Galle: Some gritty performances by the New Zealand lower order helped them save the follow-on against Sri Lanka on the third day of the first test here at Galle.

After heavy rains delayed the start of play by 90 minutes, Sri Lanka kept chipping away with wickets at regular intervals whittling out six wickets before bad light took the players off with New Zealand having just avoided the follow-on target.

Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan were Sri Lanka’s bowling heroes, while Tim McIntosh, who faced 226 balls for his 69, led the resistance for the visitors. Along the way, Murali passed Shane Warne for the most maidens bowled in Test cricket (1761), and New Zealand were left to rely on their all-rounder’s to take them past the follow-on target.

It was the eighth wicket pair of Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori who through their resolute batting denied Sri Lanka the follow-on. The duo, which came together with the Black Caps still needing 30 runs to avoid the follow-on in the rain-hit Test, put on a defiant stand of 36 after tea on the third day.

Ryder was eventually dismissed for 42, but skipper Vettori returned unbeaten on 33 as New Zealand ended the day at 281-8, still 171 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 452. Tailender Iain O’Brien was the other batsman at the crease on 3.

Sri Lanka still has two days to force a win at the Galle International Stadium on a wicket that has already started to spin big.

“The wicket is very slow, but it will be interesting if we can set New Zealand about 300-325 runs on the last day,” said the home team’s star spinner and world bowling record holder, Muttiah Muralitharan. “We must first take the last two wickets quickly. A lot will depend on the weather because we need to get two full days of cricket in.”

The Black Caps, led by a gutsy 69 from left-handed opener Tim McIntosh, were in a comfortable position at 180-3 when the collapse started as three wickets fell for 15 runs in the post-lunch session.

The collapse was triggered by two wickets from left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara, who had Ross Taylor caught behind for 35 and bowled Brendon McCullum for one off the inside edge.

Muralitharan had two lucky breaks when he earned a leg-before verdict against the sturdy McIntosh and had Jacob Oram caught off the pad at short-leg for 12. Television replays showed Australian umpire Daryl Harper erred in both decisions.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 281 for 8 (McIntosh 69, Vettori 33*, O’Brien 3*, Muralitharan 3-66, Thushara 3-80) trail Sri Lanka 452 by 171 runs.

Tagged with: Daniel Vettori, Galle, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Muttiah Muralitharan, New Zealand, Shane Warne, Sri Lanka, Thilan Thushara, Tim McIntosh

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