In a franchise-altering trade, the New York Knicks are close to acquiring four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves for a package centered around Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, according to reports on Friday night.

Minnesota would also get a protected first-round pick from the Knicks that originally belonged to the Detroit Pistons.

The deal is expected to be finalised Friday night, sources said.

Because the Knicks and Timberwolves are both operating over the luxury tax apron, more players and possibly a third team must be involved.

Towns previously played under current Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau from 2016-2019 and has been linked to New York ever since Leon Rose took over the front office in March 2020.

Towns, who grew up in nearby New Jersey, will pair with star guard Jalen Brunson to give New York one of the best inside-outside combinations in the league.

This would be the second major addition this offseason for the Knicks, who acquired forward Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in July.

Towns has spent all nine of his NBA seasons with Minnesota and helped the Wolves reach the Western Conference finals this past season following a 56-26 regular season.

He averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this past season and has averaged 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds for his career.

Randle was a three-time All-Star with the Knicks as their starting power forward, a Most Improved Player winner and a two-time All-NBA selection.

He did not play in the playoffs after dislocating his shoulder on January 27, and after two months of rehab, opted to undergo season-ending right shoulder surgery in April.

DiVincenzo averaged a career-best 15.5 points last season for the Knicks and ranked third with 283 3-pointers made, trailing only Stephen Curry and Luka Dončić.

Craig Allison and Katherine Wynter emerged as winners of the Division A Men’s and Women’s Singles Badminton titles, respectively, at week two of the Jamaica Badminton Academy (JBA) Shuttle Showdown at the YMCA in Kingston from September 21-22.

Allison secured the Men’s title with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) win over Joel Angus while on the Women’s side, Wynter dominated Alexandra Beckford 2-0 (21-9, 21-12).

The Men’s Singles crown in Division B was taken by Odray Sealy who came from a set down to defeat Jamie Lee Vernon in three sets (18-21, 21-14, 21-12).

Brianna Burke defeated Sue-Ann Ogle in straight sets (21-16, 21-18) to win the Women’s Singles Division C title.

Brianna Burke (left) won titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

In Doubles, Anthony McNee and Kemar Valentine defeated Kenneth Anglin and beaten singles finalist Joel Angus 21-12, 21-18 to take the Men’s Division A title while singles champion Katherine Wynter combined with Stefani Brown to add the doubles crown with a 21-14, 23-21 win over Alexandra Beckford and Breanna Bisnott.

Stephen Lue Yen and Aaliyah Walker took the Division A Mixed Doubles crown with a 19-21, 26-24, 23-21 win over Kenneth Anglin and Stefani Brown.

In Division C, Jorie McBean and Samuel Smith took the Men’s Doubles title with a 21-18, 21-11 win over Jhevado Ross and Matheus Smith.

Brianna Burke added to her singles title with doubles success alongside Zoelle Jamel as they defeated Dadrian Lewis and Davina Scott 21-19, 19-21, 21-10.

Burke added her third title of the weekend in Mixed Doubles when she combined with Chavaughn Schleifer to defeat Joseph Morrison and Zoelle Jamel 21-17, 21-18.

The age-group were as follows: U9 Boys Singles- Zamani Allen, U9 Girls Singles- Jillian Yap, U11 Boys Singles- Justin Dillon, U11 Girls Singles- Brea Grant, U13 Boys Singles- Ethan Grant, U13 Girls Singles- Ella Bella Palmer, U13 Mixed Doubles- Ethan Grant and Savannah Watson, Boys U15 Singles- Amir McBean, Girls U15 Singles- Leeya Dileep, U15 Mixed Doubles- Matheus Smith and Sue-Ann Ogle, U15 Boys Doubles-Amir McBean and Matheus Smith.

 

 

 

England showed their power with the bat and ball as they levelled their ODI series with a 186-run thumping of Australia in a rain-delayed match at Lord's.

Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and a blistering batting display from Liam Livingstone sent England on their way before Matthew Potts starred with the ball in hand. 

After a relatively quiet start to the top order that saw Phil Salt (22) and Will Jacks (10) fall early, Brook quickly found his rhythm, cruising to a 37-ball half-century. 

Duckett's 63 runs from 62 deliveries, coupled with Brook (87), saw England take control, but the pair were dismissed within eight overs of each other. 

