O’Rourke lights up gloomy Galle in an attritional morning session

As New Zealand took full advantage of the conditions on the first day in Galle, William O’Rourke lit up a dismal morning session by dismissing both of Sri Lanka’s openers and forcing Angelo Mathews to retire hurt.

Dinesh Chandimal, who was undefeated at lunch on 30 from 67 balls, was looking good for the hosts. Kamindu Mendis, in his new No. 5 post, was beside him.

With a top speed of occasionally exceeding 140 kph, the 6’4″ fast bowler demonstrated a readiness to persistently probe a hard length on the unusually grass-covered Galle pitch. O’Rourke removed Pathum Nissanka’s partner Dimuth Karunaratne in just two deliveries, even though the right-hand batter had navigated O’Rourke rather comfortably, despite a couple awkward deliveries jagging in towards his midsection.

However, it was O’Rourke, in just his third Test, who demonstrated the crucial difference.

Following a brief opening delivery, O’Rourke instantly changed to the left-hander around the wicket, but this time, the delivery seaming away from off. Karunaratne could only fend off an outside ball and edge through to the wicketkeeper with the angle following him.

But Nissanka continued on with his optimistic goal, unfazed. Midway through the sixth over, O’Rourke, who was facing a lot of criticism, struck for boundaries off both the front and back foot, pushing Sri Lanka’s run rate to six. Nevertheless, O’Rourke got the last word when he used a late inswinging yorker to tally one into the base of off stump.

A similar yorker that ducked in a bit too much into the pads had been used as a warning shot the ball before, but this time it was spot on, and the smart set-up that preceded it primed Nissanka with short deliveries all along.

Despite the fact that Sri Lanka did not lose any more wickets during the session, O’Rourke was nonetheless accountable for Mathews’ exit after he was struck by a ball that nipped back from a short length. But Mathews is anticipated to go back to bat.

“He’ll be alright. “He’s experiencing some discomfort from the blow, but he should be good to bat again,” Mahinda Halangoda, the manager of the Sri Lankan team, told. “He hasn’t gone for an X-Ray.”

O’Rourke had won the toss and chosen to bat first on a cloudy morning, and his early strikes had gone a great way towards slowing down the hosts. Nissanka continued from where he left off against England, hitting five boundaries in his 25-ball 27, while Karunaratne was struggling to find his form.

However, after both were removed, Sri Lanka’s innings nearly came to a standstill. Mathews and Chandimal shared a 39-run partnership off an agonising 109 deliveries.

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Although the latter demonstrated some intention by hitting three boundaries, Mathews was remarkably restrained, managing to score 12 off 55 balls prior to being forced to retire injured.