Trent Boult, on Thursday, blew Sri Lanka away in the first innings of the second Test to put New Zealand firmly on top. The Sri Lankan camp would have left the field on day one with a smile on their face after bowling the hosts out for just 178 and closing the day on 88 for 4. However, the visitors had no idea what was to come in the first session of day two. In a blink of an eye, the hosts turned the game on its head courtesy Trent Boult’s stunning spell.
It took Trent Boult just 15 balls to end Sri Lanka’s innings after they started with six wickets in hand. Consequently, the Islanders were all out for just 104 despite starting the day on 88 for 4. Overnight batsmen Roshen Silva and Angelo Matthews started the proceedings on a good note, not letting New Zealand bowlers take any wicket in the first 20 minutes of play. However, it was just the silence before the big storm.
Boult made Silva chase a wide delivery and the latter ended up edging the ball to third slip. Niroshan Dickwella clipped the first ball he faced for a boundary with some panache but soon fell to a fuller delivery. He too drove a swinging delivery and ended up edging it to third slip where Tim Southee took a stunning one-handed catch.
The floodgates had opened and Sri Lanka could do little as Boult made the clueless batsmen dance to his tunes. Dilruwan Perera offered no shot and was trapped lbw while Suranga Lakmal was castled. Boult then accounted for Dushmantha Chameera to complete his five-wicket haul. Boult’s mayhem ended when he had Lahiru Kumara to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings and finish with career-best 6 for 30.
In reply, New Zealand openers shared an unbeaten stand of 36 runs before the lunch was taken. New Zealand now lead the visitors by 110 runs.
? | Can we transport the Christchurch deck to the MCG overnight?
Here's NZ seamer Trent Boult taking six wickets for four runs in the space of 15 balls against Sri Lanka. #NZvSL
?️: @FoxCricket pic.twitter.com/ENeMJF6zeX— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) December 27, 2018