Jayawardene, Samaraweera grind New Zealand

For the second Test running, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera batted with a purity of purpose, which New Zealand have been unable to produce all tour, to give the hosts the first day's honours. The truncated first session was shared by both sides, the second saw Kumar Sangakkara try and dominate with a sweep-fuelled 50 before he became Daniel Vettori's 300th Test victim, and in the third Sri Lanka fully assumed control as Jayawardene and Samaraweera put together an unspectacular alliance of 147 that chipped away at New Zealand's spirits, according to website cricinfo.
A smattering of a crowd at the SSC witnessed a slow-paced, gritty battle between bat and ball leading into tea. Neither Sri Lanka nor New Zealand really took control on a slow surface and under constantly threatening clouds, but the final session solidified the home side's position. In the first session Sri Lanka scored 62 and lost one wicket; in the second they made 83 and lost two; between tea and stumps they scored 116 without loss. New Zealand are still one wicket away from running into an inexperienced lower middle order but need something spectacular tomorrow, because conventional wisdom says that day two is best for batting at this venue.
Sri Lanka 1st innings
NT Paranavitana c Taylor b Vettori 19
TM Dilshan c & b O'Brien 29
KC Sangakkara* c Oram b Vettori 50
DPMD Jayawardene not out 79
TT Samaraweera
not out 78
Extras (b 2, lb 4, nb 1) 7
Total:
(3 wickets; 90 overs) 262