New Zealand lose Conway early in pursuit of 275 runs to win 1st test

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka found an early breakthrough after setting New Zealand a target of 275 runs to win the first test as the tourists took lunch on day four at 13-1, needing a further 262 runs on Sunday.

Seamer Asitha Fernando quickly found his stride and a way through the defenses of left-handed opener Devon Conway to bowl the opener for four.

Sri Lanka almost made it a double breakthrough before the interval as spinner Prabath found the outside edge of Tom Latham’s bat but wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis failed to hold on to the sharp chance.

Earlier, left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel ran through Sri Lanka’s lower order claiming six wickets for 90 runs having bowled unchanged from the City End on Sunday.

It’s the best bowling figures by a New Zealander in Sri Lanka since another left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori took six for 64 in Colombo in 1998.

The hosts resumed Sunday at 237-4 and Ajaz dismissed both overnight batters. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva (40) was stumped by Tom Blundell while Angelo Mathews (50) departed after a solid half-century when he was caught at slip.

There was not much resistance from the tail and Mitchell Santner from Dutch Fort End accounted for the last wicket of Jayasuriya in his first over of the day.

The fourth day’s play is continuing in Galle behind closed doors as a nationwide curfew was imposed as a precaution during the country’s presidential elections.

Saturday was a rest day in the Test match due to the elections.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

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