Sri Lanka on the verge of historic series sweep against New Zealand

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka is just five wickets away from sealing a monumental series sweep against New Zealand after reducing the visitors to 119 for five in their second innings on Saturday.

New Zealand, with a daunting 315 runs still needed to avoid an innings defeat, face an uphill battle. The match, poised to end inside three days, was only prolonged due to bad light, forcing umpires to call off play with 20 overs remaining.

Day three was nothing short of manic, with the Kiwis losing 13 wickets, including a morning collapse of nine wickets.

New Zealand’s first innings imploded for a mere 88 runs — its lowest-ever total against Sri Lanka — thanks to a six-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.

“It has been a fabulous Test match for us,” Jayasuriya said. "All credit to the batters. When they put on 600-plus runs on the board it is really tough when the opposition know the game has slipped away from them.

“We need five more wickets and I am sure we will wrap things up quickly,” he added. "In the second innings, they changed their approach and attacked us. I like when the opposition play aggressively. You will end up conceding runs but then there is a big possibility of you picking up wickets as well.

Having claimed nine wickets in the first test, Jayasuriya again proved unplayable on a deteriorating surface tailor-made for spinners. The Sri Lankan fielders were equally sharp, with captain Dhananjaya de Silva taking five excellent catches in the first innings.

New Zealand’s attempt to stonewall Sri Lanka’s disciplined spin attack in the first innings backfired. But in the second innings, they opted for a more aggressive approach, which initially paid off.

Kane Williamson and Devon Conway showcased resilience with a 97-run partnership for the second wicket.

Conway’s 61 off 62 balls, comprising 10 boundaries and a six, ended with a stunning catch by Dinesh Chandimal, who sprinted back from extra cover to take the difficult chance. Williamson followed soon after, dismissed for 46, courtesy of another superb catch by Ramesh Mendis at long-on.

An unbroken 78-run stand for the sixth wicket between Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips brought some stability to New Zealand’s second innings. Blundell, on 47 from 50 balls, and Phillips, unbeaten on 32 from 41, both found the boundary with two sixes each to avoid a repeat of the first innings disaster.

Sri Lanka, completely dominating the match, piled on a colossal 602 runs in their first innings, with three centurions leading the charge. Kamindu Mendis’ unbeaten 182 was the standout performance, taking him to 1,000 test runs in record time — becoming the joint-third fastest alongside the legendary Don Bradman to achieve the milestone.

“Very disappointed with the way we batted in the morning today,” Blundell said. "You cannot compete after losing nine wickets in a session. It was a bitter pill to swallow. I thought we were a bit tentative in the morning. But in the second innings, we tried to be positive.

“We have a nice partnership going at the moment and tomorrow morning we need to come back and continue in the same way and put them under pressure,” he added. “Try and see if we can stretch this partnership for a long period of time. The key is to play one ball at a time. Then hopefully the remaining batters to come will put some partnerships too.”

If Sri Lanka completes the win on Sunday, it would mark its biggest test victory, potentially surpassing their innings and 280-run thrashing of Ireland last year. The hosts, who won the first test by 63 runs, are now on the cusp of their first series victory over New Zealand in 15 years.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Young fans ask for their bats to be signed by Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya 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)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya throws a ball as New Zealand's Glenn Phillips watches during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

New Zealand's Kane Williamson leaves the field after losing his wicket during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya bowls a delivery during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

New Zealand's Kane Williamson leaves the field after losing his wicket during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Nishan Peiris celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's captain Dhananjaya de Silva takes a catch to dismiss New Zealand's Tom Blundell during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Nishan Peiris celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Ajaz Patel during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Nishan Peiris celebrates the wicket ofNew Zealand's Mitchell Santner during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell reacts after losing his wicket during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

New Zealand's captain Tim Southee leaves the field after losing his wicket during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

New Zealand's Mitchell Santner leaves the field after losing his wicket during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya acknowledges after taking six New Zealand wickets during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A powerful winter storm swept across California on Wednesday, with heavy rains and gusty winds bringing mudslides and debris flows that has led to some water rescues and evacuation orders.

Forecasters said Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about flash flooding and mudslides. Areas scorched by January’s wildfires were under evacuation warnings, and Los Angeles County officials said the previous day that they delivered about 380 evacuation orders to especially vulnerable homes.

