New Zealand fights on, and finds ways to win. It was part of Daryl Mitchell’s assessment of New Zealand on the third day at Hagley Oval after they came roaring into the Test. Mitchell was the top scorer, scoring 102 runs from 193 balls, helping New Zealand recover from 188 to 373 for 6.

Mitchell said after the day’s play –

“To do it at home here in front of my family is pretty cool, and to do it in the circumstances where those runs were needed. I never knew if I would actually be able to get one Test hundred, let alone be where we are now. Every one is special.”

Mitchell added – “I guess I’m a late bloomer in international cricket. To represent my country across all the formats is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.”

It was Mitchell’s fifth Test century in 25 innings and his second in his hometown of Christchurch. Since making his international debut in 2019, Mitchell – now 31 – has become an integral part of the national side across all formats.

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Mitchell further said –

“It’s a typical Hagley wicket in that it has got pace and bounce there. I thought the Sri Lankans bowled extremely well last night. They built a lot of pressure and were relentless. You needed a little bit of luck to get through that patch as well. That was nice. And then to put on partnerships with the boys and get us to a total that put us ahead of the game was awesome.”