Sri Lanka makes 224-6 by lunch on day 5 against New Zealand
DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) New Zealand made a crucial double breakthrough before lunch Monday on the final day of the first test against Sri Lanka, dismissing Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews in quick succession to move within four wickets of victory.
At lunch, Sri Lanka was 224-6, 181 runs behind, with Milinda Siriwardana 18 not out and Rangana Herath yet to score.
Chandimal made 58 and Mathews 25 in a 56-run partnership for the fourth wicket which offered Sri Lanka a slim chance of saving or even winning the match as it chased 405 for victory, but the quick wickets put the visitors in major trouble.
Sri Lanka, which resumed the day at 109-3, was targeting the fourth-highest successful fourth-innings run chase in test history but at the moderate run rate of barely three per over.
While Chandimal and Mathews were together there seemed hope for Sri Lanka. The batsmen were comfortable through a morning session on a pitch rapidly losing pace and bounce but not yet offering assistance to the spinners.
Chanidmal reached his second half century of the match, after his 83 in the first innings, from 90 balls and with 44 runs coming from boundaries.
He and Mathews comfortably resisted the New Zealand bowlers for most of the first 1-1/2 hours but both fell to unusual dismissals with the score at 165.
Mathews was undone by some clever tactics from Neil Wagner. New Zealand's fourth seamer delivered two short-pitched balls outside leg stump which Sri Lanka's captain left alone, followed by a yorker, angled in from around the wicket.
Mathews appeared to try to block the ball with his pad, but stepped over the delivery which struck the inside of his front pad and cannoned onto middle stump.
Chandimal padded away a delivery from left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner which pitched on off stump and seemed to be going straight through. The umpire gave him out lbw and while Chandimal referred the decision to the third umpire, it was confirmed because he was not offering a shot and the ball would have hit the stumps.
The lbw dismissal of Kithuruwan Vithanage for 38 was also referred by Sri Lanka to the television official who confirmed the on-field umpire's decision, leaving Sri Lanka 213-6.
