Sri Lanka’s record of four wins in four tests against New Zealand in Galle was in mild jeopardy when the Kiwis took a 35-run lead after the first innings of the first test.

Follow live coverage of Sri Lanka vs New Zealand from the New Zealand in Sri Lanka 2024 today. The ICC Test Championship sees nine teams compete across a two-year cycle of matches before a two-team final decides the winner. The inaugural competition was won by New Zealand after a thrilling victory over India in June 2021.

Their win at The Oval is a reminder that conversations about saving the game can begin with recognition that there is a great world out there

Prolific middle-order batter Kamindu Mendis struck a fine hundred to rescue Sri Lanka from a precarious position as the hosts reached 302-7 at stumps on Day 1 of the first test against New Zealand.

Former skipper Kumar Sangakkara is Sri Lanka’s leading test run-scorer and leading century-maker. In 134 tests, the left-hander amassed 12400 at an outstanding average of 57, with the help of 38 centuries and 52 fifties. Sangakkara is his country’s leading ODI run-scorer as well.

Former Sri Lankan Test cricketer Dulip Samaraweera was banned Thursday from holding any position within Australian cricket for 20 years over

One of Sri Lanka’s most reliable batsmen of the past 15 years is Angelo Mathews, who is his nation’s third-highest test run-scorer with 7766 runs. Mathews has played in 112 test matches so far, in which he averages an impressive 45 with 16 centuries. The right-hander has a highest test score of 200*.

Kamindu Mendis hit his fourth Test hundred, first in Sri Lanka, as the hosts went past 300 on a hard-fought day of Test cricket in Galle. Fast bowler William O'Rourke was the pick of the BlackCaps bowling unit on a spin-friendly surface.