Consider these numbers; the first session yesterday produced 60 for four, compared to 114 for one on day one; it was 65 for none in the second vs 115 for one on Thursday; and 94 for two in the third against a furious 180 for six when Brendon McCullum was in full cry.
New Zealand will start the middle day in the box seat, although not quite strapped in.
Sri Lanka are 197 for four, 234 adrift overall.
This is traditionally not a pitch which falls apart or has spinners turning the ball around corners -- not that left armer Mitchell Santner exactly gives it a rip anyway.
The day was given over to Sri Lanka showing they want to have a say in this series.
They'd been outplayed on day one. Yesterday probably gave New Zealand confirmation, if it was needed, of the identity of Sri Lanka's key batsmen in this series.
Lefthanded opener Dimuth Karunaratne had a century in his sights before getting out to Santner; captain Angelo Mathews fell for two to the faintest of legside edges, an insistent appeal from bowler Tim Southee, and the help of third umpire Paul Reiffel; and Dinesh Chandimal.
He battled four and three-quarter hours to be on 83 and he's held Sri Lanka together after the spectators had been stirred by the fall of two wickets in quick order in the final hour.
This is a Sri Lankan side short of experience and proven test quality. Three players are in their first, second and third tests so the Big Three are going to be pivotal figures.
Karunaratne got a century at Hagley Oval last Boxing Day and has classy touches to his game.
Chandimal is the highest-scoring Asian batsman this year in tests, with 792. He drove impressively, had a good measure of control of the bowling and was chanceless.
The bats were rarely beaten after Trent Boult and Southee's opening spells.
The oddest occurrence of the day -- other than Kane Williamson spilling a rare catch at short cover off Kithuruwan Vithanage just before stumps -- happened before lunch.
Chandimal would have been surprised to discover Neil Wagner had apparently delivered a 160kmph rocket at him when on one.
Wagner has many solid cricket qualities but mimicking Australian thunderbolt hurler Jeff Thomson isn't one. It turned out a bird flew across the measuring device at precisely the right, or wrong, moment.
New Zealand's bowlers will need to stick to their lines. They'll begin with a second new ball one over old today.
The first two sessions shape as crucial, for both teams.
Chandimal stands between New Zealand and a hefty first innings advantage, and from that the prospect of bossing the last two days.
Equally the longer Sri Lanka can bat then less time they'll face trying to save the test. You could even call the prospects absorbing.
SCOREBOARD
WAGONWHEEL
MANHATTAN
