New Zealand took a commanding 308-run lead with only one wicket down in their second innings in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Dunedin.
Responding to the Black Caps’ 431, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 294 before New Zealand reached 171 for one second time around, Tom Latham unbeaten on 72.
The tourists were 197 for four at the start of play, with wicketkeeper Denesh Chandimal resuming on 83 – but he failed to add to that total as he fell to the second ball of the day, edging into the slips where Martin Guptill took a good diving catch.
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And just two overs later it was 209 for six, Kithuruwan Vithanage (22) giving Southee his second wicket and wicketkeeper BJ Watling his fifth catch.
Sri Lanka did at least get some resistance from their lower order, with Milinda Siriwardene making 35 and sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 43 with Rangana Herath.
Siriwardene edged Neil Wagner to Ross Taylor at first slip, though, and Herath top-edged a hook at the same bowler to be caught by Trent Boult at long leg for 15.
Dushmantha Chameera made 14 before nicking Boult to Taylor and when Nuwan Pradeep was caught behind off Mitchell Santner it meant all 10 batsmen had been caught out – six by Watling, three more in the slips and only Herath further afield.
Southee and Wagner took three wickets each.
#NZvSL NZ complete day 3 of 1st Test in an impregnable position – 171/1, lead by 308 runs after bowling out SL for 294
— PakPassion.net (@PakPassion) December 12, 2015
For the second time in the match, New Zealand’s openers put on a half-century partnership – but whereas in the first innings it was Guptill who went on to a big score, 156, this time he was the one to fall with the stand at 79.
He made 46, with five fours and a six, before being cleaned up by an unplayable shooter from spinner Herath.
Latham was joined by Kane Williamson and the pair made largely untroubled progress to stumps.
Williamson moved into double figures with a boundary that also took him to 1,000 Test runs in a prolific calendar year and Latham reached 50 with a single off Siriwardene, from 95 balls and with four fours.
He was on 72 by the close, with Williamson just two runs short of a half-century of his own and Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum to come.
