Cricket: Sri Lanka facing fight

Trent Boult celebrates taking an early wicket. Photo / Getty Images.

Sri Lanka have a long journey to go to get back into the first test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval.

At stumps on the second day, having followed on 303 runs behind, Sri Lanka were 84 without loss with openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva having grafted for two and a half hours in an extended final session to be on 49 and 33 respectively.

They still trail New Zealand overall by 219 runs with three days remaining.

The day belonged to New Zealand once again. Dismissed quickly at the start of the day for 441, adding just 12 runs for the last three wickets, they had Sri Lanka 38 for three at lunch, courtesy of left arm swing bowler Trent Boult.

He took all three wickets, the first, with his fourth delivery, to have Karunaratne lbw for 0, was his 100th in tests, becoming the 13th New Zealand bowler to the mark.

Tim Southee joined in after the restart, taking two wickets in one over, before left armer Neil Wagner ripped out three in the space of 13 balls.

Only captain Angelo Mathews, with 50, showed sufficient resistance as New Zealand took a firm grip on the match.

However plans to get amongst the Sri Lankans a second time around were thwarted by Karunaratne and Silva. The pair knuckled down and did a solid job.

Lefthander Karunaratne had two lives - dropped at mid wicket off Boult on 10, then late in the day Boult spilled what would have been a spectacular catch at point off Wagner.