Late Sri Lanka XI collapse keeps BLACKCAPS in hunt on day two

A late collapse from the Sri Lanka Development XI has left the honours even at the end of day two of the BLACKCAPS’ second warm-up game at Colombo.

The home side finished the day on 324 for 9, a lead of 27, after the BLACKCAPS had spent a long day in the field working hard to contain a strong Sri Lankan batting performance.

The BLACKCAPS added just 14 to their overnight score of 283 for 8, being all out for 297. Patel was out for 72, Iain O’Brien was left not out on 18.

The Sri Lanka XI opened with Test batsmen Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan. Tharanga went early but Dilshan set a brisk pace with an aggressive 68 from 60 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. He and teenage wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal put on 99 for the second wicket.

Chandimal kept up the momentum despite the loss of three wickets for just 26 runs in the middle order. The 19-year old then combined with Test paceman Dammika Prasad to compile a fifth-wicket stand of 127, scoring his maiden first-class century in the process.

Prasad’s dismissal, lbw to Daniel Vettori for 73, triggered a lower order collapse, with O’Brien taking the wickets of Chandimal, 109, and Prasanna, 4, in one over.

Vettori had Randiv lbw, and the Sri Lankans finished the day on 324 for 9, ahead by 27.

Patel and Vettori shouldered the majority of the day’s bowling duties for the BLACKCAPS, with Patel securing the day’s best figures of 3 for 81 from 25 overs.

Vettori took 2 for 87, O’Brien took 2 for 52, while Chris Martin was the most economical in taking 2 for 34 from 11 overs.

Short scorecard:
New Zealand 297 all out in 93.3 overs (Taylor 75, Patel 72, Guptill 54, Oram 42; Prasanna 3/66, Prasad 2/42, Fernando 2/39)

Sri Lanka Development XI 324/9 in 83 overs (Chandimal 109, Prasad 73, Dilshan 68, Mendis 26; Patel 3/81, Martin 2/34, O’Brien 2/52, Vettori 2/87)

FULL SCORECARD:
www.blackcaps.co.nz/content/scorecard/slc_dev_v_blackcaps_13aug2.aspx