However, a late onslaught ensued when Livingstone was welcomed to the crease, notching an unbeaten 62 runs from 27 deliveries, a knock that included seven sixes, four of which came as he took 28 off the last over of the innings from Mitchell Starc.

With England ending on 312-5, Australia started their chase strongly, but the wickets of Mitchell Marsh (28), Travis Head (34) and Steve Smith (five) within four overs started the tourists' collapse. 

Australia crumbled from 68-0 to 126 all out in 24.4 overs, with Potts (4-38) doing most of the damage, with Adil Rashid (1-11) sealing the win with the wicket of Josh Hazlewood to force a decider in Bristol on Sunday. 

Data Debrief: Livingstone leads comeback

In a game that saw a number of standout performers, Livingstone's display with the bat broke ODI records for matches at Lord's. 

The Lancashire spin bowler's 25-ball half-century was the fastest seen at Lord's, while England's 12 sixes is a new record in an ODI encounter at the home of cricket. 

The triumph also saw England produce their second-highest winning margin against Australia when batting first in the ODI's, with their 242-run victory at Trent Bridge in 2018 the only game they have won by a larger gap. 

Jockey Dane Dawkins is brimming with confidence and ready to showcase his improved form at Caymanas Park on Saturday, following a successful stint in Canada that saw him rack up 25 wins.

The former champion rider, known for his tenacity and skill in the saddle, started slowly at the North American track, but he eventually found his rhythm and returned with more victories under his belt than in his previous overseas campaign in 2019.

Dawkins, who competed primarily at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, admitted that the transition was initially challenging. However, his determination to make a mark and improve on his past performances pushed him through the difficult period.

With every race, he adjusted to the nuances of the track and the competition, and by the end of the season there, Dawkins had established himself as a force to be reckoned with. His 25 wins were complemented by 24 second-place finishes and 28 third-place finishes from 169 mounts, amassing an impressive CAD$288,149 (about $33.5 million Jamaican) in earnings.

“It was a tough start because it took a while for me to get comfortable and get to know the horses, but once I got into my groove after my first two months, everything started to click. Winning 25 races this time around was a big deal for me because I only won seven the last time I was there. It shows I’m learning and improving and once I started winning races, the trainers saw my true potential and started giving me more rides,” Dawkins told SportsMax.Tv.

Dawkins’ performances in Canada weren’t just about accumulating wins, the experience also sharpened his skills. With the renewed confidence, he is eager to bring that momentum back to Jamaica, where he now hopes to continue his winning streak at Caymanas Park, as he has secured four rides on Saturday’s card and another six for Sunday.

“I’m excited to be back at Caymanas. Riding in Canada helped me fine-tune my techniques and decision-making, and I want to use that to get more wins here. The goal is to build on what I’ve achieved and show that I’m a better rider than before,” the soft-spoken rider noted.

But Dawkins isn’t just focused on immediate success. The talented jockey has his eyes set on a long-term goal—winning more Classic races to cement his legacy in the sport.

For Dawkins, these prestigious events, such as the Jamaica Derby, the Jamaica Oaks, the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Jamaica Cup, Gold Cup and Mouttet Mile, are the pinnacle achievements for any Jamaican jockey, and he’s determined to consistently etch his name in the annals of the sport’s history.

With the season at Caymanas Park nearing its end, Dawkins return at this point in time will only allow him to challenge for the Gold Cup in October, the Jamaica Cup in November, and the lucrative Mouttet Mile in December.

“I want to consistently win those big races, the Classic races. That’s what every jockey targets in their career. Yes, I’ve won a few already, but you can’t get complacent at any time. You always have to keep pushing and putting in the work to continue getting those rides in the big races to make your mark in the sport,” he shared.

However, success on the track is only part of Dawkins’ motivation. A dedicated family man, he revealed that his greatest ambition is to ensure that his loved ones are well taken care of.

For him, the sacrifices he makes and the risks he takes are all in service of providing a better future for his family.

“At the end of the day, I ride to win and make a name for myself, but my family comes first. Every win, every achievement is for them. I just want to make my family proud and happy, and that’s what drives me to keep pushing myself and that’s what it’s all about,” Dawkins ended.

