GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka lost opener Pathum Nissanka in the first over but recovered and was 102 for one at lunch on the first day of the second cricket test against New Zealand on Thursday.
Dinesh Chandimal, promoted to No. 3 from his usual position at five, scored his second half-century in the series. He remained unbeaten on 60 at lunch, having struck nine boundaries off 99 balls.
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New Zealand's captain Tim Southee runs off the field as it rains during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal watches his shot during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's wicketkeeper Tom Blundell celebrates taking catch to dismiss Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's captain Tim Southee runs off the field as it rains during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's Devon Conway runs to field a ball during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot as New Zealand's Tom Blundell watches during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's wicketkeeper Tom Blundell misses a possible stumping chance to dismiss Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal celebrates his fifty runs during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's captain Tim Southee celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka with his team mates during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal plays a shot during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka, right, tries unsuccessfully to catch New Zealand's Tom Blundell, second left, out on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)
Chandimal was involved in a crucial partnership of 100 runs for the second wicket with Dimuth Karunaratne, who was not out on 40.
This partnership helped consolidate Sri Lanka’s position after it won the toss as it aims for a first series win against New Zealand since 2009. Sri Lanka leads the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first test by 63 runs.
Chandimal took a nasty blow to his helmet from William O’Rourke but continued without trouble.
Currently placed third in the World Test Championship, Sri Lanka will be looking to strengthen its standing with a win. Galle has been a friendly venue for Sri Lanka, where the the home side has won 25 of the 43 matches played.
Sri Lanka made two changes from its win in the first test, also at Galle, with all-rounder Milan Rathnayake coming in for fast bowler Lahiru Kumara and Nishan Peiris replacing Ramesh Mendis.
Peiris was making his test debut, while Ratnayake was recalled for his all-round abilities.
New Zealand retained an unchanged lineup as it bids to continue an unbeaten streak in the last six test series against Sri Lanka.
Following defeat in the first test, New Zealand slipped from third to fourth in the WTC rankings. A win in the second test would allow the Kiwis to reclaim third spot.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
New Zealand's captain Tim Southee runs off the field as it rains during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal watches his shot during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's wicketkeeper Tom Blundell celebrates taking catch to dismiss Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's captain Tim Southee runs off the field as it rains during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's Devon Conway runs to field a ball during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot as New Zealand's Tom Blundell watches during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's wicketkeeper Tom Blundell misses a possible stumping chance to dismiss Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal celebrates his fifty runs during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's captain Tim Southee celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka with his team mates during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal plays a shot during the day one of the first test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka, right, tries unsuccessfully to catch New Zealand's Tom Blundell, second left, out on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)
MADRID (AP) — The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will begin in Malaga this week in a closer partnership with the Davis Cup and with some added attention given to the victims of the deadly floods that recently devastated eastern Spain.
It will be the first time that the women's team tournament will take place at the same venue as the Davis Cup and with overlapping dates. And for the second year in a row, it will offer equivalent prize money to the men's competition.
The women's event begins two weeks after a powerful storm caused flash floods that killed more than 200 people in the Valencia region east of Malaga.
The International Tennis Federation announced a donation to the Spanish Red Cross to support relief and recovery efforts in the region, and Spanish player Paula Badosa said she will donate half of her prize money to help the victims.
“I'm excited about representing my country, but I won't forget about what's really important in these moments,” Badosa said on a social media post.
Spain takes on Iga Swiatek's Poland on the competition's first day on Tuesday, led by Badosa not long after the former second-ranked player considered retiring while dealing with a chronic back injury.
“I think it was a bit of a rollercoaster this year," Badosa said. “I’m really proud of myself, how I overcame these tough situations and also how I finished the season. I finished the year in a very high level. I’m really happy, as there was one point of the season where I was very far away from the level I wanted to be.”
On Wednesday, the United States will take on Slovakia with Ashlyn Krueger replacing Jessica Pegula in Lindsay Davenport's team, which also includes Danielle Collins, Caroline Dolehide, Peyton Stearns and Taylor Townsend.
Also on Wednesday, Japan — without Naomi Osaka — plays against Romania, while on Thursday it's Germany against Britain. Defending champion Canada, Australia, Italy and the Czech Republic wait to take on the winners of those previous matchups.
Each matchup will be a best-of-three series with two singles matches and one doubles match.
Previously known as Fed Cup, the competition was rebranded in 2020 to align with former tennis star Billie Jean King.
It will end Nov. 20, while the Davis Cup will be played Nov. 19-24, with all matches taking place at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in Malaga.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
FILE - A man walks through a street affected by floods in Valencia, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
FILE - Billie Jean King applauds next to trophy during the Billie Jean King Cup finals in La Cartuja stadium in Seville, southern Spain, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
FILE - U.S. tennis star Billie Jean King poses with Canada's team members as they celebrate after wining the Billie Jean King Cup finals in La Cartuja stadium in Seville, southern Spain, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)