Sri Lanka openers show fight in follow-on

Sri Lanka knuckled down and are promising to dig their way out of a giant hole after a fluctuating second day of the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Defiant openers Dimuth Karunaratne (49) and Kaushal Silva (33) steered the tourists to 84 without loss at stumps after they faced a deficit of 303 when asked to follow on at Hagley Oval.

Their assured opening stand saw off 35 overs, a contrast to Sri Lanka's fleeting first innings of 138 which lasted just 7.4 overs longer.

With New Zealand having scored 441, Sri Lanka are 219 runs behind with 10 wickets in hand and three long days lying ahead.

It's better than could have been hoped after they crumbled inside two heady sessions on Saturday, succumbing to the bounce and movement of New Zealand's seam attack.

That zip was lacking in the final session, along with the accuracy of their earlier fielding.

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After pouching eight from eight catches in Sri Lanka's first innings they shelled their only chance after tea, when reserve fielder Cole McConchie dropped a simple chance at square leg from Karunaratne on 10.

Seamer Dhammika Prasad says their poor first innings steeled them to show more backbone second time around.

"They (openers) are going well and there are three days to go so we'll focus on playing a long innings," Prasad said.

"We'll fight back for the rest of the three days."

New Zealand's seamers were in command through the first two sessions, led by Trent Boult (3-25), reduced Sri Lanka to 15-3 after trapping both openers lbw before luring a snick from Kumar Sangakkara.

Neil Wagner (3-60), Tim Southee (2-17) and allrounder Jimmy Neesham (2-28) dominated the second session, snaffling the last seven wickets for 80 runs.

Batting at that stage appeared considerably harder than when home captain Brendon McCullum blasted his blistering 195 on Friday.

Counterpart Angelo Matthews provided the only tangible Sri Lankan batting resistance, reaching 50 before he was caught in the deep off Wagner.

Boult said the Black Caps realise they face some hard work to seal victory and can't expect another capitulation.

"That first innings was something pretty special and did seem to all just happen," he said.

"It was brilliant but we knew they were going to come out fighting hard and looking to deny us.

"Overall, a brilliant day but it would have been nice to get a couple more at the end there."

Earlier the tourists claimed the last three Black Caps wickets for 12 runs inside six overs after they had resumed at 429-7.