Fast bowlers Shane Bond and James Franklin and recalled batsmen Mathew Sinclair and Craig Cumming gave New Zealand control of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka after its opening day Thursday.
Bond and Franklin took three wickets each, Chris Martin two including his 100th in Tests, as New Zealand dismissed Sri Lanka for 154 after the visitors won the toss and batted.
Sinclair and Cumming, both returning to the New Zealand team after two-year absences, steadied New Zealand's first innings after the loss of an early wicket and helped the home side to 85 for two at stumps.
Sinclair was out for 36 half an hour before the close of play but Cumming remained at the wicket, 37 not out, when bad light hastened the end of play. New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was seven not out.
Bond claimed his three wickets in a controlled opening spell which left Sri Lanka 77 for three at lunch after their captain Mahela Jayawardene, who was among his victims, won the toss and batted.
Franklin was New Zealand's dominant bowler in the afternoon, capturing his three wickets in quick succession to leave Sri Lanka's innings in ruins by the second interval.
``We're reasonably buoyant, particularly after they won the toss and decided to bat,'' Franklin said.
``The boys bowled well to get into them the way we did. Everyone chipped in a few wickets and we did a good job as a unit.
``Obviously Craig (Cumming) and Skippy (Sinclair) did a reasonably good job for us, too. We'll be looking to do a good job with the bat tomorrow and hopefully bat most of the day if we can.''
Martin became the 11th New Zealander to take 100 wickets in Tests when he had Prasanna Jayawardene caught by Jamie How at slip during the second session. The tall left-hander shared the new ball with Bond and bowled a long, effective opening spell in which he repeatedly beat the bat but was denied a wicket before lunch.
He finished with two for 37 from 16.4 overs. Bond took three for 43, Franklin three for 30 while Jacob Oram also contributed two wickets.
Sri Lanka never recovered from a poor start which undermined its decision to bat on a grassy, seaming wicket.
Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya was first out, caught by New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming at first slip in the third over of the morning. Kumar Sangakkara followed two overs later, when Sri Lanka was only 17, edging a catch off Bond to Mathew Sinclair at third slip.
Jayawardene was caught in the deep by Franklin, leaving Sri Lanka 37 for three in only the 11th over of the morning.
Upul Tharanga stood against the carnage, preserving his wicket until lunch but he was the first man out in the afternoon, caught by How off Franklin when Sri Lanka was 87 for four.
Chamara Silva was bowled by Franklin at the same score, while Chamara Kapugedera was trapped lbw by Franklin after batting 113 minutes for 37.
Oram dismissed Farveez Maharoof (15) and Chaminda Vaas (7) and Martin edged out Prasanna Jayawardene after an extended wait for his 100th wicket.
New Zealand lost opener Jamie How for 0 when it was only three but Sinclair and Cumming put on 70 for its second wicket before Sinclair was caught behind. Cumming and Fleming carried New Zealand to stumps, which came 15 minutes early because of bad light.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
