Sri Lanka v New Zealand – New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka (2nd Test) – Live Cricket Score and Match Update [Day 3] – Samaraweera puts Sri Lanka back in the running
Pushed into a tight spot by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lions-c808 up to 225 for 6 by stumps on the third day of their ongoing
Test match, today on November 27 at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.
Having chosen to bat first on day one, the Kiwis had put forth an impressive performance, courtesy centurions skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559 (49-10-103-6), however, struck brutally on day two, and the Kiwis eventually
finished all out at a first innings total of 412.
New Zealand appeared to have put http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 (4) off
the pitch for paltry scores, leaving the Lankans at 43 for 3 by the end of the second day of play.
Lankan opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AD-Mathews-c913 (47) offered the team a brief moment of respite, setting up a promising 90-run partnership for the fourth wicket on day three. However, Southee (19-3-51-4) struck again, taking both batsmen out
of the game and leaving the Lankan team to start afresh.
Sri Lanka’s innings, however, was resuscitated to a great degree by Thilan Samaraweera. Coming in at number 6, the right-hander set up a 25-run stand with wicketkeeper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JS-Patel-c1747.
Samaraweera (76*), however, soldiered on, bringing up his half-century shortly after tea. The performance was rendered even more remarkable by the fact that he had three stitches in his right hand, after having dropped a catch yesterday.
He found an able partner in off-spinner Suraj Randiv (34*) and the two batsmen dug their heels in, teaming up for an as-yet unbeaten 97-run stand. Not only was it a record partnership (the highest for the seventh wicket at this particular venue), it also
took the hosts past the point of having to follow-on.
Under an overcast sky, the match was briefly delayed owing to bad light, after which the umpires decided to call it a day. By stumps on day three, Sri Lanka were back in the game, and found themselves at 225 for 6 – trailing by 187 runs, with 4 wickets remaining.
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