New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham extended the hosts’
lead over Sri Lanka in the first test to 166 runs as they reached 29
without loss at tea on the third day in Dunedin.
First innings centurion Guptill was on 16, while Latham was on 13 at a chilly and windswept University Oval after the hosts had finally broken through Sri Lanka’s stubborn resistance to dismiss the tourists for 294 after lunch.
New Zealand scored 431 in their first innings.
Guptill and Latham had adopted a careful attitude in the hour they had to bat before the break, no doubt mindful captain Brendon McCullum would want to set the visitors a target in excess of 400 with about 100 overs to try to dismiss them.
The visitors’ inexperienced batting lineup had demonstrated in their first innings they could occupy the crease, with the home side needing 117 overs to eventually take all 10 wickets.
Milinda Siriwardana (35) and Rangana Herath (15) had guided Sri Lanka past the follow-on target in the first session and frustrated New Zealand’s bowlers after they had taken two early wickets.
Herath, who was subjected to a barrage of short-pitched bowling, was finally caught in the deep by Trent Boult from a Neil Wagner bouncer, having withstood 74 deliveries and being struck in both the hand and head.
Dushmantha Chameera, who had been on six at lunch, was the ninth wicket to fall when he was caught by Ross Taylor at slip off Trent Boult for 14, before Nuwan Pradeep became wicketkeeper BJ Watling’s sixth catch of the innings for three.
Tim Southee had the best return of 4-79 from 28 overs.
The visitors had resumed on 197-4 with their hopes of taking a bite out of New Zealand’s lead initially resting on Dinesh Chandimal.
However, the wicketkeeper, who had compiled a patient 83 on Friday in a 122-run partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne (84), faced just one delivery, the second of the day, from Tim Southee, which he nicked to second slip where Martin Guptill took a well-judged diving catch.
Southee then claimed his second wicket of the day when he had Kithuruwan Vithanage caught by Watling for 22 when the left hander chased a ball outside off immediately after he had flicked successive boundaries down to fine leg.
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