New Zealand racked up more than 400 on Thursday's opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka but lost six wickets in the last session as the tourists hit back with the second new ball.
The Black Caps' stumps total of 8-409 in Dunedin was built on 156 by opening batsman Martin Guptill but also contrastingly quick half-centuries from Kane Williamson (88) and captain Brendon McCullum.
Doug Bracewell will resume on 32 with Neil Wagner yet to score.
Williamson looked unhurried despite scoring at a good clip. He is only eight runs short of becoming the second New Zealander to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year.
However, just before tea, he edged a Nuwan Pradeep delivery to first slip.
McCullum was belligerent, his 75 coming off 57 balls including 13 fours and one six as he dominated an 89-run partnership with Guptill.
However, in Milinda Siriwardana's first over, he tried to slog sweep the left-arm spinner and was caught by Kithuruwan Vithinage.
After opener Tom Latham was out for 22, Guptill and Williamson set a record second-wicket stand against Sri Lanka of 173 runs.
Guptill passed 2000 runs in Tests but it wasn't a chanceless knock.
On 78, he survived two lbw appeals off Pradeep.
Umpire Richard Kettleborough gave them both not out, but replays suggested if Sri Lanka had reviewed the second, it would have been overturned.
His eventually edged a ball from Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews - who Guptill said was the most testing of the bowlers - to the wicketkeeper.
Guptill said he was pretty knackered but satisfied following six hours at the crease.
The pitch had been difficult to bat on early, he said.
It had been predicted to offer seam and pace early, but Sri Lanka weren't able to exploit it.
"Towards the end of the day, when it started drying out, the ball was doing some funny things so that's good signs for us when we start bowling tomorrow."
Losing six wickets in the last session wasn't ideal but that was cricket, he said.
"The second new ball on a fresh wicket is always going to be pretty tough to get through.
Earlier in the day, Mathews had won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat.
Sri Lanka's bowlers did not look dangerous in the morning session but stuck at it after lunch. At tea, New Zealand were 2-229 and, at drinks in the final session, they were 3-318.
Their bowlers eventually nipped out several batsmen in quick succession.
Ross Taylor fell lbw to Pradeep for eight.
Mitchell Santner was caught behind off Dushmantha Chameera for 12 and BJ Watling (5) hit the first delivery with the second new ball to gully, before Tim Southee was caught for two.
Chameera and Pradeep both returned figures of 2-101, Suranga Lakmal 2-69, Siriwardana 1-24 and Mathews 1-28. Spinners Rangana Herath and Udara Jayasundera went wicketless.
Share
