Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene played innings of substance on the first day of the Galle test match and ensured that Daniel Vettori’s decision to field first after winning the toss will be questioned more vehemently. Sri Lanka ended a rain-shortened first day on 293/3 in 78 overs that were bowled on the day thanks to a 72-ball 92 by Dilshan and an unbeaten century by Jayawardene.
Sri Lanka dropped Rangan Herath for Ajantha Mendis, who is more of an unorthodox bowler that New Zealand may find difficult to pick. The tourists also went in with two spinners, the captain himself and Jeetan Patel.
Vettori won the toss and looking at the dampness all around, elected to field first. This was surprising given that the team had gone in with two spinners in the side. That decision however, was to be vindicated soon, as Sri Lanka lost their first wicket in the first over; Tharanga Paravitana edging an out-swinging delivery from Chris Martin into the hands of the wicket-keeper. Captain Kumar Sangakkara joined Dilshan – Lanka’s new opener in place of Malinda Waranapura – and the duo added runs at a fair clip to get to 16 in the third over, but a rather wayward delivery on the leg-stump by Martin resulted in Sangakkara driving it straight into the hands of the square-leg to reduce Lanka to 16/2.
That was all the success that New Zealand in the first session of play as Dilshan counter-attacked and took the Kiwi bowling to cleaners. The Lankan fifty came in only the eighth over, and despite the entry of spinners, the century came in the 20th over. Dilshan brought up his fifth, and very soon after lunch was racing away to his century when he inside-edged one from Iain O’Brien to be bowled for 92. His knock came off only 72 balls and consisted of 12 ravishing boundaries along with a six.
Thilan Samaraweera joined Jayawardene, and there was a definite respite in the scoring rate. However, the duo did not give too many opportunities, despite the spinners getting a reasonable purchase off the wicket. Sri Lanka ended the second session at 212/3 and looked firmly in the driver’s seat when they drilled home that advantage by adding another 81 runs in 24 overs that were possible.
Samaraweera, had had a out-of-sorts series against Pakistan, but had come back well to be not-out on 82, while Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 108.