SL primed for series sweep

Captain Sangakkara smashes ton to leave visitors struggling

The tourists were soon in trouble after Sri Lanka declared on 311 for five, losing both their openers Tim McIntosh (seven) and Martin Guptill (28) before tea. McIntosh was clean bowled by pace bowler Dammika Prasad and Guptill was caught behind off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath's first ball of the innings.

Their problems deepened with Daniel Flynn (50), Ross Taylor (27), Brendon McCullum (13) and Jesse Ryder (38) all being dismissed before the close. Herath was the chief wicket-taker for Sri Lanka, following his three-wicket haul in the first innings, with four for 73.

Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara led from the front with a stylish 109, his 20th Test century, in a 175-ball knock that included 12 boundaries and one six. Mahela Jayawardene (96) gave solid support during a 173-run partnership that quashed any remote hopes of New Zealand fighting their way back into the contest. Jayawardene followed his first-innings 92 with a fluent 96 from 153 balls, an innings that included five boundaries and a six.

Score board
SRI LANKA (I Innings) 416 all out
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings) 234
SRI LANKA (II Innings, O/n: 157/2)
Dilshan c Guptill b Patel    33
P’vitana c McCullum b Vettori    34
Sangakkara c Taylor b Patel    109
Jayawardene c Taylor b O’Brien    96
Samaraweera lbw Vettori    25
Kapugedera (not out)    7
Extras (LB-1, W-2, NB-4)    7
Total (5 wkts decl, 85.2 overs)    311
Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-89, 3-262, 4-301, 5-311.
Bowling: Vettori 24-4-62-2, O’Brien 15.2-1-77-1, Martin 9-0-34-0, Patel 34-2-122-2, Ryder 3-0-15-0.

NEW ZEALAND (II Innings)
McIntosh b Prasad    7
Guptill c P J’dene b Herath    28
Flynn lbw Herath    50
Taylor c M J’dene b Herath    27
Ryder lbw Herath    38
McCullum b Muralitharan    13
Oram (batting)    7
Vettori (batting    )5
Extras (LB-6, NB-1)    7
Total (for 6 wkts, 56 overs)    182

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-41, 3-97, 4-131, 5-158, 6-176.
Bowling: Paranavitana 1-0-2-0, Thilan Thushara 14-1-39-0, Prasad 7-1-21-1, Herath 21-5-73-4, Muttiah Muralitharan 12-0-39-1, Dilshan 1-0-2-0.