Six wickets, four runs, 15 balls: when Boult wrecked Sri Lanka
With a 20-minute spell of phenomenal late swing, the left-arm quick sent Sri Lanka crashing to 104 all out
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Dec-2018
Sri Lanka's middle order was going about it patiently at 94 for 4 in reply to New Zealand's first-innings score of 178 in Christchurch, when Trent Boult decided to take matters into his hands. In a phenomenal burst of world-class swing bowling, he snaffled up the rest of the Sri Lankan wickets for just four runs, sending them to 104 all out, a total unthinkable just minutes ago. Here's how it unfolded.
36.4 Boult to Silva, OUT, the suckerball has arrived and Roshen bites the bait. Throws his hands at a full delivery away from the body, gets a thick edge and third slip takes an absolute dolly. Short-short-full and boom! Southee went with the reverse cup but this one dipped on him, it was too late to take it the conventional style, and in trying to do that he was thrown a little off balance, but did well to hold on as he dropped his knees.
ARS Silva c Southee b Boult 21 (63b 3x4 0x6) SR: 33.33
36.5 Boult to Dickwella, FOUR runs, chipped over the infield, keeps gathering pace as it races to the midwicket fence. Gift of a delivery first up
36.6 Boult to Dickwella, no run, shoulders arms to a length ball outside off
38.1 Boult to Dickwella, OUT, catch of the tour, and it's Southee again! Sensational stuff. Dickwella sucked into the drive by a full delivery that tails away late, he's squared up, feet rooted to the crease as he goes for a loose drive, gets a thick edge that flies fast, so fast that Southee has just about enough time to throw his right hands out on a full stretch dive in front of second slip and this sticks. Wow, magnificent. How quickly the Test has turned. Suddenly, this score by New Zealand seems much bigger than it looked last night.
N Dickwella c Southee b Boult 4 (3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 133.33
38.2 Boult to Perera, no run, full on off, defended
38.3 Boult to Perera, no run, tails away from off stump, squeezed into the covers.
38.4 Boult to Perera, no run, shortens his length, slants this across, left alone
38.5 Boult to Perera, OUT, they're committing hara-kiri here, complete misjudgment in length and angle. Dilruwan shoulders arms to a full delivery on middle, this one didn't angle away, but just held its line to thud into the pad. Given out on the field and Dilruwan reviews. Can only be saved if this was going over, but ball tracking shows three reds
MDK Perera lbw b Boult 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
38.6 Boult to Lakmal, OUT, no, he can't. This is full, fast, furious and swinging in late to beat Lakmal's forward push by hitting him right on the toe. As an umpire, you can't ask for an easier decision to make.
RAS Lakmal lbw b Boult 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Boult, on a hat-trick. Three slips and a gully. Chameera to face his first ball
40.1 Boult to Chameera, no run, and he defends it, was a touch fuller outside off, blocked on the front foot
40.2 Boult to Chameera, OUT, and he gets him now, that's a five-wicket haul for Boult, length ball, gets it shape back this time to rap the batsman on the front pad, up goes the finger and Sri Lanka are suddenly nine down
PVD Chameera lbw b Boult 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
40.3 Boult to Kumara, no run, fuller in the corridor, pushes away from the body and gets beaten
40.4 Boult to Kumara, no run, fuller length around off, defended from the crease
40.5 Boult to Kumara, no run, fuller in the channel but too away to get an edge, the batsman though fished outside
40.6 Boult to Kumara, OUT, make that six! Full and straight on the stumps, and Kumara didn't offer a shot, dead out. However, he has gone for the review but the New Zealand fielders are actually walking off. Pitched around middle and leg and straightened a bit as the batsman moved across, was hitting middle and leg. That's six wickets for four runs in 15 balls for Boult
CBRLS Kumara lbw b Boult 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00