Opener Martin Guptill had shaken off a poor run of form at the international level with a confidence-boosting 66 not out from 78 balls, before the rain forced them off the field for the final time.
Guptill, who had passed 50 just once since he scored 111 on the same ground against India a year ago, was tentative before he dispatched a Nuwan Kulasekara delivery for six over long on and then grew in confidence from that moment on.
Until then he had been watching Brendon McCullum attack the Sri Lankan bowlers, belting 28 from 22 balls before he was well caught by Kulasekara off Angelo Mathews.
Guptill and Tom Latham (42) then combined for 99 runs, while being forced off twice for rain, before Sri Lanka captain Mathews got the left-handed Latham to chop on then had Ross Taylor lbw for three in his next over.
Rain then forced the players off for the final time.
The series is locked at 1-1 with the fourth game of the seven-match series to be played on Tuesday at Saxton Oval in Nelson.
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Melbourne; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
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