Jayawardene punishes NZ bowlers

First Test, Galle (day one)
Sri Lanka 293-3 v New Zealand
Match scorecard

Jayawardene has so far hit 14 boundaries in his first innings

Mahela Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 108 to help Sri Lanka to 293-3 at the close of the first day of the first Test against New Zealand in Galle.

The ex-skipper, along with Tillakaratne Dilshan (92) and Thilan Samaraweera (82 no), helped the home side recover from 16-2 on a rain-affected day.

Jayawardene put on 118 with Dilshan, who hit the fastest Test half-century by a Sri Lankan, off 30 balls.

He and Samaraweera then put on an unbeaten 159 against a tiring attack.

After a 90-minute delay for rain, play restarted and began well for the Black Caps when Chris Martin struck twice in his first two overs.

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Opener Tharanga Paranavitana was the first to fall, with no score on the Sri Lanka board, edging the third ball of the match to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.

The seamer then removed Kumar Sangakkara for eight, with the captain finding Daniel Flynn at mid-wicket.

But Sri Lanka took charge after the early hiccups, Jayawardene recording his third century against New Zealand when he pulled seamer Iain O'Brien to the square-leg fence for his 13th boundary.

O'Brien conceded 90 runs in his 14 overs, while off-spinner Jeetan Patel went for 60 runs in 15 overs.