Kumar Sangakkara , who scored a century, in Christchurch on Saturday. (AP)

Christchurch: Opener Craig Cumming scored 43 in New Zealand’s second innings on Saturday as the hosts took just under three days to beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first cricket Test, and take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

Set 119 to win after Sri Lanka’s second innings closed on 170, New Zealand lost three wickets for two runs to slump to 68 for four midway between lunch and tea on the third day.

However Nathan Astle, with 24, and Jacob Oram (9), shared an unbroken stand of 34 for the fifth wicket up until the tea interval, when New Zealand were 102 for four.

After tea, Oram and Brendon McCullum steered New Zealand to victory. Shane Bond was named Man-of-the-Match for his fine bowling performanc.

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara led a spirited rearguard action with an unbeaten century as Sri Lanka was dismissed for 170 in its second innings at Jade Stadium.

Sangakkara went on to add 27 in a last-wicket stand with Muralidharan. His innings ended in bizarre circumstances, when Muralidharan was run out for eight just as Sangakkara’s century was raised.

Sangakkara took a single from the first ball of Bond’s 20th over and Muralidharan, who ran to the striker’s end, rashly left his crease before the ball was dead to congratulate his partner. He was immediately run out by McCullum, ending the Sri Lankan innings.

Sangakkara was left un beaten on 100.

(AP)