South Africa eased to an eight-wicket triumph over Ireland in the first match of their T20I series, with Patrick Kruger and Ryan Rickelton starring for the Proteas. 

Kruger's four-wicket haul saw Ireland manage 171 from their overs, with Rickleton's knock of 76 from 48 deliveries giving his side a solid foundation to build on. 

The Proteas started strongly as Ross Adair (18), Paul Stirling (two) and Harry Tector (16) fell inside the first six overs through deliveries from Ottniel Baartman (1-36), Wiaan Mulder (1-15) and Bjorn Fortuin (1-28). 

Curtis Campher's 49 attempted to steady the ship for Ireland, only for Kruger (4-27) to rip through their middle order, giving his side a manageable target to reach. 

South Africa's opening partnership of Reeza Hendricks (51) and Rickelton set the early tone, with the Proteas going 136 runs without loss until Hendricks was dismissed by Craig Young (1-25). 

Rickelton's time at the crease came to an end in the following over, but Matthew Breetzke (19) and Aiden Markram (17) were able to guide South Africa home to take a 1-0 series lead ahead of the second T20I on Sunday. 

Data Debrief: Rickelton rises to the occasion

Rickelton's knock of 76 was his maiden half-century for the Proteas in T20I's, notching nine boundaries (six sixes and three fours) during his 70-minute stint. 

The 28-year-old saw his time at the crease ended by Adair, but left the field at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium with an impressive strike rate of 158.33. 

Mikel Arteta insists the title fight between Arsenal and Manchester City will not affect his relationship with Pep Guardiola.

The sides played out a dramatic 2-2 draw in the Premier League last Sunday, with City snatching a last-gasp equaliser after 10-man Arsenal had staunchly defended throughout the second half.

Leandro Trossard was dismissed at the end of the first half, receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, and Arsenal were accused of using the "dark arts" in their attempts to come away with three points.

The Gunners spent a total of nine minutes and four seconds on their goal-kicks in Sunday's match – the most by any team in a Premier League game this season.

Meanwhile, the average delay at Arsenal restarts (goal-kicks, throw-ins and free-kicks) was 42.7 seconds, with only Aston Villa versus Wolves (47.3) taking longer this term.

Multiple City players have since criticised the tactics, with arguments also taking place on the pitch, but Arteta says his friendship with Guardiola would not suffer because of any on-pitch disagreements.

"I love him [Guardiola]. I respect him and admire him. I admire his team and everything he does," Arteta said.

"This is sport. One thing is our professional, another is my personal relationship. If that has to be damaged because we play against each other, then I wouldn't talk to him anymore!

"That's not the relationship I consider both of us have. Sport will never get in my way for a personal relationship, for sure."

Asked if the accusations aimed at Arsenal could affect it, Arteta added: "It depends. If it's true, but if it's not, and you show your integrity, do what you think is right, it doesn't have to.

"It's opinions. If you don't like them, you shouldn't be sitting where I am.

"It's simple, don't take it personally, make sure you handle the things you care about in the right way, and I really care about that relationship. It's the same as a lot of staff and players I've spent very important years of my life working with."

Arsenal are back in action against Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday. 

Ange Postecoglou believes Erik ten Hag has done a "fantastic job" at Manchester United ahead of Tottenham's visit to Old Trafford this Sunday. 

Ten Hag, who has won the EFL Cup and FA Cup during his tenure with the Red Devils, has been the focus of criticism for a lack of identity in his time at the helm. 

The Dutchman led United to their worst-ever Premier League finish last term, along with conceding 58 goals - the most they have let in during their time in the top flight. 

But Postecoglou, along with his opposite number, has endured a difficult start to the campaign, with Spurs 10th in the early-season standings with seven points. 

The Spurs head coach has come under fire for his team's slow start, having previously said that he "always win trophies in his second season."

And the Australian's upcoming assignment is no easy task against a side Tottenham have historically struggled against at Old Trafford. 

United have won 24 Premier League home games against Spurs – only Arsenal have beaten a team more often at home in the competition’s history (25 vs Everton).

Postecoglou has also seen his side fail to perform away from home, despite having taken 14 points from his first six Premier League away games in charge. 

Since, Spurs have managed to take 14 points from 15 games away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (three wins, five draws and seven defeats). 

