So, after just two days, the momentum of the game has shifted in favor of the hosts and they are well in a position to call the shots. Defeat for them from here on would be very unlikely and they will now look to clean sweep this series. On the other hand, the visitors will look to bat as long as they can and bounce back. They will need to come up with something special though, and the Kiwis are often known for these kinds of things. Stay tuned as we approach Day 3, also known as the 'Moving Day' in a short while.

New Zealand's innings got off to a rocky start, losing both openers cheaply. Tom Latham was out for a duck after being trapped by Asitha Fernando, and Devon Conway followed soon after. Ajaz Patel and Kane Williamson survived until stumps, leaving New Zealand at 22/2, and they are now trailing by 580 runs as they head into Day 3.

Hello and a warm welcome to the Day 3 of the New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka. The Day 2 of the Test match was also dominated by the Lankans as they declared their innings at 602/5. Kamindu Mendis notched his fifth Test century, remaining unbeaten on 182, and shared a mammoth 200-run partnership with Kusal Mendis, who scored an unbeaten 106. The Kiwi bowlers struggled, with Phillips taking three wickets in total.

... DAY 3, SESSION 1 ...

Right then, that is it from the Day 2's play. New Zealand trail by a hefty 580 runs. The hosts are completely in command and it is now up to Kane Williamson and co to take the fight to the opposition. Day 3 will begin at 4.30 am GMT on Friday but you can tune in a lot earlier for the build-up. Cheers!

The New Zealand bowlers struggled to make an impact with their bowling. Glenn Phillips emerged as the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 141 runs, while Tim Southee made an early breakthrough by dismissing Nissanka in the first over of the day. The Lankan innings was finally declared at 602 putting them in a commanding position in the match. In the later stages of the day, the troubles increased for the Kiwis as Tom Latham fell in the very first over for New Zealand and Devon Conway was dismissed as well leaving the Kiwis on 22/2 at the end of Day 2. They now trail by a hefty 580 with 8 wickets in their bank.

The partnership of the Mendises was a noteworthy one, as they forged an impressive 200-run alliance for the sixth wicket. Throughout the innings, Sri Lanka demonstrated their batting prowess by constructing three century partnerships. Angelo Mathews also featured prominently, but narrowly missed out on a century, falling short by just 12 runs. Dhananjaya de Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne fell a few shy of their half-centuries as well.

Another day that belonged to Sri Lanka! They had opted to bat first and it turned out to be an optimal one. Although opener Pathum Nissanka was dismissed early in the innings, the Sri Lankan batting lineup displayed remarkable resilience and depth. Dinesh Chandimal anchored the innings with a stellar century, scoring 116 runs, while Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Mendis both contributed significantly, finishing with unbeaten scores of 182 and 106 respectively. Kamindu Mendis, without a doubt, was the standout for them.