New Zealand braves the storm, but Sri Lanka close in on victory in 2nd test

Galle (Sri Lanka):  Despite a near-hopeless position, New Zealand resisted Sri Lanka’s masterful spin bowlers to extend the 2nd test beyond lunch on the fourth day.

At the interval Sunday, New Zealand is 355 for eight after being forced to follow on in Galle after a calamitous collapse in its first innings left its hopes of a result here in Galle in tatters.

The tourists still trial by 179 runs to avoid an inevitable innings defeat, but a rearguard counterattack has delayed the final blow.

The morning began with New Zealand tottering at 199 for five with expectations of a swift victory for the hosts.

Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips dug deep, chiseling out half-centuries against a relentless Sri Lankan attack. But just as New Zealand’s faint hopes flickered, debutant Nishan Peiris trapped Blundell (60) leg-before and ended a defiant 95-run stand that had given the Blackcaps a glimmer of light.

Phillips soldiered on, forging a gutsy 64-run partnership with Mitchell Santner. But Peiris (5-155) again made the breakthrough when he had Phillips (78) caught in the deep by Dimuth Karunaratne for a well-deserved maiden five-wicket haul.

Despite having their opponents cornered, Sri Lanka fumbled their way through the session with three catches spurned before lunch. Kamindu Mendis, typically very safe in the field, let Ajaz Patel off the hook at second slip, and Santner survived twice — once in the covers and again when Peiris himself dropped him.

The hosts, who won the first test by 63 runs, are on the cusp of their first series victory over New Zealand in 15 years.