GALLE: Bad weather appeared the main stumbling block in Sri Lanka's bid to win the first Test after illness-hit New Zealand were boxed into a corner on Friday.

The tourists, set an improbable target of 413 following an unbeaten century by Tillakaratne Dilshan, plodded to 30-1 in 13 overs by stumps on the fourth day. Dilshan made 123 not out as Sri Lanka declared their second innings at 259-4 at the stroke of tea.

A sharp shower during the tea break interrupted play by 40 minutes but New Zealand lost the wicket of Daniel Flynn before stumps when he was caught in the slips off Nuwan Kulasekara. Martin Guptill was unbeaten on 17 and Ross Taylor was on eight when bad light stopped play with 14 overs remaining in the day.

Earlier, Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan finished with four wickets each as New Zealand, replying to Sri Lanka's 452, were bowled out for 299 in their first innings. Muralitharan, Test cricket's leading bowler, had Iain O'Brien caught behind to claim his 100th wicket at Galle and take his overall record tally to 774 wickets. Thushara then bowled Daniel Vettori in his first over, but not before the New Zealand captain had contributed a defiant 42.

Dilshan, promoted to open the innings in this Test for the first time in his career, followed a brilliant 92 in the first innings with 12 boundaries and a six in his ninth Test century. Sri Lanka lost Tharanga Paranavitana

before lunch when he was snapped up in the slips by

Ross Taylor off O'Brien.

Dilshan put on 101 runs for the second wicket with skipper Kumar Sangakkara and 54 for the third with Mahela Jayawardene. Sangakkara was unlucky to be dismissed on 46 when

Vettori deflected a powerful

drive from Dilshan on to the non-striker's stumps with the Sri Lankan captain out of his crease.

Jayawardene (27) gave off-spinner Jeetan Patel a return catch, and Thilan Samaraweera top-edged a drive off Vettori behind the wicket-keeper and Taylor picked up the skier. Prasanna Jayawardene hit a 26-ball 30 during a fifth-wicket stand of 54 with Dilshan before Sangakkara declared the innings.