September 23, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka clinched a 63-run victory against New Zealand in the first Test in Galle on Monday, thanks to a commanding performance by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.
His five-wicket haul on the final morning sealed the win, as New Zealand were bowled out for 211, falling short of the 275-run target.
New Zealand resumed play on the final day with hopes pinned on Rachin Ravindra, who had waged a valiant battle against the Sri Lankan attack on a turning pitch the previous day.
Ravindra, who ended Sunday unbeaten, had already secured the highest-ever score by a New Zealand batsman in Galle, surpassing Ross Taylor’s 89 from 2019.
He added just one more run to his overnight total, reaching 92 before being trapped lbw by Jayasuriya while attempting to defend on the back foot.
His dismissal shattered New Zealand’s faint hopes of chasing down the target, with the rest of the batting line-up collapsing shortly thereafter.
Jayasuriya was instrumental in both innings, taking nine wickets across the match, including a 5-68 spell in the second innings.
His match-winning performance ended with the dismissal of New Zealand’s young fast bowler William O’Rourke for a duck, wrapping up the tourists’ innings within the first 15 minutes of the day.
O’Rourke, only 23 years old, had earlier impressed with his bowling, claiming eight wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in Sri Lanka’s first innings.
This was his second such achievement in just three Tests, marking him as a key player for New Zealand despite the team’s struggles on the spin-friendly surface.
The Black Caps had arrived in Galle aware of their poor track record at the venue, having lost all previous Test matches there.
Although they showed moments of promise, particularly through Ravindra’s heroic knock and O’Rourke’s bowling, Sri Lanka’s spinners proved too difficult to handle on the sharply turning pitch.
Ajaz Patel also stood out for New Zealand, claiming 6-90 in Sri Lanka’s second innings, delivering the best bowling performance by a New Zealand player on Sri Lankan soil since Daniel Vettori’s 6-64 in Colombo in 1998.
As the teams look ahead to the second and final Test, which begins on Thursday at the same venue, Sri Lanka will aim to seal a series win.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will seek to adjust their strategy in a bid to reverse their fortunes in Galle, where spin is king and resilience is key.
