New Zealand renewed its plea for match officials to take a hard line on excessive appealing during their test cricket series with Sri Lanka after feeling the original request fell on deaf ears.

Black Caps skipper Daniel Vettori is just two wickets away from joining test cricket's 300/3000 club.

An illness-depleted New Zealand were bamboozled in the face of pace and spin as Sri Lanka cruised to a 202-run victory in the first test on Saturday to lead the two-match series.