at the crease. It’s not often that batters with 15 hundreds on their record agree to move for less-established players. More good scores at No. 3, at a venue he generally likes, may put him in a better frame of mind for challenges to come.
Kane Williamson has played with other New Zealand greats (and still does so long as Tim Southee is around), but the greatest predictor of a New Zealand victory over the past 15 years has been whether Williamson gets runs. He averages 81.86 when New Zealand win.
This is largely backed by an immense record at home, but even in Asia, it holds true – he averages 71.70 in the six wins he’s played in on the continent. He hasn’t quite cracked Galle, though. In six innings at the venue, he averages 16.50. But then his two best scores here – 55 and 30 – came in the last match. Perhaps he is building to something big.
SL vs NZ : Vital Stats that matters
- Two of Ajaz Patel’s five career five-wicket hauls have come in Galle. He averages 22.35 at the venue.
- Roy Dias was the fastest Sri Lanka batter to 1000 Test runs, getting there in 23 innings. Kamindu has 822 runs from 12 knocks so far.
- Prabhat Jayasuriya has an outside shot of becoming the equal-fastest to 100 Test wickets in the game’s history, if he gets 12 wickets in this match. The only bowler to get there in 16 matches was George Lohmann, who achieved the feat way back in 1896. Of Jayasuriya’s 88 wickets, 62 have come in Galle.
SL vs NZ : Team News : Rathnayake and Peiris come into Sri Lanka XI
Sri Lanka : Despite their win, Sri Lanka have made two changes to their XI. Milan Rathnayake, who was impressive with bat and ball on his debut tour in England, has been included in the XI in place of Lahiru Kumara, who did not take a wicket in the first Test. They have also dropped Ramesh Mendis, who at times lacked control in the first Test. In his place, they have named a debutant in Nishan Peiris, another offspinner, aged 27. He has 172 first-class wickets at an average of 24.37.
Sri Lanka Playing XI : Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kamindu Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (wk.), Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis, Lahiru Kumara, Ramesh Mendis, Prabhat Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando
New Zealand : If there’s a change New Zealand may be tempted to make, it is to swap out Mitchell Santner for Michael Bracewell. Santner had a modest first Test, taking 1 for 115 with his left-arm spin (Glenn Phillips felt like a more threatening bowler) and he made 2 in each innings.
New Zealand Playing XI : Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk.), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (c), William O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel
SL vs NZ Fantasy XI : Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra (vc), Ajaz Patel, Kane Williamson, Kamindu Mendis, Daryl Mitchell, Ramesh Mendis, Prabhat Jayasuriya (c), Glenn Phillips, William O’Rourke, Asitha Fernando
SL vs NZ : Match Prediction
Sri Lanka is more likely to win the next game too. Sri Lanka had the home advantage in the series and they are known to be quite powerful at home. Moreover, many of their batters are in good form. Hence, the hosts might clinch another victory. The Sri Lanka vs New Zealand 2nd Test will provide a chance for New Zealand to level the series. However, Sri Lanka can better their position in the ICC World Test Championship points table with a clean sweep.
Sri Lanka are on a roll, having won a Test at the Oval and now Galle a few days later, which shows that the island nation is slowly coming to terms with its pool of players for Test cricket and hence will be keen to get this done 2-0 with a couple of tough away tours left. Sri Lanka dominated the first game with a clear home condition advantage. New Zealand is expected to struggle and hence the hosts are likely to win the second Test, thus claiming the two-game series as well.