Bond puts New Zealand in charge

Shane Bond and James Franklin took three wickets each and Chris Martin picked up his 100th Test dismissal as New Zealand assumed control on the first day of the first Test here.

The Black Caps dismissed Sri Lanka for 154 runs before tea and were 85 for 2 at stumps with the opener Craig Cumming on an unbeaten 37 after sharing a second-wicket stand of 70 with Mathew Sinclair.

Bond produced a devastating opening spell to leave the visitors on 37 for 3, and Franklin picked up three wickets after lunch to put New Zealand into a good position to win their first Test at Jade Stadium since 1994.

Mahela Jayawardene may have been questioning his decision to put his side into bat after winning the toss, as only four of his batsmen reached double figures.

Bond, playing his first Test match on his home ground, ripped through the Sri Lankan top order, taking three wickets in his first seven overs. Sanath Jayasuriya was dismissed for five after edging to Stephen Fleming in the slips, and Kumar Sangakkara followed for four after being taken in the slips by Sinclair.

Jayawardene was out for eight when his attempted hook was caught by Franklin at fine leg. The opener Upul Tharanga and Chamara Kapugedera offered some resistance, taking Sri Lanka to 77 for 3 at lunch but Franklin struck after the resumption. Tharanga was dismissed for 33 when he cut to Jamie How at gully, the debutant Chamara Silva lasted only two deliveries before he was bowled for nought and Kapugedera was trapped for the inning's top score of 37.

Chaminda Vass went for four after the wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum dived low to take a one-handed catch off Jacob Oram, and How gave Martin his century of Test wickets with a superb low catch at third slip to dismiss Prasanna Jayawardene for seven.

Farveez Maharoof was dismissed for 15 off the next ball, edging the ball to Fleming at first slip. Muttiah Muralitharan was dropped twice by Bond as he added 22 runs with Lasith Malinga for the final wicket before he cut a Martin delivery to Nathan Astle at point.

Sri Lanka struck quickly, Malinga dismissing How for a duck. Sinclair shared a second-wicket stand of 70 with Cumming before he was out for 36, caught by the wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene off Vaas.