Rain completes Mathews and Mendis' epic rescue
The pair batted all of the fourth day and 12 overs on the fifth before weather intervened to give Sri Lanka a draw that didn't look possible at 13 for 3
14/12Result
1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Dec 15-19 2018
-
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
282 & 287/3 (115 ov) -
![New Zealand]( "New Zealand")
Player of the Match
14/12Result
1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Dec 15-19 2018
-
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
282 & 287/3 (115 ov) -
![New Zealand]( "New Zealand")
Player of the Match
Day 5
Two guys put their hands up and didn't give us an opportunity for a day - Williamson
Kane Williamson's team tried everything, but Sri Lanka's batsmen were just too good
Kusal Mendis the dasher turns into Thilan Samaraweera clone
Usually an unrepentant strokemaker, Sri Lanka's No. 4 overturned his batting style to block his way to an outstanding match-saving hundred
Day 4
Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews bat all day to give Sri Lanka hope
The duo racked up centuries in a yet-to-be broken 246-run stand to leave Sri Lanka with a fighting chance of securing an improbable draw
Mathews makes a statement with push-ups celebration
Gesture possibly directed towards head coach who left him out of the limited-overs setup on fitness grounds
Records galore for Mathews and Mendis
For the first time in more than ten years, no wicket fell in an entire day of Test cricket
Kusal Mendis eyes double-ton as mentor Samaraweera's send-off gift
Sri Lanka batting coach Thilan Samaraweera will exit the role at the end of this series, and Kusal Mendis is keen on fulfilling his wish
When I saw Angie get hit, I thought there's no way I'm getting out - Mendis
Sometimes guilty of playing attractive but insubstantial innings, Mendis partnered a steadfast Mathews for the entirety of day four in Wellington
Day 3
Sri Lanka collapse against pace after Tom Latham's 264*
Latham became the first New Zealand batsman since Glenn Turner in 1972 to carry his bat through a completed Test innings
We didn't bowl the right lengths consistently - SL bowling coach Ratnayake
Sri Lanka's frontline quicks looked ordinary as a unit, taking 5 for 359 between them as New Zealand claimed total control of the first Test
Converting blandness into excellence, a Tom Latham masterclass
The opener batted for more than 11 hours for his unbeaten 264, but for the majority of that time, Sri Lanka were convinced they had bigger problems
Tom Latham registers highest individual score while carrying bat
The batsman also put on the highest individual Test score of 2018 so far
Day 2
Tom Latham, Kane Williamson grind Sri Lanka on batting day
The pair's 162-run stand gave New Zealand a solid platform from which they can think of batting just once in the Test
Williamson's fluency allowed me to keep going - Latham
Latham went to stumps on 121 off 256 balls - his strike rate a respectable 47 for the day - but had been much slower at the start of his knock
The frustrations of being Kane Williamson
The man and his team are among the best current operators, but on the world scale they occupy minimal column inches, airtime, or general intellectual space. They quietly absorb life's little injustices
Day 1
Niroshan Dickwella leads Sri Lanka rearguard after Tim Southee's five-for
Sri Lanka also have Mathews and Karunaratne's century stand to thank for reviving them from 9 for 3
'Once a couple of guys got in, it was tough work' - Tim Southee
The fast bowler, who picked up his eighth five-for in Tests, also praised Niroshan Dickwella for playing a 'gem of an innings'
The enigma of Niroshan Dickwella
There may be times when Dickwella's flame burns a little too hot, and his own team are singed, but on day one of a tough overseas tour, he kept the darkness at bay for Sri Lanka
Others
The importance of Henry Nicholls
He is by no means the finished product but has shown what New Zealand can expect should they keep the faith
Need our seamers to attack NZ batsmen - Chandimal
The Sri Lanka captain acknowledged that the team's best chance lies in going aggressively at New Zealand with the ball
Bit of excitement for fast bowlers in familiar conditions - Southee
He did point out, though, that a green pitch does not necessarily mean the quicks will rule right through the Test
Fast bowlers give Sri Lanka hope against upbeat New Zealand
The hosts have already named their XI, with Neil Wagner returning to a bowling attack containing Ajaz Patel as its lone spinner