A burst of three wickets in 30 deliveries tightened Sri Lanka's grip on the second Test Monday as New Zealand reached 96 for three in their second innings at lunch in Wellington.
Nuwan Pradeep removed openers Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham after a steady start to day three and Rangana Herath bowled Ross Taylor as three wickets tumbled for four runs.
New Zealand were 39 runs behind Sri Lanka at the break with Brendon McCullum on 14 and Kane Williamson on four.
Latham (35) and Rutherford (40) had made a solid start to the morning, taking their partnership to 75 on a wicket that had flattened out with sideways movement a rarity compared to the terrors of the first day when 15 wickets fell.
It took the guile of Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews to initiate the collapse with a decision to feed Rutherford's urge to flirt with any delivery short and outside his off stump.
A few balls after Dinesh Chandimal was placed at third man, Rutherford steered a Pradeep delivery straight into his hands.
Latham was caught behind off Pradeep and Taylor faced just seven balls before he misread Herath and was bowled to leave New Zealand 79 for three.
The situation resembled New Zealand's last Test in Wellington a year ago against India when they trailed by 246 on the first innings and faced defeat at 94-5 in the second.
On that occasion they were rescued by a historic triple century by captain McCullum and were hoping he could produce something similar Monday.
Source: AFP