In response to the Sri Lanka's first inning mammoth score of 602 runs, New Zealand fell in like a pack of cards with Prabath Jayasuriya recording 6 for 42. It was New Zealand's lowest-ever Test score against the Lankans.
Sri Lankan bowlers dismissed New Zealand for a paltry 88 in the second Test in Galle on Saturday (September 28). In response to the home side's first inning mammoth score of 602 runs, Tim Southee and Co. fell in like a pack of cards with Prabath Jayasuriya recording his ninth five-wicket haul in Tests. It was New Zealand's lowest-ever Test score against the Lankans.
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What a session for the Lions! 🦁 8 New Zealand wickets tumbled in the morning, leaving them all out for just 88 runs. Sri Lanka have enforced the follow-on! 💪 pic.twitter.com/f95kuR2Xzp
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC)
Sri Lanka took a lead of 514 runs and decided to enforce the follow-on. It was the third biggest first innings lead in Test cricket's history after follow-on. Moreover, it was New Zealand's second-biggest innings deficit ever in the Tests. Overall this is the fifth biggest innings deficit by any team.
The biggest deficit in a match when a team had to follow-on was 702 runs, 86 years ago when Australia were bowled out for 201 runs after England piled on 903 runs in a Test match in 1938 at the Oval. For the Kiwis, the biggest innings deficit in its Test history is against Pakistan in 2002, 570 runs, after it got bowled out for just 73.
Sri Lanka produced a batting masterclass in the spin friendly track at Galle, with the likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Mendis smashing centuries. Meanwhile Dimuth Karunarathne (46), Angelo Mathews (88) and captain Dhananjaya de Silva (44) made handy contributions with the bat.
New Zealand lost both their openers towards the end of Day 2, with Ashitha Fernando and Jayasuriya dismissing Tom Latham and Devon Conway respectively. On Day 3, Jayasuriya accounted for the wickets of Kane Williamson, Dary Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips and Southee, finishing with figures of 6 for 42. Nishan Peiris took three wickets for 33 runs.
New Zealand has already lost the first Test by 63 runs and are staring at a second successive 2-0 Test series loss, having been beaten by Australia at home earlier this year. Sri Lanka and New Zealand are currently occupying third and fourth position respectively in the 2023-25 World Test Championship table. Only the top two teams at the end of the cycle will qualify for the final at Lords in June 2025.
After the second Test In Sri Lanka, New Zealand will travel to India for three-Tests, while the Lankan's next red ball series is away to South Africa in November.
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