Twitter Reactions: Chandimal ton helps Sri Lanka tighten grip in Galle

 The hosts won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost Pathum Nissanka cheaply before Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal stitched a 122-run stand for the second wicket. Chandimal found another partner in the form of Angelo Mathews and the duo put up 97 runs for the third wicket.

Karunarathne was part of an unfortunate run-out orchestrated by Glenn Phillips and Tom Latham. He departed scoring 46 off 109 balls. Chandimal brought up his well-deserved ton as the right-handed batter 116 off 128 laced with 16 boundaries.

Mathews and Kamindu Mendis remained unbeaten on 78 and 51, respectively, as Sri Lanka ended the Day 1 on 306/3 on the board. Notably, Mendis even achieved the distinctive feat of scoring the most (8) consecutive fifty-plus scores since the debut.

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For New Zealand, Tim Southee and Glenn Phillips picked a wicket apiece. Sri Lanka will aim to bat throughout on Day 2 and put up a formidable score on the board with seven wickets in hand. The pitch is expected to soften up as the game goes on and New Zealand would want take this as an opportunity to exert pressure on the hosts on Day 2. Will ORourke, who was impressive in the previous Test, went wicketless on Day 1. 

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