Latham's unbeaten century leads New Zealand charge on day three

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Nurtured by Latham's patient and unbeaten 111, New Zealand went into stumps with their noses slightly ahead, at the end of third day's play in Colombo. The visitors didn't have the best of starts with the bat as off-spinner Dilruwan Perera, taking the new ball, removed opener Jeet Raval for a nine-ball duck in only the second over after lunch. Skipper Kane Williamson soon fell to Lahiru Kumara for 20, registering his third low score of the series, as New Zealand further slipped to 34/2.

Ross Taylor then combined with Latham to stitch together a 50-run stand for the third wicket before Lasith Embuldeniya, the left-arm spinner, removed the former for 23. New Zealand went into tea at 103/3, after which rains caused a 28-minute halt in the day's play, the only rain interruption on Saturday, in the otherwise rain-marred Test so far.

Henry Nicholls too failed to make a contribution of note, becoming Perera's second victim for 15, as the game hung in balance with the visitors reduced to 126/4. Latham continued to accumulate, finding able support in BJ Watling, as the duo stitched an unbeaten 70-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Earlier, Sri Lanka, resuming from their overnight score of 244/6, rode on Dhananjaya de Silva's fifth Test century, as they were eventually bundled out for 244. The right-hander scored 77 off the 100 runs added by the hosts in the first session of play, sharing crucial partnerships with Dilruwan Perera and Suranga Lakmal.

Tim Southee was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, adding another two wickets to his tally on day three and finished with figures of 4/63, while Trent Boult dismissed Dhananjaya for 109, the last wicket to fall in Sri Lanka's innings.