Vincent hit four sixes and 25 fours in his 224

Lou Vincent's superb 224 helped New Zealand take control of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Wellington with them declaring on 522-9.

Vincent's total, the seventh highest Test score by a New Zealander, gave the Kiwis a first innings lead of 311.

Skipper Stephen Fleming chipped in with 88 while Chaminda Vaas captured six wickets for the Sri Lankans.

The tourists were 10-1 when bad light ended play early on day three with Sanath Jayasuriya out for three.

And it was Vincent who snatched the catch at third slip to leave Sri Lanka struggling to save the Test series after the first match was drawn.

At the close captain Marvan Atapattu was on five and Farveez Maharoof was unbeaten on one.

The best thing was that I may have set it up for New Zealand to take a win Lou Vincent More reaction

On a rain-interrupted day Vincent had resumed on 80 and reached his third Test century by the middle session but had to wait until after tea to reach a double ton.

His epic 532-minute innings was finally brought to an end after 348 balls when he was run out for 224 by Jayasuriya after hitting four sixes and 25 boundaries.

There was more record-breaking heroics by the Kiwis when Kyle Mills and Vincent added 98 for the eighth wicket before Mahela Jayawardene dismissed Mills for 31.

Fleming called his players in with Paul Wiseman on 32 and Chris Martin on four and Martin took his first wicket of the second innings soon after.

Has Lou Vincent finally arrived? I saw the last bit of his innings and he was simply magnificent From TT Have your say on TMS

On a cold day in Wellington, Sri Lanka found it hard-going in the field and only a constrained display by Vaas helped keep New Zealand's score down.

Vaas ended with 6-108 from 40 overs - his 10th five-wicket Test haul.

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Craig Cumming, James Marshall, Hamish Marshall, Nathan Astle, Lou Vincent, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Paul Wiseman, James Franklin, Chris Martin.