Sri Lanka fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera took his first five-for in Test cricket to reduce New Zealand to 232/9 on Day 2 of the second Test match in Hamilton.
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Having bowled out Sri Lanka for 292 earlier in the day, the Kiwis would have been looking to build a commanding lead and appeared set to do so when Martin Guptill (50) and Tom Latham (28) put on 81 for the opening partnership.
It took 20 overs for Angelo Mathews to bring his young quick into the attack but Chameera had a devastating impact, removing dangermen Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in consecutive overs as the hosts lost five wickets for 72 runs in the second session.
Wel done boys. Bowled really wel. Congrats for Chameera for his first 5 wickets haul. Others also bowled wel. Wel done.
— Dhammika Prasad (@imDhammika) December 19, 2015
A middle-order revival from Mitchell Santner (38) and BJ Watling (28) shortly after tea saw the Kiwis creep towards 200 as Mathews once more overlooked his young quick for a considerable period of the day. But Chameera returned late on to remove both Tim Southee and then Neil Wagner with the final ball of the day to complete his five-wicket haul.
While Doug Bracewell remains well set on 30 for New Zealand, with just Trent Boult to come in first thing on Day 3 the silver ferns are looking at an unlikely first innings deficit.
Earlier, Brendan McCullum’s side had swept through the Sri Lankan tale with ease as the tourists’ final six wickets fell for the gain of just 33 runs. However, thanks to the impressive Chameera, the Test match remains wide open heading into the final three days of play.
