Conway hits 78 as NZ dig in on opening day against SL

WELLINGTON: Devon Conway’s blistering 78 helped hosts New Zealand race to 155-2 against Sri Lanka at the end of a rain-delayed opening day of the second Test on Friday in Wellington.

Conway fell short of a hundred as he was caught and bowled by Dhananjaya de Silva, who dived low to his right to get both hands on a superb catch, to end a thrilling 108-ball knock.

First-Test hero Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 26 alongside Henry Nicholls on 18 when bad light stopped play at the Basin Reserve after Sri Lanka won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat in blustery conditions.

“I was gutted to get out when I did, I had put in all the hard work,” Conway said.

“Those are the ones you want to kick on and make the most of it on day one... We just have to focus on tomorrow now.”

New Zealand started strong, with Conway and Tom Latham putting on an opening partnership of 87, after the 2,500th Test match in cricket history was hit by a damp start.

Heavy overnight rain delayed the toss until after lunch.

Latham fell for 21 around the halfway point of the day’s curtailed proceedings when he spooned a Kasun Rajitha delivery to deep square, into the hands of Prabath Jayasuriya.

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne opted to give his bowlers an early opportunity to use a green wicket to attack the New Zealand batters.

Conway responded by smashing 13 fours in a fiery knock. Sri Lanka made one change from the team that lost the first Test on the final ball in Christchurch, with wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka making his debut in place of Niroshan Dickwella.

Score Board

Sri Lanka won the toss:

New Zealand 1st Innings

Latham c Jayasuriya b Rajitha 21

Conway c & b de Silva 78

Williamson not out 26

Nicholls not out 18

Extras: (lb 10, nb 1, w 1) 12

Total: 48 Ov 155/2

Did not bat: Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell †, Michael Bracewell, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee (c), Matt Henry, Blair Tickner

Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-118

Bowling: Rajitha 16-3-42-1, Fernando 12-4-33-0, Kumara 10-1-49-0, de Silva 8-3-18-1, Jayasuriya 2-0-3-0

Sri Lanka Tesam: Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Nishan Madushka †, Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara

Umpires : Chris Gaffaney, Richard Illingworth