With Sri Lanka threatening to take a stranglehold on the first test in Galle, the Black Caps hit back.
New Zealand took three in the final session on day three at Galle International Stadium on Friday, leaving the hosts at 237-4 in their second innings, leading by 202 runs ahead of Saturday's scheduled rest day.
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The Black Caps took a 35-run lead after the first innings as Daryl Mitchell (57 runs from 86 balls, including seven fours and a six) and Glenn Phillips (49 not out from 48, including two fours and five sixes) helped push the total past 300.
Resuming day three at 255-4, Tom Blundell departed quickly but as Mitchell and Phillips were getting settled and approaching Sri Lanka's total, wickets tumbled.
Mitchell went after bringing up his 11th test half-century, then Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee and Ajaz Patel followed soon after, all four wickets falling for 13 runs in a four-over span, leaving the Kiwis 304-9 in reply to the hosts' 305.
No 11 Will O'Rourke managed to hold on long enough for Phillips to tack on some valuable runs but not long enough for him to bring up his fourth test 50.
O'Rourke, who took his second five-wicket bag in the first innings, dismissed opener Pathum Nissanka early in Sri Lanka's second innings, but Dimuth Karunaratne (83 from 127) and Dinesh Chandimal (61 from 150) punished New Zealand's bowling.
Patel broke the 147-run partnership, removing Karunaratne, before O'Rourke took the wickets of Chandimal and first innings century-maker Kamindu Mendis before the close of play, giving him figures of 3-37 from 12 overs and eight wickets for the match.
The test pauses for Sri Lanka's presidential elections on Sunday, resuming with day four on Sunday (4.30pm NZ Time).
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