Kiwis enjoy 122-run win as Sri Lanka fold

New Zealand secured a 122-run win in the first Test on Monday as Sri Lankan resistance folded with the loss of seven wickets on the final day.

New Zealand had set Sri Lanka a formidable 405-run target to win but with sufficient time to get there on a non-threatening University Oval wicket.

But Sri Lanka’s batsmen failed to show the necessary patience as they were all out for for 282 midway through the last day.

Sri Lanka’s two top batsmen, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, showed some resistance at the start of the day putting on 56 for the fourth wicket before both fell in quick succession.

Mathews was out-witted by Neil Wagner and went for 25, with top-scorer Chandimal (58) beaten by Mitchell Santner 17 balls later and the match spiralled away from the tourists from there.

The comprehensive victory gave New Zealand their fourth consecutive win over Sri Lanka in the past three years. After a bold second-innings declaration at 267-3 by Brendon McCullum, Sri Lanka had more than five sessions to reach 405.