DAY 3: NZ lead by 35 against Sri Lanka after bottom order collapse

A Glenn Phillips fightback failed to stem a New Zealand bottom order collapse against Sri Lanka, with the tourists all out for 340 on the third day of the first test on Friday.

The tourists resumed on 255-4 to finish the first innings with a slender 35-run lead in Galle, where they have lost all four of their prior encounters against the hosts.

Wicketkeeper Phillips hit a blistering 49 off 50 balls, smashing two fours and five sixes, before last man William O'Rourke was bowled by Ramesh Mendis and sent back for two.

Sri Lanka drew first blood in the morning when Tom Blundell was given out after a review, ending a solid 73-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Daryl Mitchell.

Mitchell went on to post the third half-century of the innings for New Zealand after staring down the spinners.

He was eventually run out on 57 when he responded to a risky call by Phillips, who miscalculated a single with a soft push to the covers.

The second new ball turned the tables for Sri Lanka, with Ramesh and Prabath Jayasuriya able to find new bounce.

Jayasuriya took four wickets, including that of top-scoring opener Tom Latham for 70 on day one, while Ramesh bagged three.

SRI LANKA: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis (wkt), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando.

NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell(wkt), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee(capt), Ajaz Patel, William O'Rourke.