Southee’s stunner gets Nissanka after Phillips’ counterattack puts New Zealand 35 ahead

William  O’Rourke once again proved to be the most threatening of New Zealand’s bowlers, finding sharp bounce and movement off a hard length. He was duly rewarded for his efforts when Tim Southee soared to his right from second slip to complete an outrageous one-handed grab, and send Nissanka back for 2.

O’Rourke troubled Karunaratne as well, finding an edge that failed to carry to second slip, while he also had a close lbw shout on the stroke of lunch as Karunaratne was reprieved by an inside edge.

Much of the action in the session, though, had taken place inside the first hour as a Test of ebbs and flows turned over yet another fascinating chapter. It saw Sri Lanka storm back into the game with a flurry of wickets, before Glenn Phillips  led a stunning counter-charge.

When it was all settled, New Zealand’s first-innings lead stood at 35 after they were bowled out for 340, with Prabath Jayasuriya  rediscovering his best form to end with figures of 4 for 136, while Ramesh Mendis too offered a much improved showing and finishing with 3 for 101.

It’s an outcome Sri Lanka would have snapped up if it were offered to them at the start of the day, one which New Zealand had begun 50 runs behind with six wickets in hand. But by the innings’ close, you wouldn’t have begrudged them a feeling of mild disappointment at having given the visitors so many.

New Zealand, by contrast, would be grateful for each of those 35 runs, having lost five wickets for 50 runs inside the first hour of play.

Tom Blundell was the first to go, as replays confirmed a glove through to first slip off an attempted reverse sweep. That came in just the fourth over of a morning in which Sri Lanka had started brightly, sticking to consistent lines and lengths, and forcing the New Zealand batters to make things happen.

For the most part, New Zealand were up to the task – particularly Daryl Mitchell , who seemed in imperious form as highlighted by a disdainful loft down the ground off Lahiru Kumara. Mitchell’s footwork was also positive, very much in line with the approach New Zealand had utilised to such devastating effect on day two.

But the lifeline Sri Lanka were seeking arrived courtesy an ill-advised single to cover. Phillips called for the single, but Mitchell, by then on 57, was marginally slow off the mark, and that was all it took to find him inches short at the striker’s end. With Mitchell at the crease, Sri Lanka were staring at a deficit potentially beyond 100, but suddenly they scented blood.

With a second new ball in tow, Mitchell Santner didn’t last much longer, edging behind one off Jayasuriya, as the delivery skid through second ball. Tim Southee didn’t fare much better, going back to a good-length ball and having his off stump pegged back – also by Jayasuriya. An arm-ball from Ramesh Mendis trapped Ajaz Patel lbw, and just like that, New Zealand were nine down while still being one run behind Sri Lanka’s total.

When Phillips was given out lbw off Jayasuriya just one ball later, Sri Lanka thought they had completely turned the game on its head. But a review showed the ball to be missing leg stump. Phillips took this lifeline and ran with it, as over the next five-and-a-bit overs, he took the majority of the strike and plundered 35 runs, including some monster hits down the ground off Jayasuriya.

Sri Lanka were relegated to waiting for the last two deliveries of each over to bowl to No. 11 Will O’Rourke, and it was indeed one of those deliveries that did the trick, as he ended up being the last man to fall, beaten on the outside edge and finding his off stump rocked. Phillips was left stranded unbeaten on 49 off 48 balls.