Sri Lanka demolish New Zealand in Galle Test: Decoding stats
Sri Lanka thrashed New Zealand by an innings and 154 runs in the second and final Test in Galle, clinching the series 2-0. It was a one-sided affair as SL declared at 602/5 batting first. The Kiwis failed to put up a fight and were folded for 88 in their first outing. They managed 360/10 in their second innings. Here are the key stats.
How did the game pan out?
Sri Lanka had three centurions in the form of Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, and Kusal Mendis in their first innings score of 602/5d. NZ were asked to follow on as they managed just 88/10 in their first outing. Prabath Jayasuriya dismissed six batters. Devon Conway, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner scored fiftes in NZ's second outing. However, their efforts went in vain.
Maiden century for Chandimal against New Zealand
Chandimal's 116-run knock had 16 fours. He faced 208 balls. Chandimal has now raced to 5,863 Test runs at an average of 43.42. In addition to 16 tons, he also owns 29 fifties. In nine matches versus NZ (16 innings), he has 727 runs at 45.23 (100s: 1, 50s: 6). Chandimal now has the joint fourth-most Test centuries for Sri Lanka.
1,000 runs for Kamindu in Test cricket
Kamindu remained unbeaten on 182 from 250 balls. En route, Mendis became the fastest Asian to reach 1,000 Test runs, achieving the milestone in 13 innings. He has now raced to 1,004 runs at an average of 91.27. The tally includes five tons and four fifties. Notably, he scored a match-winning hundred in the series opener as well.
50+ scores in most consecutive Tests from debut
Kamindu now has 50+ scores in most consecutive Tests for a player from debut. Kamindu has at least one fifty-plus score in each of his first eight Tests as of now. He surpassed Pakistan's Saud Shakeel, who achieved this feat in seven Tests. Bert Sutcliffe, Saeed Ahmed, Basil Butcher, and Sunil Gavaskar have done so six times.
Fastest Asian batter to five Test hundreds
Kamindu, who scored 114 and 13 in the first clash versus NZ, became the fastest Asian batter to five Test hundreds. He broke the record held by Pakistan's Fawad Alam (22 innings). Kamindu is now the joint-fourth fastest batter in the all-time list to five Test centuries. Kamindu went level with Don Bradman and George Headley by scoring his fifth Test hundred (13 innings).
Mathews scores a patient 88-run knock
Angelo Mathews powered Sri Lanka on Day 1. He scored 88 off 185 balls. He now owns 7,940 runs from 114 matches (202 innings) at 45.37 (50s: 44, 100s: 16). He also went past 800 fours (808). As per ESPNcricinfo, in 15 matches versus New Zealand, Mathews has amassed 1,178 runs at 51.21. He owns nine fifties (100s: 2).
2nd ton for Mendis versus NZ; 2,000 runs at home
Kusal Mendis scored an aggressive 106* from 149 balls. Mendis has raced to 4,368 Test runs at 36.40. In addition to 10 tons, he has slammed 19 fifties. As per ESPNcricinfo, Mendis now owns 801 runs versus the Kiwis at 47.11. He registered his 2nd ton (50s: 5). Notably, Mendis has surpassed 2,000 runs on home soil (2,086) at 40.11.
Conway ends the drought
Devon Conway made 61 off 62 balls in his second outing. As per ESPNcricinfo, his last 50+ score in Tests came back in March 2023 against Sri Lanka in Wellington. With this knock, he has raced to 1,588 runs across 22 Tests at 39.70 (50s: 9, 100s: 4). 204 of his runs have come versus SL at 29.14.
NZ register these unwanted records
The score 88 is New Zealand's second-lowest total in over 10 years. They also notched up their lowest-ever Test score against the Lankans. The previous low against SL was 102, which they set back in December 1992. A per Cricbuzz, the Lankans had the third biggest first-innings lead (514) in Test cricket history when a team enforced a follow-on.
11th Test fifty for Blundell
Tom Blundell was dismissed for 60 off 64 balls in the third innings. As per ESPNcricinfo, the 34-year-old has now raced to 1,872 runs from 34 Tests at 36. This was his 11th fifty (100s: 4). 143 of his runs have come against SL at 23.83 as this was his maiden half-century against them. He has completed 914 away runs at 36.56.
A fine 78 from Phillips
Glenn Phillips, who took three wickets in SL's first innings, departed for 78 off 99 deliveries in the third innings. This was his fourth Test fifty as he has completed 497 runs across nine games at 35.50. He boasts 131 runs against SL at 43.66 (50: 1). With his off-spin, he has scalped 22 Test wickets at 24.54.
Peiris shines on debut
Debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris claimed 3/33 in his first outing and followed it up with 6/170 in 33.4 overs. As per ESPNcricinfo, his match figures of 9/203 are now the third-best by a Lankan bowler on Test debut. The 27-year-old is only behind spinners Prabath Jayasuriya (12/177 vs Australia, 2022) and Praveen Jayawickrama (11/178 vs Bangladesh, 2021). This was overall his 13th First-Class fifer.
Do you know?
Jayasuriya, Jayawickrama, and Upul Chandana are the only other SL stars besides Peiris to claim an innings six-fer on Test debut. Notably, Jayasuriya claimed six wickets in both his outings on debut. Meanwhile, Peiris now owns the seventh-best innings figures against NZ on Test debut.
A Test fifty after almost five years for Santner
Mitchell Santner, who failed to take a wicket in the game, made a 115-ball 67 (6 fours, 3 sixes). He was also NZ's top-scorer in the first innings (29). He has raced to 904 runs across 24 Tests at 24.43 (50s: 3, 100: 1). He owns 179 runs against SL at 19.88. This was his first 50-plus Test score since November 2019.
Jayasuriya's ninth Test fifer
Jayasuriya, who claimed nine wickets in the series opener, recorded innings figures worth 6/42 and 3/139 in this match. As per ESPNcricinfo, the left-arm spinner recorded his ninth Test fifer as he has raced to 97 wickets in 16 Tests at 28.42. 22 of his wickets have come against NZ at 27.68. Eight of his Test fifers have come in Galle.
