NZ vs SL, 2nd Test | New Zealand close in on victory as Sri Lanka trails by 303 after following on

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 164 in their first innings and were 113-2 at stumps on Day three in their second innings

Sri Lanka trailed New Zealand by 303 runs with eight wickets left in their second innings after following on Sunday on the third day of the second cricket test at the Basin Reserve.

After declaring at 580-4 on the second day, New Zealand bowled out Sri Lanka for 164 in its first innings and was able to enforce the follow-on at the same ground on which it beat England by one run after following on last month.

At stumps, Sri Lanka was 113-2 with Kusal Mendis 50 not out and Angelo Mathews on one.

Mendis made a 10-ball duck in the first innings but reached his 17th half century from 96 balls just before the end of play.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne played a massive role for Sri Lanka Sunday and was at the crease for much of the third day.

He was there when play began and Sri Lanka was 26-2 and, after top-scoring with 89, his was the penultimate wicket to fall before Sri Lanka’s first innings ended 416 runs behind New Zealand.

Karunaratne then went back to the crease and batted through most of the last two sessions before he was out for the second time in the day a little more than 30 minutes before stumps. In total he batted for just over seven hours and his efforts provided the backbone of both Sri Lanka innings so far.