Bangladesh failed to post a challenging total for the hosts as they all out for 211 while losing four wickets to Neil Wagner in their first innings after losing the toss.
Before rain stopped the play again, New Zealand started their innings and lost Jeet Raval (3) and Tom Latham (4) to Abu Jayed Rahi in eight runs only. They ended with 38 for two wickets, meaning, the hosts are trailing by 173 runs at the end of the third day. Kane Williamson (10) and Ross Taylor (19) remained unbeaten.
Unlike the first two days, the third day started with the players warming up in the field, and the toss was performed timely at 10am local time.
Tamim Iqbal and Shadman Islam started the innings with a solid stand of 75 runs which was indicating to good batting wicket. But the Tigers tumbled for 211 on the brink of the Tea break.
Like in the first innings of the first Test in Hamilton, Neil Wagner kept delivering short ball after coming to the action as number three bowler. However, the first wicket was taken by Colin de Grandhomme.
Shadman (27) went to block a delivery off Grandhomme what was toward the fourth stump line, but he failed to move his foot properly and just manage a thick edge to the lap of the slip fielder Ross Taylor who took an easy catch.
Before the dismissal, Shadman accompanied Tamim in three fifty-plus opening stand in Test cricket.
Wagner came to bowl in 31st over and in the very next over of him, he scalped the wicket of MominulHaque (15). The southpaw went to leave the bowl. But at the end of passing the batsman, the ball kissed his gloves, and BJ Watling took a comfortable catch. Before the lunch break, Bangladesh lost another wicket when Mohammad Mithun (3) tried to drop a short delivery of Wagner down but only managed an edge to get caught out.
Wagner took his third straight wicket when Tamim went to pull but managed a flick to square leg, and Tim Southe took an easy catch. The ball was at stomach height and Tamim failed to clear it accurately. He ended up scoring 74 with four boundaries, which is his third consecutive 50-plus score in the ongoing Test series.
SoumyaSarkar, who struck his maiden Test ton in the previous game in Hamilton, fell for 20 this time. Matt Henry delivered a short delivery, and Soumya disappointed to clear it. He only managed a top-edge to the wicketkeeper Watling.
After losing five wickets in 152 runs, the onus was on Mahmudullah and Liton Das to stretch the innings with the tailenders. But they failed to do so.
Mahmudullah, the captain of Bangladesh, who recorded his best Test innings the previous game, failed to stay long in the middle this time. He fell prey to Wagner scoring only 13.
In the seventh wicket stand, Taijul Islam and Liton Das added 38 runs, and they helped the Tigers to pass 200-runs mark. But with breaking this partnership, Bangladesh lost the last four wickets in five runs, and three of them fell prey to Trent Boult.
Neil Wagner ended with taking four wickets conceding 28 runs while Trent Boult took three for 38.