NZ take 177-run lead on Day 3

Galle : New Zealand stacked up a 177-run lead on Day 3 of their first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Sri Lanka were all out for 267 in the first session, thus leading by 18 runs and the Kiwis could cross that only at the cost of their opener Jeet Raval.

While they didn't lose any more wickets in the first session, Lasith Embuldeniya picked the big wickets of skipper Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in his first two overs in the second session.

Sri Lanka depended on their spinners to reap dividends in the second session with Akila Dananjaya dismissing Tom Latham when the latter was five runs away from his half century.

Brief scores: 1st innings: New Zealand 249 all out (Taylor 86, Nicholls 42; Dananjaya 5/80, Lakmal 4/29); 195/7 (Watling 63*, Latham 45; Embuldeniya 4/71). Sri Lanka: 267 all out (Dickwella 61, Mendis 53; Patel 5/89).