The New Zealand XI cricketers will take a 95-run lead over Sri Lanka into the third and final day of their warm-up match in Queenstown.
The Black Caps paceman Neil Wagner. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 193 yesterday before the New Zealanders reached 288 for 7 at stumps.
Dimuth Karunaratne top scored with 93 for Sri Lanka, while Canterbury's Tim Johnston took four wickets and Otago's Neil Wagner three.
In reply, the locals put on 179 for the opening wicket with Central Districts' Ben Smith scoring 81 and Northern's Bharat Popli 79.
The Presidents Eleven finished the day on 288 for 7.
The third and final day is today with the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand starting next Thursday in Dunedin.
Only 40 overs were managed on day one on Friday, with wet weather delaying the start of play until 4pm.
Once things were underway though, Neil Wagner and Tim Johnston gave Sri Lanka a torrid start to their tour, reducing them to 97-5.
Wagner, who was recently named in the Black Caps squad of 12 for the upcoming Test Series, was first in the wickets column when he had Ajantha Mendis (13) caught in the 11th over.
His opening partner Dimuth Karunaratne played a steady hand for Sri Lanka, but lost partners regularly at the other end, with Johnston taking three wickets in the space of four overs.
The 25-year-old off-spinner knocked over the stumps of both Udara Sayundera and Kithuruwan Vithanag, before capturing key batsman Dinesh Chandimal for a golden duck.
Wagner added the finishing touches late in the day with the crucial wicket of captain Angelo Mathews, putting Sri Lanka five down without 100 runs on the board.
Karunaratne, who's on 49 not out, will resume today alongside Milinda Sarawaranda (1*) with Sri Lanka in desperate need of a big partnership.
