Black Caps take series lead in Dunedin
New Zealand completed an emphatic victory over Sri Lanka on the fifth and final day of the first Test in Dunedin when they bowled the visitors out for 282, clinching the win by 122 runs to take a one-lead in the two-match Test series.
Chasing a total of 405 runs to win, Sri Lanka resumed day five on 109 for three, still 296 runs short of victory, but had their two best batsman at the crease.
Dinesh Chandimal, who scored 83 in the first innings, was 31 not out overnight and captain Angelo Mathews joined him at the in the middle knowing their partnership would be vital to the outcome of the game.
The Asian pair added 56, Chandimal going to his second fifty of the match, and managed to survive more than the first hour of the morning session before Mathews was bowled by left-arm seamer Neil Wagner for 25 with the total on 165.
It was just the tonic that the Kiwis needed as left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner trapped Chandimal in front lbw for 58 with the hosts now sniffing victory.
Kithuruwan Vithanage and Milinda Siriwardana put on 48 for the sixth wicket but they were just delaying the inevitable as Tim Southee got Vithanage for 38 as the tourists went to lunch on 224 for six.
The tail-enders managed to sneak a few runs away but Sri Lanka were eventually all out for 282, meaning the hosts cannot now lose the series with the second and final Test starting in Hamilton on 18 December.
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