SL vs NZ 1st Test: NZ trail by 288 runs after Lions set score of 355

Sri Lanka put up a score of 355 runs in the first innings of the five-day Test match against New Zealand, with batsman Kusal Mendis mustering a total of 87 runs and captain Dimuth Karunaratne bagging his 32nd half century in Test cricket with 50 runs under his wing.

Despite having been bowled out by New Zealand’s Matt Henry for 47 runs, all-rounder Angelo Mathews became the third Sri Lankan batsman to score 7,000 Test runs, with only cricketing legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena having reached this landmark achievement before him.

Sri Lanka got off to a weary start, losing their first wicket at 14 runs after the hosts won the toss and elected to bowl, however, Mendis and Karunaratne went on to put up a pairing of 137 runs between the duo.

However the persistence of Tim Southee and Matt Henry, who picked up five wickets between them, ensured the visitors would at no point run away with proceedings.

The first of the two-match series began yesterday (09 March) and will be played until 13 March, with the second Test scheduled to begin on 17 March.

Sri Lanka is currently on their tour of New Zealand, during which they will face a two-match Test series and a three-match ODI series against the Black Caps.