New Zealand fight back, take 18-run first innings lead

New Zealand were all out for 373 to lead Sri Lanka by 18 runs on the first innings on day three of the first Test in Christchurch on Saturday, on the back of Daryl Mitchell's century and a stunning counter-attack from Matt Henry.

After being 151 for five, the innings was boosted by an eighth century from Mitchell (102) and a rollicking personal best 72 by Matt Henry, whose innings included 10 fours and three sixes, clouting 24 runs off one over by Kasun Rajitha.

For Sri Lanka, Asitha Fernando took four for 85 while Lahiru Kumara returned figures of three for 76, but more importantly the bowlers let slip a position of strength the visitors had built up, allowing what could have been a comfortable first innings lead into a deficit.