Southee Praised Young Stars O'Rourke and Ravindra Despite Narrow Defeat

New Zealand suffered their fifth consecutive defeat at Galle as Sri Lanka had them 63 runs short of any win in the Test match. Seamer Will O'Rourke and batter Rachin Ravindra, who played a critical role in delaying the Kiwis' defeat, were highly appreciated by captain Tim Southee.

O'Rourke, in just his third Test, showed excellent skill in testing conditions. The 23-year-old fast bowler consistently clocked 140kph, taking eight wickets for 104 runs. His six dismissals of both top-and-middle order batters are not something that Southee would forget quickly.

"Will's had a short Test career so far, and he's certainly announced himself," Southee said. "For him to come to his first Test in the subcontinent and walk away with eight wickets is nothing special. He's got a great head on his shoulders, and he's a big guy. There's a lot to like about Will O'Rourke."

On the batting side, 24-year-old Rachin Ravindra came good with a gritty 92 runs on a stiff fourth-innings pitch. Not too much experience compared to his team-mates, Ravindra showed his talent and composure, especially after New Zealand had struggled early on. While terming his ability to keep the chase alive, Southee said, "Rachin kept us in the hunt. It was a great knock in those conditions."

On the third morning, batting in a heap, New Zealand was to suffer a collapse. While they began the day on 255 for 4, such was the fall-off in wickets that they lost six for 71 runs and allowed the Sri Lankan spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis to seize the initiative. Southee revealed how his side would have dearly loved to have built a more substantial innings lead that would have bucked the fortunes of the match itself.

"Those moments were crucial. If we had been able to press on and get more lead, the result could have been different. It was still a good Test match, and there are plenty of positives to take into our next games."

However, O'Rourke and Ravindra provide some optimism concerning the emerging talent for New Zealand cricket that can be effective in the international circuit.