Lanka take control over NZ with sensible batting

Sri Lanka`s Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the third day of the first Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle. Pic/AFP

After a tense battle to open the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the hosts are in control as they finished Day Three at 237-4 to lead by 202 runs with six wickets in hand.

Half-centuries from former captains Dimuth Karunaratne (83) and Dinesh Chandimal (61) steadied the Sri Lankan innings after Pathum Nissanka fell cheaply in the third over.

The second-wicket partnership between Chandimal and Karunaratne was worth 147 runs. While Sri Lanka's batters handled spin well, they struggled against pace.

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 305 & 237-4 (D Karunaratne 83, D Chandimal 61; W O'Rourke 3-37) v NZ 340 (T Latham 70, D Mitchell 57, K Williamson 55, G Phillips 49'; P Jayasuriya 4-136, R Mendis 3-101, D de Silva 2-31)

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