San Bernardino County firefighters said they rescued people trapped in their cars when mud and debris rushed down a road leading into Wrightwood, a mountain resort town in the San Gabriel Mountains about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles. It was not immediately clear how many were rescued.

Firefighters also went door to door to check on residents, and the area was under a shelter-in-place order, officials said. Lytle Creek, also in the San Gabriel Mountains, was under evacuation orders in the afternoon as rains continued to pummel the area.

Debris and mud were seen cascading down a road in Wrightwood in a video posted by county fire officials. Another video showed fast-moving water rushing through the front porch of several homes.

The storm stranded Dillan Brown with his wife and 14-month-old daughter at a rented cabin in Wrightwood with almost no food and only enough diapers for about another day. By the morning, roads leading off the mountain and to a grocery store were blocked by rocks and debris, Brown said.

“I came across (a road) where there was a car sucked away by the water and realized we were trapped here,” he said.

A resident learned of his situation and posted a call for help in a Facebook group, and in less than an hour, neighbors showed up with more than enough supplies to ride out the storm, including bread, vegetables, milk, diapers and wipes.

“I think we’re a little sad and upset that we’re not going to be home with our families,” Brown said, but the “kindness shown is definitely an overwhelming feeling.”

Janice Quick, president of the Wrightwood Chamber of Commerce and a resident of the mountain town for 45 years, said a wildfire in 2024 left much of the terrain without tree coverage and “all this rain is bringing down a lot of debris and a lot of mud from the mountain area.”

Residents around the burn scar zones from the Airport Fire in Orange County were also ordered to evacuate.

Areas along the coast including Malibu were under flood warnings until the evening, and much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area were also under wind and flood advisories.

The Los Angeles Fire Department rescued a man trapped in a drainage tunnel in northwest LA. No injuries were reported, but the man was being evaluated.

Several roadways including a part of Interstate 5 near the Burbank Airport were closed due to flooding.

Conditions could worsen with multiple atmospheric rivers during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. The storm in Los Angeles was expected to strengthen into the afternoon before tapering off later in the evening.

James Dangerfield, an 84-year-old resident of Altadena, said his family and neighbor helped place sandbags in his backyard earlier this week. A flash flood warning was issued for the neighborhood, but he wasn't too worried because his house is on a hill.

He and his wife, Stephanie, planned to remain there and spend Christmas Eve with their two adult daughters and grandchildren.

“We’re just going to stay put, and everybody will have to come to us,” Dangerfield said. “We’re not going to go anywhere.”

Mike Burdick, who takes care of his parents in Altadena near burn scars from the Eaton Fire, ran out to buy more sandbags in the morning when he saw that the pool was overflowing.

“I literally woke up to just downpour,” he said.

The family was prepared to evacuate with a week’s worth of essentials including for their dog and cat. They planned to attend a nearby holiday party in the evening.

“We’re just going to make an appearance and get back safe to our animals,” Burdick said.

Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.

Forecasters said heavy snow and gusts were expected to create “near white-out conditions” in parts of the Sierra Nevada and make travel “nearly impossible” through mountain passes. There was also a “considerable” avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center.

The National Weather Service said a winter storm warning would be in effect for the greater Tahoe region until Friday morning.

Power was knocked out to more than 125,000 due to a damaged power pole, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. utility.

The California Highway Patrol was investigating a seemingly weather-related fatal crash south of Sacramento. A driver who was apparently traveling at an unsafe speed lost control on a wet road and crashed into a power pole, Officer Michael Harper said via email.

San Francisco and Los Angeles airports reported some minor morning flight delays.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties to allow state assistance in storm response.

Flash flooding in Northern California has led to water rescues and at least one death, authorities said.

The state deployed emergency resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.

Atmospheric rivers transport moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes in long, narrow bands of water vapor that form over an ocean.

Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento and Jessica Hill in Las Vegas contributed.

Miguel Lopez sweeps water from Marlene's Beachcomber on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Miguel Lopez sweeps water from Marlene's Beachcomber on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Miguel Lopez sweeps water from Marlene's Beachcomber on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Miguel Lopez sweeps water from Marlene's Beachcomber on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

A tourist from China battles the rain on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

People look toward traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge from the Golden Gate Overlook in San Francisco, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking on a path at Alamo Square Park, in San Francisco, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)