Cricket: Black Caps battle to stumps

Kane Williamson will carry the Black Caps' hopes heading into the fourth day. Photo / Getty

New Zealand were fighting hard to stay in the second test at the end of day three at the Basin Reserve today.

They will start the fourth day at 253 for five, holding a 118-run lead over Sri Lanka and with Kane Williamson on 80 and BJ Watling on 48.

By stumps their sixth wicket stand was worth a precious 93 for New Zealand, who hold a 1-0 lead and are desperate to protect that on the eve of the cricket World Cup.

Different format, but there's a belief that going in on the back of a positive series result won't hurt morale for the tournament they will jointly host with Australia.

It was a different story as Sri Lanka removed captain Brendon McCullum and Jimmy Neesham in the middle session to have New Zealand reeling at 159 for five, or effectively 24 for five.

Both went lbw to Sri Lankan seamers. McCullum was given lbw to Dhammika Prasad and reviewed it without success.

Neesham's came the other way. He was given not out on 19, but Sri Lanka sought a second opinion which went in their favour.

By stumps Williamson had grafted just over five hours and faced 200 balls. He was within 20 runs of a ninth test century, which would pull him equal with former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming.

Sri Lanka's bowlers persevered in good batting conditions and the match would have been more firmly in their grasp had their most successful, Nuwan Pradeep, not spilled Watling, after three juggles at fine leg, on 23 off an unimpressed Prasad.

SCOREBOARD