Cricket: Batsmen shine in Sri Lanka

New Zealand batsmen gained some much-needed batting practice ahead of the test series in compiling a healthy first innings advantage on the second day of a three-day tour match against the Sri Lankan Development 11 in Colombo yesterday.

Five Black Caps batsmen scored 48 or more - although none had reached a century late last night.

Heading the list was a blistering 96 not out from captain Daniel Vettori, partnering a patient knock by Ross Taylor for 93. At stumps, Vettori was four runs off his century, an innings played off only 117 balls and producing nine fours and two sixes.

The Black Caps would have liked Taylor to have gone on with it - and would also have wanted Daniel Flynn to be, well, in like Flynn, as they made 418 for seven late last night in answer to the hosts' 159.

Flynn (75), Jesse Ryder (48), Brendon McCullum (78) and Vettori kept the runs flowing in a pleasing dress rehearsal - although the day was not without a mini-collapse.

Towards the end of the day, McCullum, in typically freewheeling fashion, began to hit out.

Vettori chimed in with a couple of sixes, lifting his run rate and overtaking McCullum late in the day before McCullum was bowled by legspinner Jeewan Mendis, who had taken four for 70 at that stage.

Flynn, who resumed yesterday morning on 16, advanced to 70 by lunch, including nine boundaries, off 118 balls.

It was valuable time in the middle for the left-hander as he prepared for the first test against Sri Lanka, which starts in Galle on August 18, and he looked well set to go on with matters.

However, the break can play tricks on a batsman and he fell leg before, one run into New Zealand's lead after lunch.

Taylor, on 50 at lunch, was circumspect in an uncharacteristic anchor innings. He needed 117 deliveries for a neat half-century, which featured only four boundaries - unusual for the swashbuckling right-hander, but also just what he needs ahead of a test series.

When Flynn departed for 75, Ryder came to the crease and also played sensibly before he started to increase the run rate.

Taylor started to accelerate himself, hitting more boundaries as he closed on his century - only to fall to a catch behind off Mendis. He faced 176 balls and hit 11 fours.

Ryder followed straight away, lbw to Mendis for 48 and Oram departed soon after for a third-ball duck, also lbw. Mendis had taken three wickets while the Sri Lankans conceded only five runs in three overs.