NZ vs SL, 2nd Test: Dimuth Karunaratne slams twin half-centuries
Dimuth Karunaratne scored twin half-centuries in the ongoing second and final Test versus New Zealand. The Sri Lanka skipper followed up his 188-ball 89 from the first innings with an 83-ball 51. No other batter could touch the 40-run mark in SL's first innings. Interestingly, both his fifties were recorded on the same day (Day 3). Here are Karunaratne's stats.
A valiant effort from Karunaratne
As NZ declared their first innings at 580/4, the Lankans needed a strong response. However, none of their top-order batters, besides Karunaratne, could turn up as wickets fell in a cluster. 89 of Sri Lanka's 164 runs in the first innings came from Karunaratne's willow. The opener played another fine knock after the visitors were asked to follow on.
A look at his stats
Sri Lanka's sixth-highest run-getter in Tests, Karunaratne has now gone past 6,230 runs in Tests with his average being 39.93. The tally includes 14 tons and 34 fifties with his highest score reading 244. Meanwhile, Karunaratne has now gone past South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs (6,167), Australia's Neil Harvey (6,149), India's Mohammad Azharuddin (6,215), and WI's Rohan Kanhai (6,227) in terms of Test runs.
900-plus runs vs New Zealand
Meanwhile, Karunaratne has now raced to 947 runs versus the Kiwis at a brilliant average of 45.09 in 11 games. The tally includes two tons and seven fifties. Notably, he returned with scores of 50 and 17 in the series opener. Pakistan (1,040) and Bangladesh (982) are the only other teams against whom the southpaw has accumulated more Test runs.
How has the match proceeded?
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Kane Williamson (215) and Henry Nicholls (200*) starred with double-tons. Opener Devon Conway contributed with 89 runs as NZ declared at 580/4. In reply, the Lankans were folded for a paltry 164 and were asked to follow on. They were 113/2 at stumps on Day 3.
