Sri Lanka bowled out the BLACKCAPS for 210 on the afternoon session of day five to win the first Test match by 202 runs.
Captain Daniel Vettori fought hard, scoring 67 but the Sri Lanka proved to be the better team.
Muttaih Muralitharan took three for 88 to record the best figures for the home team with Thilan Thushara and Ajantha Mendis taking two apiece.
LISTEN: Daniel Vettori talks to the press at the end of the Test match, 2.6MB »
The next Test match is also played in Galle, beginning on 5th August.
DAY 4: Sri Lanka in control as BLACKCAPS chase 383
The BLACKAPS face a challenging day tomorrow as they look to chase down 383 to win or simply survive the day and force a draw.
Earlier, BLACKCAPS added 18 runs to their overnight score with Daniel Vettori’s resolute knock ending on 42 when he played on, giving his team a first innings total of 299 and Sri Lanka a 153 run lead.
Muttiah Muralitharan was once again the best of the bowlers ending with figures of four for 73 while left-arm pace bowler Thilan Thushara returned figures of four for 81.
Iain O’Brien took the early wicket of Tharanga Paranavitana but this didn’t worry his opeing partner Tillakaratne Dilshan who wasted no time extending the lead, hitting a series of boundaries, reaching 46 from 31 balls by lunch.
The onslaught continued when Kumar Sangakkara came to the crease before his fluid innings was ended when Vettori deflected a straight shot onto the stumps, running him out for 46.
Jeetan Patel toiled away and finally took his first wicket of the match when Mahela Jayawardene got a leading edge, giving him a comfortable catch of his own bowling.
First innings centurion Thilan Samaraweera didn’t stay long, hitting two massive sixes off Patel before trying another off Vettori and getting caught in the slips.
Dilshan managed to work his way through the nervous nineties, bringing up his ninth Test century to follow his blistering 92 from the first innings.
Wicketkeeper batsman Prasanna Jayawardene and Dilshan were particularly aggressive at the end of the middle session, with the ten overs before tea producing 77 runs, taking their total through to 259 for four - Dilshan unbeaten on 123.
That was enough for Sangakkara who declared, leaving the BLACKCAPS the target of 412 to win.
It was a horror start for the BLACKCAPS with Daniel Flynn going for a duck after opening the batting in place of Tim McIntosh who is one of four players to be stuck down with a stomach bug.
Martin Guptill (17*) and Ross Taylor (8*) safely negotiated the shortened final session as rain delayed the start and bad light stopped play early. The BLACKCAPS will resume tomorrow on 30 for one requiring 383 runs to win.
DAY 3: McIntosh hits gritty 69; BLACKCAPS 281 for eight
The BLACKCAPS had another solid morning after a delayed start, only losing night watchman Jeetan Patel for 26.
Opener Tim McIntosh was stoic in his approach bringing up a gritty half century shortly before the end of the first session.
The post lunch period proved to be challenging for BLACKCAPS as spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis beat the bat and hit the pads on a number of occasions but McIntosh and Ross Taylor managed to ride it out.
This forced captain Kumar Sangakkara make a bowling change, bringing back pace bowler Thilan Thushara who broke through immediately, snaring Taylor who had a swing at a wide delivery, catching the edge and getting caught behind for 35.
McIntosh’s patient innings was ended by a Muralitharan doosra that trapped him LBW for 69 off 226, leaving the BLACKCAPS teetering on 188 for five.
Brendon McCullum became Thushara’s third victim when he was bowled for one then shortly after tea Oram (12) was given out when the ball popped up to a close in fielder but replays show that it came off the pad.
This brought captain Daniel Vettori to the crease and along with Ryder managed to get the BLACKCAPS past the follow on before Ryder played a loose shot and dragged one onto his stumps on for 42.
Vettori looked to be in good touch, hitting three boundaries and would have more runs had he not been protecting O’Brien at the other end.
The BLACKCAPS will continue on tomorrow on 281 for eight with Vettori unbeaten on 33 and O’Brien on 3* - 171 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings score.
DAY 2: Vettori and Martin take four; BLACKCAPS 87 for two
The BLACKCAPS started day two positively with Iain O’Brien removing centurion Mahela Jayawaredene for 114 early in the day.
But Thilan Samaraweera kept firing, brining up his century shortly after lunch, keeping the Sri Lankans in control of the match.
Captain Daniel Vettori finally got the break through, edging out Angelo Matthews for 40.
Vettori struck again four overs later, having Prasana Jayawaredene caught at short leg for seven to have the home side 408 for six.
Samaraweera put the hammer down after reaching three figures, taking his score from 100 to 150 in 43 balls before holing out on 159, giving Vettori his third wicket of the session.
The tail didn’t stick around with Chris Martin picking up the wickets of Nuwan Kulasekara and Muttiah Muralitharan to finish with figures of four for 77 with Vettori taking the final wicket to finish with four for 78.
The BLACKCAPS came back well taking the last seven wicket for 159 runs with
Sri Lanka finishing their innings on 452.
Martin Guptill and Tim McIntosh made a solid start, sharing a 45 run partnership before Guptill chopped on for 24.
The scoring rate slowed as the spinners came on with Ajantha Mendis ending Daniel Flynn’s watchful innings of 14 with five overs left in the days play.
The BLACKCAPS will resume tomorrow on 87 for two with opener McIntosh on 36* and night watchman Jeetan Patel on 6* - 365 runs behind Sri Lanka's first innings total.
DAY 1: Jayawardene century puts Sri Lanka on top
Sri Lanka are 293 for three and are firmly in control at the end of the first day of the Test match against the BLACKCAPS in Galle.
BLACKCAPS strike bowler Chris Martin got the tour off to a great start dismissing Tharanga Paranavitana in his first over and Kumar Sangakarra in his next to have the home side 16 for two.
The loss of early wickets didn’t deter Tillikarantne Dilshan as he went about cutting and pulling the New Zealand attack to all parts of the ground, bringing up his half century off just 30 balls.
Sri Lanka finished the 22 over shortened first session with 111 on the board and all the momentum.
Mahela Jayawardene and Dilshan continued on after lunch, putting on 118 for the third wicket before Dilshan chopped one on, bringing his entertaining innings of 92 off 72 to an end.
Daniel Vettori managed to slow the scoring rate but couldn’t get the break through as Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera shared the second 100 run partnership of the innings.
Martin kept plugging away, putting in maximum effort in the humid conditions, extracting bounce and was unlucky not to add to his tally of two wickets.
Jayawardene was measured in his approach, bringing up his 100 off 201 balls – his 26th Test century.
He will resume tomorrow on 108* and look to extend on the unbeaten 159 run partnership with Samaraweera who is on 82.
