William O'Rourke falls just short of Richard Hadlee's 40-year record

New Zealand fast bowler William O'Rourke has registered the second-best match figures for New Zealand in Sri Lanka after Richard Hadlee. He picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings and followed it up with three more in the second to finish with match figures of 8/104. Only Hadlee has fared better in the island nation, with figures of 10/102 at the Colombo Cricket Club in 1984. 

O'Rourke achieved this feat during the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. 

Playing only his third Test, the 23-year-old made his debut earlier this year against South Africa in Hamilton, where he picked up nine wickets in the match, including 5/34 in the second innings to help his side to a comfortable seven-wicket victory. O'Rourke has also played three One-Day Internationals (ODI) and as many T20 Internationals (T20I) for his country, since making his white-ball debut last year.

In the ongoing Test in Galle, Ajaz Patel finished with match figures of 8/150 - the best for a New Zealand spinner in Sri Lanka. His 6/90 is also the second-best bowling figures by a Blackcaps spinner after Daniel Vettori's 6/64 in Colombo (SSC) in 1998.

Thanks to a brilliant performance from Ajaz and O'Rourke, the Blackcaps have a terrific chance of winning the Test. They need 275 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-match series. 

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