Lanka recover after Southee strikes

AFP

Lanka recover after Southee strikes

Sri Lanka, from 50 for five, did the repair work to reach a respectable score at lunch after Tim Southee put the hosts on the mat on day two of the first Test in Galle.

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Sri Lanka endured a miserable first few overs with the removal of Tharanga Paranavitana for nought meaning both openers departed having scored a duck.
However, Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews shared a stand of 55 without loss to guide the hosts to 105 for five at the break.
Resuming on seven for one, Sri Lanka made the worst possible start, losing Paranavitana without any further runs on the board.
Southee produced a full delivery which was moving away from the left-hander who got a thick inside edge on to his leg stump after failing to meet his feet.
Southee continued to torment the hosts and in the eighth over almost took his second victim of the day when Suraj Randiv was dropped by Brendon McCullum at a good height.
However, that was merely a reprieve for the batsman who, from the very next ball, got a thick outside edge on a swinging delivery only to find Martin Guptill at second slip, and this time there was no fumbling.
Randiv had made just nine and Sri Lanka were 18 for three.
Just four deliveries later and Kumar Sangakkara was out, as he also got an outside edge to McCullum, the fielder holding on this time with the batsman making just five.
Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera attempted to stabilise the innings but again Southee struck, removing the latter for 17, the batsman not even offering a shot after the New Zealander's delivery came back in.
Mathews came to the crease and from 50 for five he and Jayawardene guided the hosts on to 105 for five at lunch.