Among ever-present Premier League teams across the last two seasons, no side has won fewer away games since the start of November 2023 than Spurs' three. 

Bournemouth (24), Nottingham Forest (19) and Crystal Palace (15) are among the clubs to better their 14 away points won in that span. 

A result for either side could kickstart their respective seasons, but Postecoglou showered praise on Ten Hag ahead of kick-off this Sunday. 

"There’s always some manager under pressure," Postecoglou said. 

"There must be a spinning board with all our faces on and whichever it lands on cops it for a week or two.

"He’s done a great job. He keeps mentioning he’s won two trophies and that’s not insignificant.

"Everyone keeps saying that is all I need to do but then there is always something expected after. It is a difficult job.

"It is tough to go to Old Trafford. Irrespective of managers, it is still a rather compelling home record. It is one we will be ready for."

Coco Gauff prevailed in her opening match at the China Open, beating Clara Burel in straight sets on Friday to reach the third round.

Playing in her first match since her US Open fourth-round exit, Gauff held off the Frenchwoman's challenge, winning 7-5 6-3 in 102 minutes.

The pair traded breaks early in the contest before Burel pulled in front and looked sure to take the first set.

Gauff pushed back though, saving a set point at 5-4 before eventually edging in front with her fourth break of the set.

It was slightly more straightforward in the second, with Gauff's patience eventually rewarded as a three-game winning streak at the end of the match sealed the victory, setting up a meeting with Katie Boulter in the next round. 

Data Debrief: Hard court advantage

With this victory, Gauff has now won 46 matches at WTA-1000 hard-court events, equalling Caroline Wozniacki for the most such wins before turning 21 since the format was introduced in 2009 (46).

It also marks Gauff's 30th straight win over a player ranked outside the top 50, with her last such defeat coming 15 months ago in the first round of Wimbledon 2023 against Sofia Kenin. 

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick will rely on his experienced players as the Blaugrana navigate an injury crisis early on in his first campaign at the helm.

A perfect seven wins from as many matches in LaLiga this season means Barca could match the best start in their league history on Saturday, when they visit Osasuna.

Only once have Barca won their first eight matches to start a league campaign, doing so in 2013-14 under Gerardo Martino but ultimately finishing second to Atletico Madrid that season.

Flick's impressive start at Camp Nou has come despite injuries biting at his squad, with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen the latest casualty as he underwent knee surgery this week.

He has joined Dani Olmo, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo, Fermin Lopez and Andreas Christensen in the treatment room, while Inigo Martinez is doubtful after suffering an injury against Getafe on Wednesday.

De Jong and Gavi are closing in on returns, but Flick is confident in his team's ability to cope in their absence.  

"This is about quality of the players. They are very well prepared and train with so much passion and mentality," Flick said. "Evidently, as we did before, there will be some rotations.

"But also it's important the experienced players are with us, like Raphinha and [Robert] Lewandowski. Inigo received a blow, so we will see how that is.

"From what I see in training, [De Jong] is in good shape, also Gavi picking up the pace. 

"Frenkie is very close to returning. Tomorrow he will have a rest because he needs it, he trained a lot."

The return of De Jong, who last played in April, could be a major boost for Barcelona as they brace for a tough October, when they host Bayern Munich in the Champions League three days before visiting Real Madrid in LaLiga.

"De Jong is an experienced player and he can help us greatly, even if he plays 20 minutes, but we will see what happens next week," Flick said.

Flick was also asked what it would mean to equal Barca's best start to a season, but the German is focused purely on the task of overcoming Osasuna.

"It's always great to win though we aren't focusing on the record," he said.

"From 11 points, Osasuna have won 10 points at home, where the crowd really gets behind them and I like that atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Barca have been banned from selling tickets for their next Champions League away game, at Red Star Belgrade on November 6, after their supporters were found guilty of racist behaviour during their match against Monaco. 

Naomi Osaka rallied to beat Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the China Open on Friday, ending a wait of over two years for a comeback victory.

Osaka came from a set down to win 3-6 6-4 6-2 and tee up a third-round meeting with Katie Volynets, extending her winning streak at the Beijing event to eight matches.

She had failed to win any of her previous 22 matches when going a set down, a streak she was mightily relieved to snap.

