The first test between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka is evenly-poised after day one in Galle.
With Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva winning the toss and electing to bat first, the hosts overcame two early setbacks to reach 302-7 at stumps on Wednesday at Galle International Stadium.
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Will O'Rourke, who was selected ahead of Matt Henry as the second pace bowling option after captain Tim Southee, took the wickets of openers Dimuth Karunaratne in the fourth over and Pathum Nissanka in the sixth over.
At 33-2, Dinesh Chandimal (30) and Angelo Mathews (36) safely took Sri Lanka through to the lunch break at 88-2.
However, Southee removed Chandimal in the first over after the break, and part-time spinner Glenn Phillips struck with his second ball soon after, dismissing de Silva and reducing the hosts to 106-4.
Kamindu Mendis (114 runs from 173 balls, including 11 fours) and Mathews added 72 runs for the fifth wicket, before O'Rourke removed Mathews, then joined with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis (50 from 68) for a 103-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
O'Rourke finished with figures of 3-54 from 17 overs and Phillips 2-52 from 18, while Ajaz Patel took the other wicket in a loose bowling display, finally removing Kamindu Mendis in the penultimate over.
Play is scheduled to resume on day two on Thursday at 4.30pm. A rest day is scheduled for Saturday for Sri Lanka's presidential elections.
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