GALLE: Sri Lanka’s Thilan Samaraweera hit a solid 159 before skipper Daniel Vettori inspired a New Zealand comeback in the first Test here today.

Samaraweera’s third Test century this year after

two monumental double centuries in Pakistan in February helped Sri Lanka pile up 452 in their first innings by tea on the rain-curtailed second day. The Black Caps responded bravely to the challenge by going to stumps at 87-2, with left-handed opener Tim McIntosh unbeaten on 36 and nightwatchman Jeetan Patel on six.

Martin Guptill and McIntosh raced to an opening stand of 45 in 10 overs before Guptill (24). Ajantha Mendis then bowled Daniel Flynn (14), but Patel and McIntosh saw out the day with New Zealand still needing 166 runs to avoid the follow-on on a good batting pitch.

Sri Lanka appeared to be running away with the match before the experienced Vettori stepped in to stage a New Zealand revival. The left-arm spinner grabbed four wickets as Sri Lanka, 386-4 at one

stage, lost six batsmen for 66 runs — the last four for eight runs — in a dramatic post-lunch session. Vettori finished with 4-78 to take his career tally to 297 wickets and now needs just three more to become only the ninth player in Test history to achieve the double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets.

Just 13 overs were bowled in the morning session after heavy rain delayed the start by two hours, and Sri Lanka moved from their overnight score of 293-3 to 328-4 by lunch. Umpires Daryl Harper and Nigel Llong pushed

back the lunch break by an hour to make up for lost time when the skies finally cleared. The first day’s play had seen just 78 overs of the stipulated 90 due to bad weather.

The Kiwis dismissed century-maker Mahela Jayawardene in a brief period of play

before lunch, caught at first slip by Ross Taylor off Iain

O’Brien in the day’s second over. Jayawardene added six runs to his overnight score of 108 before falling for 114, his 26th Test century.

Samaraweera reached his 10th hundred soon after lunch during a fifth-wicket stand of 86 with Angelo Mathews. Vettori triggered the collapse

when he had Mathews caught behind by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum (390. Vettori ended Samaraweera’s six-hour vigil at the crease as the batsman lofted a flighted ball into the hands of Patel at long-off. Seamer Chris Martin removed Nuwan Kulasekara and Muttiah Muralitharan in one over to finish with 4-77, before Vettori ended the innings with the wicket of Thushara.