Samaraweera resists but NZ ahead

Samaraweera resists but NZ ahead

Dogged resistance from Thilan Samaraweera helped Sri Lanka edge closer to the follow-on mark of 213 during an overcast second session in Colombo. Sri Lanka lost Prasanna Jayawardene after lunch, but Samaraweera and Suraj Randiv focused on wearing down the spinners in a stubborn stand.

Jayawardene, who survived two stumping appeals off Jeetan Patel either side of lunch, eventually fell to a top-edged slog to fine leg off the same bowler. Randiv, who was shaky as a nightwatchman in Galle, appeared more at ease in his familiar position down the order and focused on supporting Samaraweera.

Samaraweera, who had injured his finger while fielding on the first day, didn't appear in discomfort against the ball that turned and bounced. All his boundaries in the session came off Bracewell, including a delicate dab wide of gully, a square cut and a flick past midwicket. Bracewell looked out of his depth, either bowling too short or too full. Bracewell likes to hit the deck hard but he often strayed too wide of the off stump. He failed to create chances, like Southee and Boult had done. The post-lunch session was dominated by spinners but Southee hardly had a part to play, after putting the hosts on the backfoot in the morning.

Like Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson had done on day two, Angelo Mathews and Tharanga Paranavitana kept the bowlers at bay for the majority of the morning session, but couldn't hold their guard till the break. Southee's opening spell on the second evening gave New Zealand the initiative, and he proved to be just as incisive with the older ball, removing the set pair and making Sri Lanka's march towards the follow-on target a little tougher.

The clouds arrived as the session wound to a close, and Southee returned for his second spell of the day. It had been a frustrating morning for New Zealand until that point, when a close shout for lbw against Mathews was turned down and Taylor fluffed a straightforward catch at first slip to give Paranavitana a life on 32. Southee ensured that drop didn't cost much as he drew Paranavitana forward and induced an edge to Kruger van Wyk, much to the relief of his captain at slip. Southee managed to squeeze in one more wicket, in his following over, when he got Mathews driving and edging behind. What looked like a regulation fourth slip catch was taken spectacularly by Martin Guptill at third slip, diving full length to his right.

Till then it was a steady build by Mathews and Paranavitana, who gave the seamers some respect earlier in the morning with the seam movement on offer. Paranavitana needed a good innings to gain some more confidence ahead of a tough tour of Australia, and was strong square of the wicket, cutting Boult and Bracewell past point. Mathews offered the full face of the bat with his straighter drives, including one that knocked down the stumps at the other end. Paranavitana was lucky, though, that Boult did not get a hand to it as he was backing up too far.

Mathews greeted Patel with a massive six over long-on but the bowler nearly had him on 36 with one that pitched on middle and looked quite adjacent to the leg stump. The only element of doubt was his angle, bowling from round the wicket. Fielders were placed close to the batsmen, but they milked the singles down the ground, at one point Patel kicking the ground in frustration.

Southee's return changed the complexion of the morning. Going into tea, the question was whether Taylor would enforce the follow on, if given the chance. For that though the visitors still needed to pick the four remaining wickets and the second new ball, sue after seven overs, could give them the opportunity.