New Zealand were 39 runs behind Sri Lanka at the break with Brendon McCullum on 14 and Kane Williamson on four. PHOTO: AFP
New Zealand were 253-5 in the second innings at stumps, 118 runs ahead with five wickets in hand. The stubborn Williamson-Watling partnership helped the hosts recover from a perilous 159-5, with the hosts being just 24 runs ahead when the pair came together.
Sri Lanka had registered a 135-run first innings lead thanks largely to a Kumar Sangakarra double-century, with Dinesh Chandimal being the only other player to cross the 50-run mark.
Williamson was on 80, in sight of his ninth Test century, and Watling was on 48, nearing his ninth half century at the close of play, giving New Zealand hope of setting a target of around 200 or more for the visitors. Nuwan Pradeep, meanwhile, has looked particularly threatening and has taken three wickets to add to his first innings figures of 4-63.
“If these guys can keep going for another hour or two, it's going to set us up quite nicely,” said opener Tom Latham. “I think 200 is a reasonably tough chase.”
However, despite their dogged fight, the odds remained in favour of Sri Lanka pulling off a series-levelling win after losing the first Test in Christchurch by eight wickets.
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