Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 2012-13

At Galle, November 17-19, 2012. Sri Lanka won by ten wickets. Toss: New Zealand. Test debut: F. D. M. Karunaratne.

Sri Lanka continued to enjoy Galle, pulling off a sixth win in the last eight Tests there, and a 12th in 21 overall. Herath also maintained his success rate: his 11 wickets took his tally at the ground to 46 at little more than 20 apiece. Still, New Zealand's fifth consecutive Test defeat since July - their worst run since losing six in a row in the mid-1950s - owed more to a lack of confidence on a pitch conducive to spin than it did to Herath's bowling.

New Zealand struggled from the start, managing just 221 after winning the toss. McCullum and Flynn provided the only partnership of substance, putting on 90 for the fourth wicket after Kulasekara and Eranga had made early inroads. Herath broke the stand, deceiving McCullum with a slightly quicker delivery that turned and clipped the top of off, and Franklin soon followed. Flynn eventually thick-edged an attempted drive, and was well caught by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

New Zealand did, though, claim a wicket before the close, when Southee's inswinger trapped the debutant opener Dimuth Karunaratne for a third-ball duck. Karunaratne, who had replaced the injured Tillekeratne Dilshan, received his Test cap before the start from team manager Charith Senanayake - who had also failed to score on his Test debut against New Zealand, 21 years earlier at Wellington.

Next morning, Paranavitana made a duck too, edging into his leg stump as the Sri Lankans were subjected to a severe test against the moving ball by Southee and left-armer Boult. By the end of the 16th over, they were 50 for five, and New Zealand were contemplating a handy lead but, as the ball lost its shine, Mahela Jayawardene and his deputy Mathews took control in a face-saving stand of 156. But once Franklin broke through by inducing Mathews to edge behind - his first Test wicket since April 2009 - the floodgates were open again, and the innings was quickly polished off. Jayawardene looked set for another century but, at 91, gave himself out after an attempt to sweep Patel resulted in the ball popping up off his glove; keeper van Wyk dived forward to take a sharp catch.

Sri Lanka had a slender lead of 26, and New Zealand ten overs to survive on the second evening - but they lost McCullum, who took on Herath and was caught in the deep. After two days of absorbing cricket, the game was evenly poised, but the third brought a dramatic turn of events, as New Zealand collapsed in a heap. By lunch they were languishing at 96 for eight, and Sri Lanka soon completed a comprehensive victory.

Kulasekara had begun the day with the wickets of Guptill and Williamson, and the rest of the batting was consumed by Herath, who completed match figures of 11 for 108, the best by a Sri Lankan against New Zealand. Sri Lanka needed only 93 to win and, with Southee missing because of a side strain, the attack lacked the cutting edge of the first innings. The openers, who both started on pairs, had no difficulty in completing the task, scoring at more than five an over. Karunaratne boosted his confidence with a pleasing run-a-ball 60.

Man of the Match: H. M. R. K. B. Herath. Close of play: first day, Sri Lanka 9-1 (Paranavitana 0, Randiv 3); second day, New Zealand 35-1 (Guptill 13, Williamson 9).