"I heard that stat from my agent," Osaka told reporters after her win. 

"I wanted to break it really badly because I knew that I also had a stat about three-setters before I took my break, so that was really important to me.

"I also wanted to show myself that I could win a match and fight without playing as perfectly as I wanted to."

Data Debrief: Back-to-back for Osaka

This is the first time Osaka has won back-to-back matches since June at 's-Hertogenbosch, where she reached the quarter-finals before falling to Bianca Andreescu.

The last time she won from a set down, meanwhile, was in the Miami Open semi-finals in 2022, when she beat Belinda Bencic before losing to Iga Swiatek in the final.

Thiago Motta is relishing the chance to end Juventus' three-match winless run in Serie A against former club Genoa this weekend. 

Motta, who has taken nine points from his first five games as Juventus head coach, returns to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris after playing and managing the Grifone. 

The 42-year-old made 27 appearances for Genoa in all competitions, scoring six goals in the 2008-09 season before moving to Inter the following campaign. 

Motta then returned as their head coach in 2019, replacing Aurelio Andreazzoli, but managed just two wins from his 10 games in charge (D3 L5) before being sacked. 

"I've experienced so many good moments. It was a privilege. I enjoyed it both as a player and as a coach. I'm always happy to return there," Motta said.

While Juventus come into the encounter unbeaten, and the only team yet to concede in Europe's major top five leagues, they have struggled at the top end of the pitch.

The Bianconeri have drawn each of their last three league matches against Roma, Empoli and Napoli with a score of 0-0. 

Juventus could draw four goalless games in a row for the first time in their history in Serie A, but Motta was not worried about his team's goal-scoring form. 

"The offensive phase is not just one player, but the whole team," Motta said.

"We took an important step in the game against Napoli. We took the ball away from a great team.

"We have to put attackers and midfielders in a position to do well. We have to create as a team.

"They always want to win. I always want to win too. But there are many things behind a win.

"In the end, our goal is to win with our game. I have never perceived anxiety in my team. We always want the positive result." 

Unai Emery is not satisfied with Aston Villa's performance levels despite their impressive start to the Premier League season, demanding a step up when they go to Ipswich Town.

Villa have won four of their five Premier League games this season to sit third in the table, just one point adrift of pacesetters Manchester City.

Emery's team fought back to beat Midlands rivals Wolves 3-1 last week before overcoming Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup in midweek, while they also started their Champions League campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win at Young Boys.

Despite seeing his team win three straight Premier League games ahead of their trip to Portman Road, Emery wants more.

"Ipswich will be different but difficult, like the match before. We are trying to build a team. We have to try to get stronger tactically with our players," Emery said.

"We want to increase our levels individually and collectively through them and the process has been positive because we are getting points in this way.

"But of course, we have to improve a lot of things. The match we played against Wolverhampton was very good to analyse deeply how we were playing.

"We are winning but we are needing to change something to improve because maybe, in our matches, it is not enough to get to the other side like we are."

Ipswich, meanwhile, are one of six teams yet to register a Premier League victory this season, though they did deny fellow promoted club Southampton last time out, Sam Morsy netting a stunning 95th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Boss Kieran McKenna has hailed his captain's tendency to pop up with crucial goals, though he feels the Egyptian needs to work on his celebration.

"It was one of the shortest knee-slides I've seen so I think there's a bit of work to do on the technique of the slide!" McKenna said.

"He's scored a few big goals for us to be fair and he's always come up with a slightly different celebration so maybe he isn't a regular enough scorer to have a stock one.

"If he can keep popping up with big goals, he can do whatever he wants!"

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Ipswich Town – Arijanet Muric

Although he only has one Premier League clean sheet in 14 games for Burnley and Ipswich, according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, Muric has prevented 9.4 goals in the competition (21 goals conceded from an xGoT of 30.4).

That is the best prevention rate of any goalkeeper in the Premier League since he made his debut on March 16. He may have a busy game ahead of him this weekend.

Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins

Since Emery's first Aston Villa game in November 2022, only Erling Haaland (66) and Mohamed Salah (59) have been involved in more Premier League goals than Watkins (53 – 35 goals, 18 assists).

