Sri Lanka wrap up win over Kiwis

First Test, Galle (day five)
Sri Lanka 452 & 259-4 dec beat New Zealand 299 & 210 by 202 runs
Match scorecard

Muralitharan had match figures of 7-158 in Galle

Muttiah Muralitharan added three more wickets to his record tally as Sri Lanka completed a 202-run win over New Zealand in the first Test in Galle.

The tourists, with seven players suffering from a stomach bug, were bowled out for 210 just before tea.

Skipper Daniel Vettori offered the main resistance, hanging on for almost two and a half hours to make 67.

But he finally fell to Ajantha Mendis and Muralitharan picked up 3-88 to lift his total of Test wickets to 777.

Muralitharan, playing in his first Test since recovering from a knee injury, finished with match figures of 7-161 but skipper Kumar Sangakkara reserved special praise for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who made 92 and and an unbeaten 123.

I think the way they batted, particularly the way Dilshan batted, took the game away from us

Daniel Vettori

"Dilshan batted magnificently in both innings and he really put us back on top and took the game away from the Kiwis after we lost those early wickets on the first day," he said.

Vettori put the difference between the two sides down to Dilshan's batting.

"We won a good toss and we made some inroads, but I think the way they batted, particularly the way Dilshan batted, took the game away from us," said the New Zealand skipper.

And Vettori backed his side to recover in the second Test in Colombo next week.

"We've had nine of our guys go down with food poisoning and over the next couple of days I suppose they will get their energy back so that we have a full squad," he added.

New Zealand started day five on 30-1 but Thilan Thushara struck early to dismiss Martin Guptill (18) and Tim McIntosh (0).

Mahela Jayawardene then dismissed Ross Taylor (16) before Muralitharan and fellow spinner Mendis picked off the remaining wickets to complete victory in the first match of the two-Test series.

Jacob Oram and Vettori tried to stem the tide with a 41-run stand for the fifth wicket but Oram was trapped lbw by Mendis to leave the visitors on 125-5 at the lunch interval.

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But Sri Lanka made short work of the lower order with Jesse Ryder becoming Muralitharan's first victim, caught by Prasanna for 24, while Vettori's battling innings was ended in similar fashion by Mendis.

His dismissal left Brendon McCullum battling with the tail, but they were no match for Mendis and Muralitharan.

Jeetan Patel was Muralitharan's second victim, stumped for 22, while Iain O'Brien made only five when he was caught by Tharanga Paranavitana at short leg off Muralitharan.

The spinner brought the curtain down on New Zealand's innings by running out McCullum for 29.