Lunch Sri Lanka 88 for 2 (Chandimal 30*, Kamindu 13*, O’Rourke 2-39) vs New Zealand
But it was O’Rourke, playing just his third Test, that proved the point of difference.
Clocking at times in the high 140kph, the 6’4″ fast bowler showed a willingness to consistently probe a hard length on what was an unusually grass-strewn surface in Galle. While the right-hand batter Pathum Nissanka had negotiated O’Rourke safely enough, despite a few uncomfortable deliveries jagging in towards his midriff, it only took O’Rourke two deliveries to remove Nissanka’s partner Dimuth Karunaratne.
Having immediately switched over to around the wicket to the left-hander, O’Rourke followed up a short opening delivery with another short one, but this one seaming away from off. With the angle following him, all Karunaratne could do was fend outside off and edge through to the wicketkeeper.
Nissanka, though, was unflustered as he carried on with his positive intent. O’Rourke himself came in for some stick, crashed for boundaries off both the front and back foot midway through the sixth over as Sri Lanka’s run rate touched six. But O’Rourke had the final say, as he tailed one into the base of off stump with a late inswinging yorker.
A warning shot had been issued a ball prior, with a similar yorker – one that ducked in a little too much into the pads – but here it was on the money, and having primed Nissanka with short deliveries throughout, it was a clever set-up.
While Sri Lanka did not lose a further wicket in the session, O’Rourke was nevertheless responsible for another departure – this time of Mathews, who copped a blow on his right index finger courtesy one that nipped back from short of a length. Mathews, however, is expected to return to bat.
“He’ll be ok. He’s having quite a lot of discomfort where he got hit, but he should be fine to bat again,” Sri Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda told ESPNcricinfo. “He hasn’t gone for an X-Ray.”
O’Rourke’s early strikes had gone a long way towards slowing the hosts down, as they had won the toss and elected to bat first on a cloudy morning. While Karunaratne was searching for form, Nissanka carried on from where he left off against England, striking five boundaries in his 25-ball 27.
But once both were dismissed, Sri Lanka’s innings almost crawled; Mathews and Chandimal’s partnership of 39 came off an aching 109 deliveries, and while the latter showed a modicum of intent by striking three boundaries, Mathews was unusually reserved, scoring 12 off 55 balls before being forced to retire hurt.