Dinesh Chandimal also forged sizeable partnerships with Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews.

Sri Lanka elected to bat but lost opener Pathum Nissanka in the first over but Chandimal’s 16th test hundred kept Sri Lanka on course for a big first innings total, Super Sport reported.

Mathews was batting on 78 at stumps with an in-form Kamindu Mendis on 51 for the host, who won the opening Test by 63 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-test series.

Making an early inroad, New Zealand captain Tim Southee had Nissanka caught behind for one but the visitors could not sustain the pressure.

Karunaratne got two reprieves as he was dropped in the slip on six and survived a stumping opportunity on 17.

Promoted from the middle to number three in a rejigged batting order, Chandimal did not look convincing initially but grew in confidence, posting 122 runs with Karunaratne for the second wicket.

Karunaratne (46) fell short of his fifty after being run out following a mix-up with Chandimal, who was too busy watching the ball from the non-striker’s end to reply to his partner’s call for a single.

However, Chandimal made sure Sri Lanka did not suffer. He took a single off Mitchell Santner to bring up his maiden Test hundred against New Zealand.

Graham Phillip eventually dismissed Chandimal when he lured the batter out of the crease and beat his bat to hit the off-stump.