Kamindu remains firm but NZ edge ahead with O'Rourke three-for

Tea Sri Lanka 178 for 5 (Kamindu 61*, Mathews 36, O'Rourke 3-48, Phillips 1-26) vs New Zealand

Three wickets in the second session meant New Zealand just about edged ahead in the game, but if not for a 72-run stand between Kamindu Mendis and Angelo Mathews Sri Lanka's position might have been even more dire at tea on day one in Galle.

Kamindu, as has become the norm of late, stood tall, unbeaten on a 91-ball 61, but his innings aside this was a session for the visitors to savour.

Dinesh Chandimal, who had done well to settle in in the morning session, fell just four deliveries into after lunch, chipping a length Tim Southee delivery on the pads uppishly towards square leg, where Michael Bracewell - on as a sub at the time - sprung to his right to hold on.

If that wicket was largely down to batter error, the next was a result of pure guile. The part-time stylings of Glenn Phillips, his dipping off break to dismiss Dhananjaya de Silva, was a true Galle classic. Tossed up outside off, it lured de Silva into a drive before ripping through bat and pad to clip the top of off.

At that point, Sri Lanka were in a bit bother, four down for 106. Mathews, who had earlier left the field retired hurt, rejoined proceedings to keep Kamindu company.

The two proceeded to string together the partnership of the match thus far, with the younger man taking the lead. While Mathews continued in the circumspect manner that had been a hallmark of his innings earlier in the day, Kamindu took it upon himself to ensure the scoreboard kept moving.

With spin at the forefront of New Zealand's plan of attack, and the Galle surface offering several degrees worth of turn for each of Mitchell Santner, Ajax Patel and Phillips, both batters offered up due respect to deliveries around off stump on a good length. But Kamindu in particular was happy to employ both the sweep and reverse to mix things up if it seemed the bowlers were starting to settle on their lines and lengths.

A 13-run over off Patel was particularly profitable as Kamindu first cut, then reverse swept him for a pair of fours, before Mathews joined in with another flash through point. Kamindu's fifty - his fifth in Tests - came off 73 deliveries.

With the partnership ticking along, Sri Lanka were in the ascendancy for the first time in the Test but Will O'Rourke - kept out of the attack for most of the session - returned for a brief burst before tea and found Mathews' outside edge on the stroke of the interval.

With the ball softening O'Rourke's time to impact the game was limited, but Southee's faith in his young seamer was repaid as he continued on from his good work in the morning session. There he had dismissed both openers, including the crucial wicket of Pathum Nissanka, who had looked in fine nick before having his off stump pegged back by a searing yorker.

O'Rourke was also responsible for Mathews' finger injury, though that has proved not to be too serious a problem for the veteran Sri Lankan batter.