Rain and bad light has delayed NSW's push for victory over New Zealand in the tour match at the SCG, with the Kiwis ahead by 62 runs with five second innings wickets intact.
A heavy shower forced the players from the field for 47 minutes late in the day and play was abandoned just one over after their return due to poor light.
The visitors are 5-157 with skipper Daniel Vettori (61) and Brendon McCullum (four) to resume the fight on Sunday morning.
The Kiwis are staring at an embarrassing defeat after being comprehensively outplayed by a youthful NSW from the opening session.
Blues all-rounder Moises Henriques has been the sole destroyer, collecting 5-29 from 12 overs in cool and overcast conditions.
The procession began in just the second over when first innings century-maker Jamie How (0) was trapped lbw by Henriques to a ball which may have been passing over the stumps.
Ross Taylor made it to 18 before a wild hook shot brought him undone, caught behind by Daniel Smith off the rampant Henriques.
Aaron Redmond scratched out 13 runs before playing at a ball which left him slightly to present Smith with an easy catch behind the stumps.
When Mills (0) hung his bat out with the score on 35, Smith had his third catch and Henriques his fourth victim.
Vettori and Daniel Flynn then set about repairing the damage, putting on 113 at almost a run-a-ball to add some respectability to the scoreboard.
But after reaching 55, Flynn drove at a fullish Henriques delivery and Peter Forrest took a comfortable catch at first slip.
Vettori and McCullum, who has spent large periods of the match off the field with a back injury, survived until stumps was called early.
With morning showers holding up the start of play for 15 minutes, NSW began the third day 6-309 with Steve and Daniel Smith at the crease.
Daniel Smith (seven) added just two to his overnight score before driving a short ball from Iain O'Brien (3-73) to a diving Mark Gillespie.
Beau Casson reached 15 before being trapped lbw by Vettori.
Nathan Hauritz (10) was bowled by the New Zealand skipper attempting an ill-advised slog sweep.
Free-hitting Steve Smith (68) was last man out, bottom edging a catch to stand-in wicket-keeper Redmond off Vettori (4-71).
New Zealand 1st Innings 266
Hughes c McCullum b O'Brien 64
Khawaja c McCullum b Martin 5
Forrest not c Taylor b O'Brien 26
Henriques c Taylor b Vettori 55
Thornely c Martin b Southee 85
S.Smith c Redmond b Vettori 68
Lambert c Redmond b Martin 10
D Smith c sub (Gillespie) b o'Brien 7
B Casson lbw Vettori 15
Hauritz b Vettori 10
Hazlewood not out 2
Extras: 14 (3 nb, 2lb, 8 b, 1 w)
Total: 361 (10 wickets; 115.1 overs)
Bowling
Mills 17 – 2 – 64 - 0 (2 nb)
Southee 23 – 4 – 71 - 1 (1 nb)
Vettori 29.1 - 4 – 71 - 4 (1 w)
Martin 24 - 8 - 72 - 2
O'Brien 22 - 4 - 73 - 3
FOW: 1-16, 2-92, 3-103, 4-175, 5-276, 6-301, 7-312, 8-338, 9-352, 10-361
New Zealand 2nd Innings
How lbw Henriques 0
Redmond c D Smith b Henriques 13
Taylor c D Smith b Henriques 18
Flynn c Forrest b Flynn 55
Mills c D Smith b Henriques 0
Vettori not out 61
McCullum not out 4
Extras: 5 (lb 2 b 2 w1)
Total: 157 (5 wickets; 54 overs)
Bowling
Hazlewood 5 – 1 – 13 - 0
Henriques 12 – 2 – 29 – 5 (w 1)
Casson 18 – 4 – 41 - 0
Hauritz 7 – 2 – 15 - 0
Lambert 4 – 0 – 18 - 0
S Smith 8 – 1 – 37 - 0
FOW: 1-2, 2-30, 3-33, 4-35, 5-148