New Zealand takes 1st-innings lead vs Sri Lanka in 1st Test

Daryl Mitchell rallied the tail with a superb century and Matt Henry blasted 72 from 75 balls as New Zealand achieved an improbable firstinnings lead over Sri Lanka Saturday on the third day of the first cricket TestLed by Mitchell and Henry with help from the inimitable Neil Wagner New Zealand eked out a lead of 18 At stumps Sri Lanka was 833 a lead of 65 with Angelo Mathews 20 not outNew Zealand began the day at 1625 193 runs behind Sri Lanka with Mitchell on 40 left to do his best with the tailendersThere was no expectation at Hagley Park that New Zealand had any chance of doing more than paring back the deficit that existed after Sri Lankas exceptional first innings of 355Mitchells overnight partner Michael Bracewell fell at the end of a sedate first hour but captain Tim Southee gave an indication that tail was going to go down fighting when he struck 25 from 20 balls Even when he was out New Zealand 120 behindMitchell continued to play the steadying hand with a halfcentury in three hours and a century his fifth and first against Sri Lanka from 187 ballsIts always nice to get a hundred for your country and to do it in a situation in which we needed it was cool Mitchell said It was nice to put a team score on the board and for the boys to bowl the way they did tonight was awesomeMitchells solidity gave license to other New Zealanders to hit out and Henry took full advantage After a quiet beginning he went on the attack and struck 72 his fifth halfcentury from 75 ballsAlso readBowlers keep Sri Lanka on top in 1st Test vs New ZealandHenry blasted 10 fours and three sixes and after Mitchell was out for 102 Wagner joined in and stuck three more sixes With each hefty blow the deficit fell in the space of four balls at the end of the 102nd over and start of the 103rd Henry and Wagner hit three sixes and a four The deficit which had been 54 reduced with those shots to 32Another six from Wagner and New Zealand trailed by 20 Then in the 105th over Henry struck 4 4 4 6 and 4 from the bowling of Kasun Rajitha and New Zealand hit the frontHenry was finally out bowled by Asitha Fernando after having played a massive role for a New Zealand team which never seems to know when it is downIts extraordinary onerun victory over England after following on in its previous test was the ultimate demonstration of that fact But here again New Zealand seemed absolutely on the back foot with little chance of anything more than a substantial firstinnings deficitIts motto might be the tail never fails Once again the last five batsmen made up for the shortcomings of the top order which too often is brittle and inconsistentThe value of the second half of the New Zealand order is obvious Mitchell averages 55 in tests wicketkeeper Tom Blundell 45 Michael Bracewell and Henry in the 20s Tim Southee 16 with six halfcenturies Wagner 14The four seamers New Zealand has played in the match have five centuries and 18 halfcenturies among themSri Lanka lost three wickets before stumps Oshada Fernando 28 Dimuth Karunaratne 17 and Kusal Mendis 14 while Blair Tickner took all three wickets and has 328 Wagner limped from the field before the end with an apparent ankle injuryThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever