More than a decade since their last Test victory in Sri Lanka, New Zealand cherished a solid second-innings declaration and then snared four late wickets to challenge history at the P Sara Oval on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka were still a sizeable 187 runs behind New Zealand's first innings score when bad light resulted in early stumps on day three of the second Test, the hosts sitting on 225 for six in Colombo.
Sri Lanka were in trouble at stumps on day two of the second Test in Colombo, after Tim Southee took two quick wickets to reduce the hosts to 43 for three, still 369 runs behind the Black Caps' score.
An unbroken 209-run stand between batsmen Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson put New Zealand in a rare position of command on day one of the second Test against at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.
Sri Lanka will be looking to add another humiliating defeat to New Zealand's records in the second Test at the P Sara Oval, after winning the first game by 10 wickets in three days thanks to Rangana Herath.