Sangakkara was the only Sri Lanka batsman to make a decent score

New Zealand secured their first Test win at Christchurch for 12 years, defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first of a two-match series.

Needing only 119 they raced to 58 in 13 overs, but four wickets fell for 10, including Stephen Fleming for a duck.

But Brendon McCullum hit a six in his 14 from eight balls to settle matters.

Earlier Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on 100 in Sri Lanka's 170, Muttiah Muralitharan run out celebrating the century when the ball was still active.

Having completed the single needed for Sangakkara to complete his 10th Test ton, Murali came out of his crease to congratulate his colleague before the throw had arrived from the boundary, only for keeper McCullum to unceremoniously remove the bails.

Legally it was a run out, the ball was alive but we play in an age where we talk about the spirit of the game Mahela Jayawardene More reaction

Sri Lanka resumed on day three 73 runs ahead at 125-8, and after a short rain delay Lasith Malinga departed for a duck in the eighth over of the morning.

Malinga lasted for a total of 50 minutes, facing 28 balls, but was dismissed after edging a James Franklin delivery to McCullum.

Sangakkara was the only Sri Lanka batsman to get to grips with the conditions and the Christchurch pitch - the next highest scorer made just 24.

He hit 12 boundaries and a six in the 154 deliveries he faced and protected the tail-enders superbly.

Shane Bond took four second-innings wickets for 63 runs while Franklin had figures of two for 34 as the Sri Lankans added 45.

The New Zealand openers took am aggressive approach to their lowly target, with 15 coming from Malinga's second over.

Muralitharan was introduced in the sixth over but his third ball was a full toss and was hoisted into the stands at mid-wicket for six by Craig Cumming.

The opener was twice caught off no-balls, but added another six with a powerful hook off Malinga.

Predictably it was Murali who broke through, trapping Jamie How on the back foot in the 13th over, while Cumming was finally caught off a legitimate delivery, edging Chaminda Vaas to the keeper for 43 from 57 balls.

Vaas found some more swing to trap Fleming third ball, and in the next over Sangakkara dived to his left at square-leg to pouch Matthew Sinclair's sweep.

Nathan Astle hit three fours to take New Zealand within 17 of victory at tea, but he dismissed three balls after the interval when he played down the wrong line to a straightening Murali delivery and was lbw.

McCullum showed little sign of anxiety, skipping down the pitch to dispatch his third ball from Murali over extra-cover for six.

He carved Farveez Maharoof through the covers for four, and in Murali's next over recorded the winning runs with a sweep to the mid-wicket boundary.

The second and final match of the series takes place in Wellington on 15 December.

Sri Lanka's 170 was the second lowest complete innings in a Test in which a player has scored a century.