An inspired spell after lunch by recalled paceman Nuwan Pradeep helped drag Sri Lanka back into the match on day one of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington.

New Zealand lost five wickets in the session to be 7-192 at tea after Pradeep started the rot by claiming two wickets and fellow quick Suranga Lakmal snared the prized scalp of Brendon McCullum.

BJ Watling departed soon after and when the resistance of Kane Williamson ended after a stylish 69 the Black Caps had lost five wickets for 41 runs after being well-placed at lunch.

Mark Craig was five not out and the recalled Doug Bracewell, selected ahead of Neil Wagner in the only change to the New Zealand side from their eight-wicket win in Christchurch, was unbeaten on five.

The hosts began the session on 2-93 and were travelling at almost seven an over after the resumption as Williamson and Ross Taylor hit the accelerator.

But Pradeep, who had earlier removed Hamish Rutherford, got Taylor (35) to edge a 140km/h ball onto his leg stump to kickstart their revival.

Captain Brendon McCullum, who received the keys to the city in the lunch interval in reception 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 had figures of 3-53 after only bowling two overs in his opening spell, then enticed an edge from James Neesham as Sri Lanka finally found the right areas on the green-tinged pitch after skipper Angelo Mathews had won the toss and bowled first.

Mathews then removed Watling before Williamson, who brought up his 15th Test fifty, became the third New Zealander to drag a ball onto his stumps.

Earlier, under-pressure opener Rutherford fell 13 runs short of his first Test fifty in 14 innings after the earlier loss of fellow opener Tom Latham.

New Zealand pace spearhead Tim Southee passed a fitness test on an injured ankle before play while Sri Lanka made three changes from the side comprehensively beaten at Hagley Oval.

Batsman Niroshan Dickwella, after two failures in Christchurch, was dropped in favour of Dinesh Chandimal, veteran spinner Rangana Herath, who passed a fitness test before play, replaced Tharindu Kaushal and Pradeep replaced Shaminda Eranga.