Kamindu 93* takes Sri Lanka past 400 despite Phillips’ strikes

Lunch Sri Lanka 402 for 5 (Kamindu 93*, Mathews 88, de Silva 44, Phillips 3-65) vs New Zealand

The weather had darkened, and there was more turn on offer for the spinners, but Sri Lanka’s dominance continued just the same as they extended their first innings total to 402 for 5, at lunch on day two.

The 96 runs in the session came at the cost of Angelo Mathews and – just on the stroke of lunch – Dhananjaya de Silva. While that late wicket might have given New Zealand some cause for optimism, with Kamindu Mendis still around unbeaten on 93 – and striking at 72.65 – there is also cause for serious concern.

Glenn Phillips was New Zealand’s sole bright spark in yet another taxing session, as he accounted for both wickets to fall. The first to go was Mathews, having added 10 to his overnight tally, was set up by Phillips’ nagging lines and lengths, and subtle variations in pace.

Throughout his innings, Mathews had struggled to get Phillips away – playing out 45 dots in the 55 deliveries he had faced off the off spinner – and that frustration eventually told as he top-edged an attempted sweep off one that Phillip’s had held up slower in the air.

That wicket, however, didn’t bring much respite, with de Silva happy to take on Phillips from the get-go, launching him for a six down the ground to show his intent. But while he was kept quiet by the impressive Ajaz Patel, the left-right combination ensured that runs kept flowing.

De Silva’s partnership with Kamindu became the fifth-straight fifty-plus stand of the innings – at 74 – when de Silva’s aggression against Phillips finally let him down. Looking to get low and flat bat a sweep in the V, the Lankan captain managed only to get a top edge that Tom Blundell did well to get under and keep hold of.

That was an uplifting end to the session for the hosts, but worryingly for them, Kamindu has shown few chinks in his armour at the other end. Fresh off becoming the first batter to rack up fifty-plus scores in each of his first eight Tests, he was busy charging towards a fifth Test century.

Off just the fifth ball he faced in the day, he produced a cover drive of true quality off Will O’Rourke. And it was O’Rourke on the receiving end again a couple of overs later, as Kamindu cut one commandingly in front of square.

His other two boundaries came off Mitchell Santner – one a slog sweep to deep midwicket, the other a reverse behind backward point. The highlight of his batting, though, has been his rotation of strike, with only the excellent Phillips able to keep him quiet for any length of time.