Sri Lanka are close to winning the two-match home Test series against New Zealand after continuing their dominance on the third day of the last Test at Galle.

Leading the series by 1-0, Sri Lanka chose to bat first in the second Test. With the help of three centuries (Dinesh Chandimal 116, Kamindu Mendis 182*, and Kusal Mendis 106*), Sri Lanka scored 602/5 before the declaration. 

New Zealand started the third day of the Test at 22/2 and were all out for only 88 runs in the first session. They were forced to follow on and scored 3/1 at lunch. From the second session of the day, the visiting batters showed some fighting spirit and ended the day at 199/5.

During New Zealand’s first innings, the left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took six wickets (6/42), while the debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris picked up three wickets (3/33), and the right-arm pacer Asitha Fernando bagged one wicket (1/8).

Here are some key stats from day three of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand

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New Zealand were bowled out for 88 runs

• It was the first time New Zealand completed a Test innings against Sri Lanka in less than three figures. The Blackcaps’ previous lowest Test innings against Sri Lanka was 102 all out at Colombo (SSC) in 1992. 
• It was also the lowest completed total in a Test innings between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The previous record was 93 all out by Sri Lanka at Wellington in 1983. 
• Since 2014, it was the second-lowest completed total for New Zealand in a Test innings. The lowest record in this record book is 62 all out against India at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2021.
• Since 2010, it was the second-lowest completed total in a Test innings in Sri Lanka. The record lowest total in this list is 73 all out for South Africa at Galle in 2018.
  

Prabath Jayasuriya had the bowling figures of 18-6-42-6 during New Zealand’s first innings 

• These were the record bowling figures in a Test innings by a Sri Lankan bowler against New Zealand. The previous record is 18-3-43-6 by the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath at Galle in 2012. 
• Also, Prabath Jayasuriya recorded the third-best bowling figures in a Test innings in Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test cricket history.

Best bowling figures in a Test innings in Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test matches