Off-spinner Jeetan Patel conceded just 16 runs from eight overs on Friday to inspire New Zealand to a 21-run victory in the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka.
Patel, 25, finished with two for 23 off 10 overs after opening batsman Jehan Murbarak (53) and Kumar Sangakkara (52) had set about New Zealand's attack in the first 15 overs.
Earlier, Sri Lanka left arm paceman Chaminda Vaas captured five for 39 to restrict New Zealand to 224 for nine.
The visitors were cruising to victory in the first 15 overs before Patel's match-winning spell allowed New Zealand to dismiss them for 203 in 46.4 overs.
Fast bowler Shane Bond finished with three for 39, including two in one over.
Chasing 225 for victory Mubarak and Sangakkara, smashed the New Zealand bowling before the latter was bowled by a slower ball from Chris Cairns.
Mahela Jayawardene (12) and captain Marvan Atappatu (19) made starts but like their New Zealand counterparts were unable to come to terms with the pitch and Patel's control of flight, dip and turn.
After Patel and Vettori had tied the Sri Lankans down, captain Stephen Fleming's decision to bring back Bond proved a masterstroke with the express bowler bowling Tillakaratne Dilshan for 17 then trapping Farveez Maharoof lbw for a duck in the same over.
Vaas was then caught by Jamie How off all rounder Scott Styris for nine to leave Sri Lanka needing 41 runs in 8.5 overs, though once Russel Arnold was trapped lbw by Patel for 11, their run chase effectively ended.
Bond ended the match when he had Malinga Bandara caught in the deep by Styris for 12.
New Zealand's innings had been held together by useful contributions from Hamish Marshall (50), Peter Fulton (50) and Fleming (37).
Last pair James Franklin (29) and Bond (9) batted out the final seven overs to take New Zealand past 200, with Franklin taking 18 runs off the final over from Dilhara Fernando.
The five-game series had originally been due to be played a year ago but was postponed after just one match, won by New Zealand, when parts of Asia, including Sri Lanka, were hit by a tsunami.
New Zealand now have a 4-0 lead after winning matches in Queenstown on December 31 and Christchurch on January 3.
The final game is in Napier on Sunday.
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