Iain O'Brien avenged his punishment at the hands of Tillakaratne Dilshan but the Sri Lankan's flirtation with his country's fastest test cricket hundred had condemned New Zealand to damage-control mode on day one at Galle International Stadium.
With a session of a rain-abbreviated day remaining, Sri Lanka was comfortably in command at 212 for three at tea, as Mahela Jayawardene (76) and Thilan Samaraweera (35) ensured the worth of Dilshan's brilliant counter-punching 92 was undiminished by a middle-order wobble.
Dilshan's departure shortly after lunch when he chopped an enticing O'Brien delivery on to his middle stump was greeted with only muted celebration by a New Zealand team aware the damage he inflicted might already be irreparable.
Opening an innings for the first time in his 56-test career, the explosive right-hander dragged Sri Lanka out of early trouble at 16 for two by ticking off Sri Lanka's swiftest test fifty, from 30 balls.
A shortened opening session, after morning showers delayed the start time by 90 minutes, probably prevented Dilshan becoming test cricket's fourth century-maker before lunch on an opening day, and the first since Majid Khan flayed a hundred from New Zealand's attack at Karachi in 1976.
The 32-year-old was also within range of bettering Jayawardene's 81-ball whirlwind at Bangladesh's expense at Colombo seven years ago when O'Brien's luck changed momentarily.
The Wellingtonian bore the brunt of Dilshan's assault, his four overs with the new ball conceding 40 as the right-hander took the long handle to New Zealand's attack once Chris Martin justified Daniel Vettori's decision to bowl first by removing Tharanga Paranavitana for a third-ball duck and captain Kumar Sangakkara for eight in his next over.
Dilshan led the recovery, stroking a dozen boundaries and a six as he posted 118 for the third wicket with Jayawardene.
Sri Lanka's former captain assumed a support role until he took control of a fourth-wicket stand with Samaraweera worth an unbeaten 79 at tea.
Dilshan's demise slowed a scoring rate that had taken on ODI-style dimensions but New Zealand's five-pronged attack was unable to cause any anxiety after Martin became the outright holder of fourth place on his country's test wicket-taking ranks by moving one clear of Danny Morrison.
Paranavitana edged the third ball of the day to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
Martin claimed his 162nd victim when Sangakkara clipped a half-volley to Daniel Flynn at mid-wicket.
The fast bowler had figures of two for 46 from 11 overs at tea.
