Sri Lanka enforce 3rd-largest follow-on in Test history: Details here
Team Sri Lanka pulled off the third-largest follow-on in Test cricket history after skittling out New Zealand for just 88 runs in the second Test at Galle on Saturday. The Black Caps were left reeling against a mammoth total of 602/5d posted by Sri Lanka in the first innings. This historic feat was marked by Prabath Jayasuriya's ninth five-wicket haul in Tests, his eighth at this venue.
NZ's batting line-up crumbles under Sri Lankan bowling
New Zealand's batting struggled against Sri Lanka's bowlers, with only three players crossing the 10-run mark. All-rounder Mitchell Santner was the top scorer with 29 runs. The Kiwis were bowled out for a deficit of 514 runs, prompting Sri Lanka to enforce the follow-on. This marked the third-largest first-innings lead in Test cricket history when a follow-on was enforced.
Jayasuriya and Peiris dominate with the ball
Jayasuriya wrapped up the innings with impressive figures of 6/42, while Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva took five catches. The spin duo of Jayasuriya and debutant Nishan Peiris shared nine wickets between them, with Asitha Fernando claiming the remaining wicket of Tom Latham. Their combined efforts led to New Zealand's dismal show in their first innings.
Sri Lanka enter the record books
A per Cricbuzz, the Lankans had the third biggest first-innings lead in Test cricket history when a team enforced a follow-on. The largest deficit in a match when a side had to follow-on was 702 runs, when Australia were bowled out for 201 after England posted 903/7d batting first in 1938 at the Oval. Pakistan's 570-run lead over NZ in the 2002 Lahore Test takes the second place.
