Sri Lanka struck twice before lunch to leave New Zealand 2-84 following the opening morning of the first Test in Christchurch.

The Black Caps lost openers Hamish Rutherford (18) and Tom Latham (27) after both had looked solid early in Hagley Oval’s maiden Test.

At the crease were a fluent Kane Williamson, on 34 off 36 balls, and Ross Taylor (3).

The hosts were asked to bat by Sri Lanka, whose seam bowlers were initially too short on a green surface.

New ball pair Suranga Lakmal (1-24) and Shaminda Eranga (1-20) responded with wickets in the first over of their respective second spells.

Lakmal rattled the off stump of Rutherford, who drove loosely when the score was 37 while Latham ballooned a catch to point from a leading edge off Eranga six overs later.

The recalled Rutherford’s lean trot continued, having failed to pass 50 in his last 13 Test innings.

He was dropped for last month’s three Tests against Pakistan when captain Brendon McCullum opened alongside Latham but McCullum has returned to the middle order for the two Tests against Sri Lanka.

The Test began in bizarre circumstances when both opening bowlers slipped over at the crease before bowling their first delivery.

The second tumble, from Eranga, prompted ground staff to delay play for 10 minutes to roughen up the delivery area.

A sold-out crowd of about 8000 enjoyed sunny conditions at New Zealand’s picturesque eighth Test venue.

It is the first Test in Christchurch since 2006 and the first Boxing Day Test in New Zealand for 11 years.

The Black Caps omitted seamer Doug Bracewell and batsman Dean Brownlie while Sri Lanka handed a debut to offspinner Tharindu Kaushal in the absence of the injured Rangana Herath.