Cricket
Kiwis trail Sri Lanka
2012-11-19 09:11
Galle - Rangana Herath completed a second successive five-wicket haul on Monday
to strengthen Sri Lanka's hopes of victory in the opening Test against
New Zealand in Galle.
New Zealand had collapsed to 96-8 in their
second innings at lunch on the third day after failing to cope with
Herath's left-arm spin.
The tourists, trailing by 26 on first
innings, were just 70 runs ahead with two wickets in hand. They lost
seven wickets in the morning session for 61 runs after resuming on 35-1.
The Sri Lankan spinner has far taken five wickets for 36 off 14 overs.
Fast
bowler Nuwan Kulasekara did the early damage with two wickets in his
opening three overs before Herath, who took one wicket on Sunday, struck
four times in five overs to have New Zealand reeling at 79-7.
Herath,
who took 5-65 in the first innings, was on a hat-trick when he bowled
Daniel Flynn (20) and then trapped Doug Bracewell leg-before.
The
Sri Lankan spinner started the slide when he had skipper Ross Taylor
leg-before for 18 before accounting for James Franklin (two) for his
first two wickets.
Kulasekara struck in his second over of the
morning when he bowled opener Martin Guptill before dismissing
Williamson, caught down the leg-side by a diving wicketkeeper Prasanna
Jayawardene.
Guptill fell on his overnight score of 13, while Kane Williamson (10) added just one run in the morning.
Sri
Lanka were bowled out for 247 in their first innings on Sunday in reply
to New Zealand's 221, with skipper Mahela Jayawardene scoring 91 and
vice-captain Angelo Mathews 79.
Fast bowler Tim Southee took four wickets and off-spinner Jeetan Patel three for New Zealand.