COLOMBO, April 19: New Zealand fast bowler Daryl Tuffey warmed up for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka with a five-wicket haul in a practice match here on Saturday.
Tuffey (5-55) was brilliantly supported by paceman Shane Bond (3-56) as the tourists restricted the Sri Lankan Board President’s team to 258 in the first innings on the opening day of a two-day tour opener.
New Zealand were 74 for no loss in reply at stumps, with Matthew Horne (38) and Mark Richardson (27) at the crease.
The hosts were reeling at 35-3 before being propped up by middle-order batsman Mahela Jayawardene, who slammed an impressive 108 to regain form after a dismal World Cup performance.
Jayawardene, who made just 21 runs in seven Cup matches in South Africa, added 131 for the fourth wicket with skipper Romesh Kaluwitharana (55).
He struck two sixes and 15 fours in his 137-ball knock before being caught by Richard Jones in the last over before tea to become Bond’s second victim.
Stephen Fleming’s New Zealanders will play a pair of two-day practice matches before the opening Test, starting here on April 25.
The second and final Test begins at Kandy on May 3.
SRI LANKA BOARD PRESIDENT’S XI (1st Innings):
R.P. Arnold c Sinclair b Tuffey 4
M. Vandort c Fleming b Tuffey 25
T.M. Dilshan c Fleming b Bond 4
M. Jayawardene c Jones b Bond 108
R.S. Kaluwitharana lbw b Tuffey 55
L.P.C. Silva c Fleming b Tuffey 4
M. Pushpakumara st Hart b Vettori 2
S. Wijeratne c Sinclair b Oram 0
H. Fernando c Horne b Bond 20
M. Maharoof hit wkt b Tuffey 22
D. Fernando not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-5, NB-8) 13
TOTAL (all out, 64.5 overs) 258
FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-31, 3-35, 4-166, 5-174, 6-181, 7-181, 8-230, 9-235.
DID NOT BAT: D. Gamage.
BOWLING: Tuffey 14.5-1-54-5 (4nb); Bond 15-3-52-3 (2nb); Oram 9-1-48-1 (2nb); Styris 2-2-0-0; Wiseman 10-1-49-0; Vettori 14-1-50-1.
NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings):
M.H. Richardson not out 26
M.J. Horne not out 38
EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-4) 10
TOTAL (for no wkt, 23 overs) 74
TO BAT (from): R.G. Hart, S.E. Bond, R.A. Jones, J.D.P. Oram, P.J. Wiseman, M.S. Sinclair, S.B. Styris, S.P. Fleming, D.L. Vettori, D.R. Tuffey.
BOWLING (to-date): Gamage 6-2-7-0; D. Fernando 4-1-12-0 (3nb); Maharoof 5-1-20-0; H. Fernando 4-0-25-0 (1nb); Pushpakumara 2-1-1-0; Arnold 2-0-3-0.—AFP/Reuters