A patient innings by Kumar Sangakkara led Sri Lanka’s revival Sunday as they reached 159 for five at lunch on day two of the second Test, trailing New Zealand by 62 runs.
Sangakkara was not out 66 with Dinesh Chandimal on 45, having put on 81 for the sixth wicket as they defied the demons in the pitch that produced 15 wickets on the first day.
Sri Lanka resumed Sunday on 78-5 with Sangakkara and Chandimal the last recognised line of resistance, and New Zealand sensed one early wicket would set them on the path to wrap the innings quickly.
But they were unable to penetrate, despite the wicket retaining some of its green tinge and the ball producing some movement in the air and off the pitch.
Sangakkara doubled his overnight 33, bringing up his 52nd Test half-century when he drove Tim Southee to the cover boundary.
It was one of only five boundaries in his watchful innings where Sangakkara has been content to work the ball into gaps for ones and twos.
Chandimal, who was brought into this Test in place of Niroshan Dickwella to firm up the middle-order batting, scored six boundaries.
He had one close call before the end of the session when New Zealand referred a rejected leg before wicket decision to the third umpire, but technology showed the delivery from spinner Mark Craig would have gone over the stumps.
Craig troubled the batsmen, with one delivery to Chandimal coming off the bat and just missing leg stump while Sangakkara played inside one, expecting it to turn, and the ball went perilously close to the off stump.