SL-NZ Test: Ajaz Patel's five-wicket haul helps Kiwis to restrict Sri Lanka at 227/7

Sri Lanka finished at 227/7 after the end of play on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand here at Galle International Stadium on Thursday.

Sri Lanka had a shaky start as they lost their opener Lahiru Thirimane (10) at the score of 27.

After the fall of the first wicket, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis built a stand of 39-runs before the former was sent to pavilion by Ajaz Patel in the 23rd over. Patel caught Karunaratne (39) in front of wickets.

Angelo Mathews and Mendis together kept the scoreboard moving and stitched a 77-run partnership for the third wicket. Mendis was scalped by Patel before he played a knock of 53 runs.

Apart from Mathews (50), nobody was able to score-run in the middle-order. Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva failed to leave their mark as they were cheaply departed at the score of 1 and 5 respectively.

Niroshan Dickwell (39) and Suranga Lakmal (28) are unbeaten and will resume the innings from 227/7 on day three. Sri Lanka is trailing by 22 runs.

For New Zealand, left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel took his maiden five-wicket haul while Trent Boult and William Somerville scalped one wicket each.

Earlier, Suranga Lakmal's four-wicket haul helped Sri Lanka to restrict Kiwis at a score of 249. Blackcaps resumed their innings from 203/5 and could only be able to add 46 runs to the scoreboard.

Ross Taylor failed to add a single run under his name and departed at the score of 86. After the fall of Taylor's wicket, tailenders too departed early at regular intervals. Kiwis were bundled out for 249.