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Tea Sri Lanka 190 for 5 (Mahela 68*, Mathews 76*, Southee 4-43) trail New Zealand 221 by 31 runs
Tharanga Paranavitana was bowled in the first over of the day © Associated Press
Tim Southee and Trent Boult took four wickets for cheap through accurate swing and seam bowling during the first hour on the second day, but Sri Lanka restored parity in the next three, with their captain and vice-captain making brisk half-centuries. From 40 for 5, Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews added an unbeaten 140 for the sixth wicket, giving their team the edge in the battle for the first-innings lead.
They came together when the pressure was beginning to ease: the ball was older, and Southee and Bolt were being eased out of the attack after their opening spells. New Zealand's support cast wasn't as threatening, and Sri Lanka scored more comfortably in the lead-up to lunch.
Doug Bracewell, the first-change seamer, had poor control over lines and lengths during his opening spell. He immediately offered Jayawardene a short and wide ball that was cut for four, and after he changed ends, Mathews drove straight and through cover as well. Jeetan Patel was brought on just before the break and Jayawardene attacked him, skipping out of his crease and lofting over the midwicket boundary. Sri Lanka ended the first session on 105 for 5.
The second session was emphatically theirs - 85 runs for no wicket. Southee opened New Zealand's attack and pitched short in the first over; Mathews was ready with the hook and the top edge flew over the keeper. He would go on to pull Southee to the midwicket boundary with conviction a little later. Jayawardene was more assured at the resumption, driving Bracewell with grace through cover.
There was almost no seam or swing movement in the afternoon and the batsmen progressed to their half-centuries. Jayawardene reached his off 76 balls, while Mathews slogged Patel for six and flicked Bracewell for four to get there off 70 deliveries. The 100-run stand came at more than four runs per over. So at ease was Mathews that he felt confident enough to reverse-swat Patel to the point boundary and eventually outscored his captain.
The Sri Lankan batsmen before them, however, had it very different. Southee and Boult used the morning conditions expertly, not getting carried away by the movement on offer and making the batsmen play by bowling straight lines on difficult lengths.
Southee struck with the third ball of the day, slanting a full delivery across the left-hand opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who drove at one he could have left. It bent back into him and hit the stumps off the inside edge. Sri Lanka had not yet added to their overnight 9 for 1, and Paranavitana made a 16-ball duck. In his second over, Southee sent down a volley of perfectly pitched outswingers. One drew an edge from the night-watchman Suraj Randiv but Brendon McCullum dropped a sitter at third slip. Southee forced another edge the next ball, and Martin Guptill had safer hands at second slip.
At the other end, Boult subjected Kumar Sangakkara to a severe examination, pitching around off stump from over the wicket, drawing the left-hand batsman forward, and seaming the ball away to beat the bat. He did this repeatedly, and eventually hit Sangakkara's edge and this time McCullum caught it. Three wickets had fallen in four overs and Sri Lanka were 20 for 4.
Southee continued to test the right-handers. Another outswinger had Thilan Samaraweera cutting and edging past Ross Taylor at first slip, but it was the inswinger that dismissed him, after he offered no shot and was hit on the pad.
Sri Lanka had lost four wickets inside the first hour, and Mathews joined Jayawardene. The tide was about the turn.
Tharanga Paranavitana was bowled in the first over of the day © Associated Press
Tim Southee and Trent Boult took four wickets for cheap through accurate swing and seam bowling during the first hour on the second day, but Sri Lanka restored parity in the next three, with their captain and vice-captain making brisk half-centuries. From 40 for 5, Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews added an unbeaten 140 for the sixth wicket, giving their team the edge in the battle for the first-innings lead.
They came together when the pressure was beginning to ease: the ball was older, and Southee and Bolt were being eased out of the attack after their opening spells. New Zealand's support cast wasn't as threatening, and Sri Lanka scored more comfortably in the lead-up to lunch.
Doug Bracewell, the first-change seamer, had poor control over lines and lengths during his opening spell. He immediately offered Jayawardene a short and wide ball that was cut for four, and after he changed ends, Mathews drove straight and through cover as well. Jeetan Patel was brought on just before the break and Jayawardene attacked him, skipping out of his crease and lofting over the midwicket boundary. Sri Lanka ended the first session on 105 for 5.
The second session was emphatically theirs - 85 runs for no wicket. Southee opened New Zealand's attack and pitched short in the first over; Mathews was ready with the hook and the top edge flew over the keeper. He would go on to pull Southee to the midwicket boundary with conviction a little later. Jayawardene was more assured at the resumption, driving Bracewell with grace through cover.
There was almost no seam or swing movement in the afternoon and the batsmen progressed to their half-centuries. Jayawardene reached his off 76 balls, while Mathews slogged Patel for six and flicked Bracewell for four to get there off 70 deliveries. The 100-run stand came at more than four runs per over. So at ease was Mathews that he felt confident enough to reverse-swat Patel to the point boundary and eventually outscored his captain.
The Sri Lankan batsmen before them, however, had it very different. Southee and Boult used the morning conditions expertly, not getting carried away by the movement on offer and making the batsmen play by bowling straight lines on difficult lengths.
Southee struck with the third ball of the day, slanting a full delivery across the left-hand opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who drove at one he could have left. It bent back into him and hit the stumps off the inside edge. Sri Lanka had not yet added to their overnight 9 for 1, and Paranavitana made a 16-ball duck. In his second over, Southee sent down a volley of perfectly pitched outswingers. One drew an edge from the night-watchman Suraj Randiv but Brendon McCullum dropped a sitter at third slip. Southee forced another edge the next ball, and Martin Guptill had safer hands at second slip.
At the other end, Boult subjected Kumar Sangakkara to a severe examination, pitching around off stump from over the wicket, drawing the left-hand batsman forward, and seaming the ball away to beat the bat. He did this repeatedly, and eventually hit Sangakkara's edge and this time McCullum caught it. Three wickets had fallen in four overs and Sri Lanka were 20 for 4.
Southee continued to test the right-handers. Another outswinger had Thilan Samaraweera cutting and edging past Ross Taylor at first slip, but it was the inswinger that dismissed him, after he offered no shot and was hit on the pad.
Sri Lanka had lost four wickets inside the first hour, and Mathews joined Jayawardene. The tide was about the turn.