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HAMILTON. — Kane Williamson had New Zealand on the brink of victory after a spectacular Sri Lanka collapse on the third day of the second Test cricket in Hamilton yesterday.

On a day when 16 wickets fell, New Zealand were 142 for five at the close of play, requiring a further 47 runs to claim the Test and sweep the series.

Shortly before lunch on the third day their hopes of a win seemed remote with Sri Lanka 126 runs ahead and with all second innings wickets in hand.

But the tourists’ fortunes swung from commanding to catastrophic when 10 wickets fell for 62.

New Zealand went from being 55 behind on the first innings to chasing a target of 189 to win.

Williamson was not out on 78 at stumps, in sight of his 13th Test century with BJ Watling yet to score.

New Zealand left-arm seamer Neil Wagner called the day “bizarre” while Sri Lanka bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake was not happy his side did not bat safely as instructed.

“Right throughout the short ball was key to get wickets and for us what happened was we hooked,” he said.

“Somehow they went to the middle and didn’t do the right thing. We were trying to go for big ones and it didn’t work and we’re very disappointed.”

Wagner said the short ball strategy came as they felt Sri Lanka were getting away.

“It was a pretty bizarre day, wasn’t it? A lot of wickets fell and to start the day off Sri Lanka were in a strong position,” he said.

The ultimately successful short-pitched strategy was a gamble because “if you don’t get it right you’re going to get hurt, like a couple I bowled didn’t get up high enough and ended up going over the bank for six”.

The one bright spot for Sri Lanka was the emergence of Dushmantha Chameera as a genuine wicket-taker. The right-arm paceman took four for 45 in New Zealand’s second innings to give him nine wickets in the match.

Openers Tom Latham and Martin Guptill fell cheaply as Chameera had New Zealand 11 for 2 before Williamson and Ross Taylor (35) revived the innings with 67 for the third wicket.

Brendon McCullum (18) followed Taylor to the crease for a fourth-wicket stand of 52. — AFP.