Sri Lanka batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne, second right, and Angelo Mathews, second left, leave the field after Day 1 of the Colombo Test. AP Photo
Sri Lanka batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne, second right, and Angelo Mathews, second left, leave the field after Day 1 of the Colombo Test. AP Photo
Sri Lanka batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne, second right, and Angelo Mathews, second left, leave the field after Day 1 of the Colombo Test. AP Photo
Sri Lanka batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne, second right, and Angelo Mathews, second left, leave the field after Day 1 of the Colombo Test. AP Photo

Sri Lanka and New Zealand 'evenly-poised' after rain-disrupted first day of Colombo Test


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Captain Dimuth Karunaratne helped Sri Lanka to 85-2 at stumps on a rain-hit Day 1 of the second Test against New Zealand in Colombo on Thursday.

Only 36.3 overs were possible after rain washed out the first session and bad light ended play for the day with Karunaratne unbeaten on 49.

Karunaratne, fresh from a match-winning century in the first Test in Galle last week last week, hit six boundaries during his 100-ball stay in overcast conditions.

Former captain Angelo Mathews was giving Karunaratne company in the middle to remain unbeaten on nought after facing 14 deliveries.

New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme, who made the XI in place of Mitchell Santner, said the match was "evenly poised".

"There's a bit of more bounce on this track than what we encountered in Galle and that's nice," he said after play ended.

"If we can get a couple of early wickets tomorrow morning that will be nice."

Karunaratne batted with positive intent despite losing opening partner Lahiru Thirimanne and Kusal Mendis either side of tea.

Thirimanne never looked comfortable and his 59-minute stay at the wicket produced just two runs.

His misery ended when he pushed a William Somerville delivery and was caught at extra cover by skipper Kane Williamson. He had been earlier dropped by wicketkeeper BJ Watling off Somerville.

Mendis looked good as he reached 32 with four fours and put on 50 runs with Karunaratne to steady the batting.

De Grandhomme got Mendis caught behind on a seaming delivery outside the off stump and Watling gloved the catch.

"I was just trying to be patient and stay for a longer period operating in the same line until he made a mistake and he did that, and we were glad to claim that wicket just before close of play," de Grandhomme said.

The hosts only need a draw to clinch the two-match series.

Both teams made one change from the first match.

Sri Lanka included veteran spinner Dilruwan Perera in place of Akila Dananjaya, who was reported for a suspect bowling action after the first Test.

The entire opening session and another hour was lost due to persistent rain and the toss took place at 1:10 pm (12.40am UAE). The afternoon session went uninterrupted but play was again delayed by 28 minutes after tea due to rain.

After 7.3 overs in the evening session, play was called off due to bad light. Play will resume on Day 2 15 minutes before schedule at 9.45am (8.15am UAE).

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Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')

Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')

Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)

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For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.

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MATCH INFO

Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)

Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14

Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)

Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31

Bangla Tigers win by six wickets

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scores

Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace

Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)

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What is THAAD?

It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.

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It was created in 2008.

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THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.

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Purpose:

To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.

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THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.

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Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.

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In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.

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