Sri Lanka wasted no time on the final morning of the first Test in Galle, needing just 15 minutes to skittle out New Zealand and took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The win lifted Sri Lanka to third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, leapfrogging New Zealand. By securing the 12 WTC points from this match, Sri Lanka keeping their hopes of a place in the WTC final alive, though they still face a tough road ahead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jayasuriya's eighth five-wicket haul \u2014 and his seventh in Galle \u2014 earned him the Player-of-the-Match award. His spin bowling on the final day dismantled the resistance that Rachin Ravindra and the Kiwi lower order had put up the previous day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ravindra, who had fought valiantly with a well-crafted 92 off 168 balls, lasted just eight deliveries on the fifth morning. Jayasuriya\u2019s arm ball trapped him in front of the stumps, with the batter misjudging the line. A review could not save him, and with Ravindra\u2019s departure, New Zealand\u2019s slim hopes of a dramatic comeback faded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jayasuriya quickly followed up by dismissing Will O'Rourke, who had impressed with the ball earlier in the match, for a duck.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
O'Rourke, who took eight wickets across both innings, tried to defend Jayasuriya's sixth ball but missed, as the delivery snuck past his bat and crashed into the off stump. With that, Sri Lanka wrapped up the match in dominant fashion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The second Test begins on Thursday, in Galle. With momentum firmly in Sri Lanka\u2019s favor, New Zealand will need a swift response if they are to level the series and keep their WTC ambitions alive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The defeat makes New Zealand\u2019s WTC journey considerably more difficult, with challenging series against India (away) and England (home) coming up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Brief scores:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The defeat makes New Zealand\u2019s WTC journey considerably more difficult, with challenging series against India (away) and England (home) coming up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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