Watkins has five goal contributions (three goals, two assists) to his name in all competitions this season and could get some joy against an Ipswich defence that has given up 11.09 expected goals against (xGA) this season – the sixth-worst figure in Europe's top five leagues.

MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN

Ipswich have only won one of their 10 previous Premier League games against Villa (two draws, seven defeats), triumphing 1-0 at Villa Park back in March 1994.

The Tractor Boys are winless through their first five games of the campaign, drawing three and losing two. They last had a longer winless run at the start of a top-flight season in 1982-83, failing to win any of their first six but ultimately finishing in the top half.

Ipswich have actually drawn their last three league matches, last drawing more successive games as a Championship club between February and March 2017. They last had a longer run of draws as a top-flight side in 1992 (five between August and September).

Villa come in as favourites, as they look to win their first three away games in a Premier League season for just the second time, previously doing so in 2020-21.

Emery has won nine of 10 league games against newly promoted clubs as Villa boss, including all four to take place on the road. Overall, he has a win percentage of 78% (14 wins, two draws, two defeats) in 18 meetings with Premier League new boys.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Ipswich Town – 26.2%

Aston Villa – 49%

Draw – 24.8%

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Rodri will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The Spaniard limped off in the first half of City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal after turning awkwardly in a tussle with Thomas Partey on a corner.

Reports soon claimed Rodri could be out for the rest of the season with the serious-looking injury, and he later visited a specialist in Barcelona.

Guardiola had said on Tuesday that Rodri was facing a long spell on the sidelines, describing him as "irreplaceable", with the club confirming it was a ligament injury the following day.

Now, speaking ahead of their Premier League trip to Newcastle United on Saturday, the manager explained the extent of the midfielder's injury.

"[Rodri had] surgery this morning [on his] ACL and next season he will be here. This season is over," Guardiola told reporters.

"Unfortunately, we got the worst [news] but these things happen. We will be there to support him in his recovery step-by-step.

"What he gives us, we don't have a similar player. But the others can all together replace what Rodri has given since his arrival to us.

"We will have to do it as a team and find a way to play a lot of matches without an important player for us.

"If we don't win, then it is because of Rodri. We are stronger with him and stronger with [Nathan] Ake and [Oscar] Bobb and Kevin [De Bruyne] but that is what it is. We don't want it, but it is football.

"As a club, we have magnificent players, and we will find a solution."

Each of City's last four Premier League defeats have all come when Rodri has not featured in the side. Indeed, the 28-year-old is unbeaten in his last 52 Premier League appearances (W42 D10), a run stretching back to February 2023.

City only lost one of the 50 matches in which Rodri appeared across all competitions last season – the FA Cup final against Manchester United – and their win percentage dropped from 76% to 55.6% in the nine games they played without him.

Asked if City would bring in a replacement for the midfielder in the January transfer window, Guardiola added: "We will talk, we will see what is going on. We have time to see."

Kamindu Mendis' century helped Sri Lanka cruise past 600 in their first innings, strengthening their already iron grip on their second Test against New Zealand on day two.

The hosts picked up where they left off on Thursday, with New Zealand offering little resistance as the run count continued to tick over.

Dinesh Chandimal's ton propelled them to 306-3 on day one, and Kamindu carried on their momentum, claiming his fifth Test century in the second session.

His 117-run partnership with Kusal Mendis in that session piled the misery on the tourists, as Kamindu plundered an unbeaten 182, and his partner 106, to help the hosts put 602-5 on the board.

New Zealand's bowling left a lot to be desired, and they struggled to get going with the bat too when they eventually stepped up to the crease.

In just 14 overs, Tom Latham (2) and Devon Conway (9) were dismissed, with Kane Williamson set to continue on Saturday having got six from 42 balls.

With just 22-2 under their belt, they trail by 580 runs and will need a huge performance on day three to chase it down.

Data Debrief: Kamindu steals the show

There was some exceptional batting from Sri Lanka's new star Kamindu, with his unbeaten 182 on Friday his highest-ever score.

He also became the fastest batter to 1,000 Test runs in 75 years (1,004), getting there in 13 innings to equal Don Bradman's pace.

He averages 91.27 a match, maintaining a strike rate of 65.02, and has crossed 50 in nine of those innings, reaching a century in five. 

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