Live Cricket Score - Day 4: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st Test, Galle

Watling put up a superlative batting effort on Day 3 © Getty
Boult and flurry of runs

Boult is enjoying himself in the middle by moving all over the crease and adding useful runs. Somerville, on the other hand, has survived for 91 balls. Sri Lankan fielders look quite flat. He even slogged Akila for a six!!

Finally the breakthrough

Finally and finally a wicket. Sri Lanka have dismissed Watling and the marathon comes to an end. It was a short of a length ball that just about held its line to produce the edge. Kumara's extra pace did the trick. Huge scalp for the hosts. New Zealand are in front by 213.

Lead past 200

The lead is over 200 now. Watling slowly but steadily taking the game away from the opposition ranks. The track is very much on the slower side. If Sri Lanka have to win this game from here, they need someone to stand up and play an innings like Watling.

Watling's marathon

Play resumes after a delayed start and Watling continues to frustrate the hosts. He paddled a full toss from Embuldeniya to the boundary boards. New Zealand's 200 is up!! Danger times for the home side.

Rain, rain go away...

It was raining for a while in the morning and there would be a delayed start. However, the good news is the play will restart at 10.35 AM local.

Roshan Abeysinghe Roshan Abeysinghe
@RoshanCricket Follow Drizzle at Galle might delay the start. The ground however is fully secured with covers.
14 1

Build up:

Ebbs and flows. Twists and turns. Fortunes swinging back and forth. See-saw battle. You can come up with even more phrases and still find it difficult to describe the Galle Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Every time one side has threatened to take control of the proceedings, the other side has pulled them back.

Just like Day 2, there was a stubborn stand lower down the order as New Zealand recovered from 124 for 6 to end up with 195 for 7 at close, in front by 177. Watling starred for New Zealand by stonewalling the hosts to compose a vital unbeaten 63. Tim Southee also played his part by curbing his natural instincts to support Watling in what turned out to be a crucial 54-run alliance. Meanwhile, the home side would rue all those fluffed chances that gave Southee quite a few reprieves.

Can Embuldeniya, Akila and Co. wrap up the proceedings quickly on Day 4? Or will Watling continue to add vital runs?