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New Zealand pacer William O'Rourke dismissed both opening batters on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka. The Kiwis have made the new ball count, with O'Rourke getting the cherry to move, and removing the in-form Pathum Nissanka with a brilliant yorker.
Nissanka, fresh on the back of his hundred in England, made a commanding start to the proceedings with a flurry of boundaries. He raced off to 27 runs off 24 deliveries with the help of five fours. But O'Rourke's persistence with the inswinging yorker ended his stay at the crease.
After being hit for two boundaries in the first half of the sixth over, O'Rourke tried to use the breeze and his tall frame to trap the right-handed batter. He landed the inswinging delivery on the fifth ball, but it swung a tad too much, hitting Nissanka's pads beyond the leg stump.
O'Rourke, however, executed the delivery to perfection to close out the over. Nissanka was caught all ends up by the yorker and found his stumps rattled as the ball tailed in quite late.
Have a look at the brilliant piece of bowling right here.
Sri Lanka were reduced to 33-2 after six overs following Nissanka's departure at the Galle International Stadium.
William O'Rourke has made a commanding start to his first overseas assignment
The tall pacer pipped Ben Sears to be the second seamer in the subcontinent conditions along with skipper Tim Southee. His two Test appearances have come in home conditions, including a nine-fer on debut in Hamilton.
O'Rourke's displays with the new ball in Sri Lanka will be a major source of encouragement as they are scheduled to tour India next.
The 23-year-old has recorded figures of 2-26 off his first spell of five overs. As of writing, Sri Lanka are placed at 50-2 after 12 overs of play on the opening day. The experienced duo of Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews are assessing the situation after the openers' departure.
