First Test. Caps v. Lankans. Galle.

[K]

Ross Taylor did not add to his 86 runs. On day 1 it was the Dananjaya show, but on day 2 it was all Lakmal (plus a run out).

NZ all out 249.

SL are 2/93 in reply.

[Donny]

2/117.

Mendis 42*, Mathews 26*.

[Donny]

3/153. Mendis out to Patel (3/37) for 53.

Mathews 41*.

[K]

SL 7/178.

Looks like it's going to be a low-scoring Test.

[Donny]

Patel (left arm ortho) 5/70.

7/209. Dickwella 26, Lakmal 24*.

[K]

Patel... Hmm... And Santner is also playing. (Southee, but no Ferguson.) When does NZ next play Oz?

[Donny]

Stumps: SL trails by 22 runs. 7 down.

[Donny]

[K]

SL all out 267, with a slender first-innings lead.

NZ, who have as many opening problems as Oz, have unsurprisingly lost an early wicket, just a few minutes ago.

NZ 1/8 (still in deficit).

That means the best batsman in the world is now at the crease!!

I am glad that he is off the mark. A pair would have exposed me to many gleeful comments from P4S and Donny.

[K]

It's lunch. NZ are in the black... Well if negative is "red" and positive is "black", is zero also black?

cricinfo tells us the last ball before lunch almost rolled back on to Kane's stumps!

NZ 1/18.

It's all level, but NZ have lost Raval. Raval? Never heard of him before! If the pitch is breaking up, though, of course SL will have to bat on it at its worst.

[K]

NZ in trouble now.

The lead has just staggered to 50, with three wickets down.

They've lost Williamson and Taylor for 4 & 3, resp., by the sound of it to very bad shots.

[Pies4shaw]

Just a quick update on this week’s batting averages for Steve Smith and the “Best Batsman In The World”. BBIT Williamson: 2, Smith: infinity.

[K]

Don't just whinge to me, P4S. You should copy your whingeing to Allan Border too.

But if the Smithites can claim his left-arm orthodox problems are only to Herath on SL pitches "turning square from day 1" (not true -- have a look at the S. African stats I showed in the other thread, including that "mighty" left-arm spinner Elgar), I guess those on the Kane Train can make similar excuses.


And another thing: "2" is correct, but "infinity" is rubbish (Ian Healy's favourite word to describe bowling).

[K]

NZ 285 all out.

That means their lead is 267.

That means if SL scores exactly the same total as in their first innings, the Test will be tied.

Good fightback from NZ's tail, after NZ were 5/98 and then 6/124.

[K]

Has the pitch flattened out?

After the rearguard action from NZ, the opening stand for SL is getting up towards a century.

NZ need a wicket.

SL 0/76. Tea.