Guptill ton drives New Zealand

The runs have flowed from the bats of the New Zealand cricketers but wickets also fell as they exceeded 400 in a day in their opening clash with Sri Lanka.

The hosts' total of 8-409 was built on 156 by opening batsman Martin Guptill but also contrastingly quick half centuries from Kane Williamson and captain Brendon McCullum.

Doug Bracewell was unbeaten on 32 and Neil Wagner yet to score at stumps on the first day of the first Test at Dunedin.

The Sri Lankans couldn't slow the Kiwis' run rate of 4.5 an over but hit back late in the day with a flurry of wickets.

Williamson purred along quietly, looking unhurried despite his fast scoring rate. His 88 means he is now just eight runs short of becoming just the second New Zealander to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year.

However, he got out just before tea by edging a ball from Pradeep to first slip.

McCullum's innings off 75 was belligerent. It came off 57 balls and included 13 fours and one six and was the lion's share of his 89-run partnership with Guptill.

He took to Dushmantha Chameera and flayed him for a number of boundaries.

However, in Milinda Siriwardana's first over he tried to slog sweep the left arm spinner and was caught by Kithuruwan Vithinage.

Guptill couldn't get past 23 in Australia last month but found the Sri Lankan attack much more to his liking, clubbing 21 fours in his 234-ball stay.

His century was his first in more than four years.

He and Williamson set a record second wicket stand against Sri Lanka of 173 runs.

During the innings he overtook fellow opener Bruce Edgar's tally of 1958 runs, scored in the 1970s and 80s, and then went on to pass 2000 runs in Tests.

It wasn't a chanceless knock.

On 78 he survived two lbw appeals off Nuwan Pradeep.

Umpire Richard Kettleborough gave them both not out, but replays suggested if Sri Lanka had reviewed the second decision it would have been overturned.

His innings ended when he edged a ball from Angelo Mathews to the wicketkeeper with just five overs left in the day.

A handful of batsmen were at the crease fleetingly.

Ross Taylor reached eight before falling lbw to Pradeep.

Mitchell Santner was caught behind off Chameera for 12 and then BJ Watling hit the first delivery with the second new ball to gully to be out for five.

Tim Southee edged a delivery from Suranga Lakmal to first slip for be out for two.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan skipper Mathews had won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat.

Sri Lanka's bowlers did not look dangerous in the morning session - only snaring Tom Latham for 22 - but stuck at it after lunch. At drinks in the final session New Zealand were 3-318 but quickly lost a handful of wickets.

Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Pradeep both returned figures of 2-101, Lakmal 2-69, Siriwardana 1-24 and Mathews 1-28. Spinners Rangana Herath and Udara Jayasundera went wicketless.

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (c), Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (c), Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundera, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath.