Sri Lankan paceman Nuwan Pradeep triggered a New Zealand batting collapse to dismiss the hosts for 221 on day one of the second Test in Wellington.
Pradeep, recalled to the side after missing their eight-wicket defeat in the first Test in Christchurch, claimed career-best Test figures of 4-63 as the home side lost their last eight wickets for just 80 runs.
Only Kane Williamson showed any prolonged resistance, hitting 69 – his 15th Test fifty – after Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bowl first on a green-tinged Basin Reserve pitch.
The Black Caps looked largely at ease in the early going on a pitch offering assistance to the pace bowlers, with Sri Lanka guilty of bowling too short.
They reached 93-2 at lunch and had accelerated after the interval to 2-141 before the rot set in with the batsmen largely the authors of their own demise.
Pradeep, who earlier removed Hamish Rutherford, got Ross Taylor (35) to edge a 140km/h ball onto his leg stump to kick-start the tourists’ revival.
Captain Brendon McCullum, who received the keys to the city in the lunch interval in recognition of his record-breaking 302 against India at the same ground last year, lasted just two balls before falling for his first duck since he became skipper.
The relief on the Sri Lankans’ faces was evident after McCullum had plundered 195 from 134 balls in the previous Test.
Pradeep, who only bowled two overs in his opening spell after being handed the new ball, also enticed an edge from James Neesham.
After BJ Watling went, Williamson was the third New Zealander to drag a ball onto his stumps as the home side lost five wickets in the session after lunch.
Two wickets in four balls soon after the start of the final session had New Zealand in danger of being dismissed for under 200 before a last wicket stand of 26 between recalled paceman Doug Bracewell and Trent Boult took them to 221.
Earlier, under-pressure opener Rutherford fell 13 runs short of his first Test fifty in 14 innings after the early loss of fellow opener Tom Latham.
New Zealand pace spearhead Tim Southee passed a fitness test on an injured ankle before play and Neil Wagner made way for Bracewell.
Sri Lanka made three changes from the side comprehensively beaten at Hagley Oval.
Batsman Niroshan Dickwella was dropped in favour of Dinesh Chandimal, veteran spinner Rangana Herath, who passed a fitness test before play, replaced Tharindu Kaushal and Pradeep came in for Shaminda Eranga.
