Kusal Mendis ignites fireworks to push Sri Lanka to 120-1 at lunch

• Kusal Mendis ignites fireworks to push Sri Lanka to 120-1 at lunch.
• Kusal Mendis hit a quick 73 not out off only 51 balls.
• Sri Lanka took advantage of bowler-friendly conditions to reach 120-1.

CHRISTCHURCH: Kusal Mendis hit a quick 73 not out off only 51 balls as Sri Lanka took advantage of bowler-friendly conditions to reach 120-1 at lunch on the first day of the first Test against New Zealand after being ordered to bat.

After losing the toss on a Christchurch track that had a green tint, Tim Southee, the captain of New Zealand, decided to bowl, leaving captain Dimuth Karunaratne undefeated on 33 from 62 balls.

Oshada Fernando was caught down the legside for 13 in the seventh over by Southee, who had perhaps his worst delivery of the morning, leaving Sri Lanka 14-1. This was the early breakthrough.

The Hagley Oval ground favoured the bowlers, and there were floodlights on under the cloudy skies, but Mendis rode his luck to hit his 16th Test fifty off just 40 balls.

During the break, Mendis and Karunaratne had put together an uninterrupted 106-run partnership.

A series of inside edges and top edges struck the boundary, and the pair quickly scored. Mendis smashed 15 of Sri Lanka’s 21 fours in the session.

Particularly strong criticism was levelled at Neil Wagner, whose three overs as a quick bowler cost 30 runs.

Southee and Matt Henry, New Zealand’s new-ball duo, did discover motion off the pitch and in the air.

Nevertheless, their lone strike came from Fernando, who took an easy catch from wicketkeeper Tom Blundell after chasing a ball that was swinging away down the leg side.

When the throw at the stumps was wide and Mendis was given out lbw without scoring, Karunaratne was in danger of being run out, but he was saved by a review.

The team that defeated England by a memorable one-run margin last week underwent one alteration, with seam bowler Blair Tickner replacing batsman Will Young.

Prior to the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka, captain Tim Southee won the toss and decided to bowl.

Southee’s choice was simple because of the Hagley Oval wicket’s customary emerald shine, which supports quick bowlers.

He said, “We’ll have a bowl. Obviously there’s a bit of a green tinge in the wicket and that’s what you do here at Hagley.”

If Sri Lanka wins the two-match series, they have a remote possibility of competing in the World Test Championship final.

Although the visitors’ bowlers appear slow, their batting lineup has experience.

As the game progresses, they hope to see indications of spin, according to their skipper Dimuth Karunaratne.

He said, “If you pass the first session, it should be good. We have a chance to make the (world) final, boys are doing well, we need to go one Test at a time,”

“Past doesn’t matter, if we play well we will have a good chance. We’ll have three pacers, but will play a spinner.”

New Zealand hopes to build on their thrilling one-run victory over England the previous week.

The Black Caps benched batsman Will Young in favour of Blair Tickner, a seamer who gives them a another fast bowling option.

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee (capt), Matt Henry, Neil Wagner, Blair Tickner

Sri Lanka: Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara

Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG), Chris Gaffaney (NZL)

TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)

Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)

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