‘High-risk high-reward’ ploy edges NZ closer to victory

New Zealand struck at the stroke of Tea on Day 4, reducing Sri Lanka to 318 for 6 after a 76-run stand for the sixth wicket between Dhananjaya de Silva and Nishan Madushka had threatened to play out the entire post Lunch session safely at the Basin Reserve on Monday. While Madushka fell on 39, Dhananjaya went to Tea unbeaten on 98.

The short-ball ploy, which the hosts employed extensively on the fourth day, has earned them all the four wickets to fall so far, while also being a prime reason for all the runs that have been leaked.

Much unlike the morning session though, the visitors curbed their attacking ploy post Lunch, as the scoring rate dropped significantly. However, they kept chipping away at the first innings deficit, now trailing by only 98 runs. The duo resorted to a more conservative approach.

A good reason for that was the threat posed by the new ball. Matt Henry and Tim Southee tested the batters with the movement, and beat them on several occasions as well. However, barring a couple of shouts for leg-before, Dhananjaya and Madushka managed to see through the early threat. They remained just as cautious against Doug Bracewell and Michael Bracewell, taking them on only when the opportunity presented itself.

However, it was Blair Tickner who managed to end the alliance with the short-ball ploy – this time, Madushka pulling straight to the mid-on fielder. Tickner, who has been used for the short-ball attack in the absence of Neil Wagner, has struck three of the four wickets to fall on the day so far.

However, it was Matt Henry who bagged the first scalp of the day with Kusal Mendis failing to keep down a pull shot in the first over of the morning, mistiming it to Kane Williamson at midwicket, without adding a run to the overnight score.

Less than three overs later, Angelo Mathews perished pulling Tickner to square leg. Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya counterattacked the New Zealand pacers, taking on the short ball as well as the loose deliveries. The duo stroked eight boundaries each en route their half-century, bringing up their respective fifties with a four each. They stitched a 126-run stand for the fifth wicket before Chandimal got a top-edge to a pull to the fine leg fielder late in the first session.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 164 (Dimuth Karunaratne 89; Matt Henry 3-44, Michael Bracewell 3-50) & 318/6 [f/o] (Dhananjaya de Silva 98, Dinesh Chandimal 62; Blair Tickner 3-81) trail New Zealand 580/4 decl. (Kane Williamson 215, Henry Nicholls 200*; Kasun Rajitha 2-126) by 98 runs

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