New Zealand took charge of Sri Lanka on the opening day of the second Test as the tourists slumped to 78-5 at stumps after bowling the hosts out for 221 runs.
On a day that saw a total of 15 wickets falling, New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum failed to replicate his splendid form from the previous Test as he fell for a duck on Sri Lanka paceman Suranga Lakmal's delivery.
Kane Williamson was the only one who scored a half-century for New Zealand and played a 79-run partnership for the third wicket with Ross Taylor (35).
Williamson fell prey to an express delivery from Dhammika Prasad for his individual score of 69 runs, while Taylor lost his wicket to fast-medium bowler Nuwan Pradeep.
Opener Hamish Rutherford was the only other batsman to score over 20 runs as he contributed 37 runs to the New Zealand scoreline before being caught behind the wicket by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene off Pradeep's delivery.
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The rest of New Zealand batsman failed to score past 20 runs with opener Tom Latham being caught behind the wicket by Jayawardene for just six runs off Lakmal's delivery.
Pradeep impressed with his fast-medium skills to deliver match-figure of 4-63, while Lakmal claimed three wickets conceding 71 runs.
Prasad claimed two wickets for Sri Lanka while skipper Angelo Mathews took one.
The Sri Lankan openers failed to build up a steady partnership against the New Zealand bowling attack as Dimuth Karunaratne lost his wicket to left arm fast-medium bowler Trent Boult (15) while Doug Bracewell claimed Kaushal Silva's wicket on his individual score of five.
Lahiru Thirimanne went for a duck as McCullum caught him on Bracewell's delivery.
Skipper Mathews and wicketkeeper-batsman Jayawardene also couldn't impress with the bat as they fell for 15 and 6 runs respectively.
Former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara remained unbeaten on 33 and would resume batting for the tourists on day two of the second Test.
Currently Sri Lanka trails New Zealand by 143 runs.


