A swashbuckling innings of 72 by New Zealand late order batsman Matt Henry that had three sixes and 10 fours followed by three wickets from new paceman Blair Tickner turned tables on Sri Lanka on an eventful third day of the first cricket Test at Christchurch yesterday.
Sri Lanka had everything to play for when the day began with New Zealand on 162 for 5 in response to a total of 355 made by them.
But when none expected, the tide turned in favour of the home team as Henry slammed the bowlers to all corners of the field to lift the Kiwi spirits.
Eventually New Zealand went past Sri Lanka making 373 that marked a lead of 18 runs and proved how special Henry stood out to be counted after he took the crease with his team at a very shaky 235 for 7.
Henry was just the partner that century-maker Daryl Mitchell needed as the two put New Zealand back into the contest.
But it was not until after the fall of the eighth wicket that of Mitchell with the total at 291 for 8 that Henry took complete charge of the proceedings to which the Sri Lankan bowlers could only wait for him to make a mistake.
Mistake he made when on 72 and New Zealand on 360 as he missed a Yorker-length ball from paceman Asitha Fernando that crashed into his stumps.
But the damage had been done as Henry at one stage of his innings hammered Kasun Rajitha for four fours and a towering six over the bowler’s head in five successive balls.
Henry initially opened out against spinner Prabath Jayasuriya hitting the bowler for two successive sixes.
Mitchell took credit for anchoring the New Zealand innings after he entered the crease with the home team on 76 for 3 and made 102 in five hours of batting.
But more disaster was to strike Sri Lanka when opener Dimuth Karunaratne (17) was brilliantly caught in the gully by Henry Nicholls followed by Oshada Fernando (28) and later in the day Kusal Mendis making his way back into the pavilion as Tickner was responsible for all three scalps.
Mendis in an unusual stay at the crease faced as many as 55 balls to score 14 while the veteran Angelo Matthews remained unbeaten on 20 from 62 deliveries as Sri Lanka left the field just 65 runs ahead on the second innings with seven wickets in hand.