New Zealand win first Test by 8 wickets

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AFP
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New Zealand win first Test by 8 wickets
CHRISTCHURCH: Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor calmly guided New Zealand to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday.

Williamson was on 31 and Taylor 39 as the hosts made 107-2 to seal the win on the fourth day having suffered some uneasy moments when Tom Latham (17) and Hamish Rutherford (10) were dismissed before tea as they chased down a victory target of 105 runs.

"I think that´s the fifth test win of the year, which we´re pretty proud to achieve," New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said in a televised interview. "It was an all around good performance, especially after losing the toss and having to bat."

Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 407 in their second innings in an extended opening session before lunch on Monday after Tim Southee took three quick wickets in the first hour.

A 59-run final wicket partnership between Eranga (45 not out) and Suranga Lakmal (16) frustrated New Zealand´s bowlers and extended the session past the normal lunch break.

Southee finished with 4-91 from 37 overs while Trent Boult took 4-100 from 39 and the pair will relish the extra day´s rest before the second test begins in Wellington on Saturday.

New Zealand´s bowlers had been in the field for more than 196 overs after McCullum enforced the follow-on on Saturday, when they dismissed the visitors for 138 in their first innings. "It was a pretty poor performance by the whole team," Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said of their first innings. "The batting unit didn´t stand up and we kicked ourselves out of the game by that batting in the first innings."

McCullum´s brilliant 195 on the first day defined the match, as he belted 18 boundaries and 11 sixes in his 134-ball knock to push his side to 441 in 85.5 overs.

His pace bowlers then destroyed Sri Lanka´s first innings, with the new ball pairing of Boult and Southee particularly impressive with their line, length and ability to get seam and swing. "Our seamers were outstanding and to bowl them out for 130-odd in the first innings was for me the winning of the game," said McCullum, who was man of the match. "We have seen with our seamers if we give them enough runs how potent they are as an attack and they have achieved some special things for us over the last while."

The second match of the two-test series is at Wellington´s Basin Reserve from Jan. 3-7. (Reuters)