Bandaratilake dismissed Bryan Young for 46 and Daniel Vettori for nought in one over before play was called off due to bad light.

Play was delayed by more than three hours after heavy overnight rains left the area around the wicket soggy.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, whose batting heroics were instrumental in New Zealand's first Test win, won the toss for the second time in the series and elected to bat first.

But Bandaratilake soon upset Fleming's plans when he had opener Matthew Horne caught by wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana off a rising delivery in his very first over.

Kumar Dharmasena, who was recalled for the second Test, added to New Zealand's woes when he had Fleming leg before wicket for 14. The scoreboard then read 21 for two in 17 overs.

Young and Nathan Astle steadied the innings with a 69-runthird wicket partnership before Bandaratilake came back for a new spell and separated them.

Young was caught by Sanath Jayasuriya after batting for 183 minutes. Nightwatchman Vettori was Bandaratilake's third victim.

He lasted three balls before holing out to Hashan Tillekeratne at forward shortleg without scoring. Astle battled it out for 132 minutes to remain undefeated on 30 with Craig McMillan on two.

Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga concentrated on an all-spin attack, allowing his solitary fast bowler Pramodya Wickremasinghe only seven overs.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand (1st innings): B Young c Jayasuriya b Bandaratilake 46, M Horne c Kaluwitharana b Bandaratilake 1, S Fleming lbw b Dharmasena 14, N Astle batting 30, D Vettori c Tillekeratne b Bandaratilake 0, C McMillan batting 2; Extras: (lb2, nb1) 3. Total: (for four wickets in 55.1 overs) 96
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-21, 3-90, 4-90.
Bowling: Wickremasinghe 7-1-20-0, Dharmasena 9-2-28-1, Bandaratilake 15-8-10-3,Muralitharan 15.1-6-22-0, Jayasuriya 4-1-8-0, de Silva 5-2-6-0.