Half-tons by Williamson, Latham take NZ to 255-4

Tom Latham. Pic/AFP

Half-centuries from Tom Latham and Kane Williamson put New Zealand at 255-4 and in hot pursuit of Sri Lanka on Day Two of the first Test on Thursday.

The Black Caps trailed by 50 at stumps in Galle with Daryl Mitchell (41) and Tom Blundell (18) to resume in the morning. No New Zealander has scored a Test century in Galle and both Williamson and Latham looked set to end that drought before falling against the run of play.

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Their 73-run partnership steadied the reply to Sri Lanka's first innings of 305 but ended when Latham fell before tea for 70, top-edging a sweep shot that was caught at backward square leg. World No.2 batter Willamson departed in the final session for 55 while trying to work Dhananjaya de Silva on the leg-side for a single, caught by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.

Sri Lanka belatedly resumed their first innings from 302-7 overnight but lost all three remaining wickets for just three runs.

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 305 (Kamindu Mendis 114, Kusal Mendis 50; W O'Rourke 5-55) v New Zealand 255-4 (T Latham 70, K Williamson 55)

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