Williamson, Latham put New Zealand in command

Kane Williamson joined the elite 1,000 runs-a-year club on Saturday as New Zealand built a commanding 308-run lead over Sri Lanka with two days remaining in the first Test in Dunedin.

Only the threat of rain and a flattening pitch loomed as possible barricades for New Zealand, who closed day three on 171/1 with nine wickets in hand.

Tom Latham was on 72 with master batsman Williamson on 48.

Williamson, who started his innings with 992 runs for the year, reached 1,000 driving Rangana Herath elegantly over mid-off to the boundary.

Williamson’s class shone as New Zealand ramped up their dominance over Sri Lanka, removing their last six wickets on Saturday to have the tourists all out for 294, 137 runs in arrears.

Guptill and Latham set about building on New Zealand’s advantage, moving swiftly to 79 before Guptill’s luck ran out when he was bowled by a shooter from Rangana Herath for 46. Sri Lanka suffered a setback at the start of the day when they resumed their first innings at 197/4 and lost batting general Dinesh Chandimal with the first ball he faced. The innings ended when leg-spinner Mitchell Santner had Pradeep caught behind to give wicketkeeper B.J. Watling his sixth catch of the innings. SCOREBOARD New Zealand (1st innings): 431 Sri Lanka (1st innings): D. Karunaratne c Watling b Santner 84, K. Mendis c Watling b Boult 8, U. Jayasundera c Watling b Wagner 1, D. Chandimal c Guptill b Southee 83, A. Mathews c Watling b Southee 2, K. Vithanage c Watling b Southee 22, M. Siriwardana c Taylor b Wagner 35, R. Herath c Boult b Wagner 15, D. Chameera c Taylor b Southee 14, S. Lakmal (not out) 18, N. Pradeep c Watling b Santner 3. Extras: (1b,4lb,4nb) 9. Total; (in 117.1 overs) 294. FoW: 1-19, 2-29, 3-151, 4-156, 5-198, 6-209, 7-252, 8-273, 9-287. Bowling: Boult 22-7-52-2, Southee 27-4-71-3, Bracewell 21-6-42-0, Wagner 25-5-87-3, Santner 21.1-7-37-2, Williamson 1-1-0-0. New Zealand (2nd innings): T. Latham (batting) 72, M. Guptill b Herath 46, K. Williamson (batting) 48. Extras: (1b,4nb) 5. Total: (for 1 wkt, in 48 overs) 171. FoW: 1-79. Bowling: Lakmal 9-0-26-0, Mathews 4-1-4-0, Chameera 10-0-40-0, Pradeep 9-1-29-0, Herath 8-1-39-1, Siriwardana 7-0-28-0, Jayawundera 1-0-4-0.