Sangakkara gives SL healthy lead

Kumar Sangakkara hit an unbeaten half-century as Sri Lanka turned the screw on New Zealand on day three.

Sangakkara notched a superb 64 and was the dominant partner in an unbroken 68-run stand for the third wicket with Mahela Jayawardene as Sri Lanka extended their lead - worth 182 on the first innings - to a formidable 339 in the second Test in Colombo.

Openers depart but SL in charge

In their second innings, Sri Lanka had reached 157 for two with Jayawardene batting on 23 when a sharp downpour ended play for the day with 11.4 overs still remaining.

New Zealand made decent start with the ball, with Jeetan Patel removing the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan for 33 and Daniel Vettori sending back Sri Lanka's other opener Tharanga Paranavitana for 34.

Dilshan was caught in the deep while attempting to accelerate from a slow start, while Paranavitana was erroneously ruled caught behind by umpire Harper while attempting a reverse sweep.

However, Sangakkara and Jayawardene threatened to put the match beyond New Zealand's reach as they forged a strong partnership.

It's all about numbers

Sangakkara reached his half-century by hitting Patel for a four and a six, reaching the mark off 80 deliveries.

The elegant left-hand batsman was looking to step up the run rate when rain halted proceedings and subsequently brought an end to play.

In the morning, Sri Lanka's spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath finished with three wickets apiece as New Zealand were bowled out for 234 in their first innings in response to Sri Lanka's 416.

Muralitharan claimed the wickets of Brendon McCullum (18) and Iain O'Brien (four), while Herath snapped up Ross Taylor (81) and Jacob Oram (24) as the Black Caps - 159 for five overnight - folded cheaply.

Sangakkara pressed his spinners into immediate action on a dry pitch and had the Black Caps in trouble right from the start.

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McCullum, who was dropped twice in one over from left-arm spinner Herath while on 13, struggled to put bat to ball and eventually succumbed, presenting Mahela Jayawardene with his 150th Test catch.

Herath struck almost immediately after, snaring Taylor for the addition of only 11 runs to his overnight score.

Taylor feathered an edge to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene to depart for a battling innings with New Zealand still needing another 33 runs to avoid the follow-on at that stage.

Oram and captain Vettori helped the Black Caps move past that immediate target with a 43-run stand for the eighth wicket, Oram hitting Muralitharan for two boundaries in one over to get his team over the line.

But part-time spinner Dilshan, who replaced Herath, ended that partnership by having Vettori caught at short-leg by Chamara Kapugedera for 23.

Vettori attempted to work the delivery onto the onside, but only inside edged onto the pad and Kapugedera juggled the ball before holding it.

Herath then came back into the attack from the other end and ended Oram's stay for 24, the batsman attempting a reverse sweep only for the ball to brush the glove and loop to Kapugedera.

Muralitharan then picked off the last wicket of O'Brien to hand his team a massive lead.

Muralitharan finished with three for 71 from 25.4 overs, while Herath was a touch more economical with figures of three for 70 from 34 overs.

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