Sri Lanka stumble to Test draw

Angelo Mathews was unbeaten on 54 at the end of play (Getty file)

Three Sri Lankan batsman scored half-centuries as their three-day tour match ended in an uninspiring draw in Queenstown.

Opener Udara Jayasundera reached 63 and Kithuruwan Vithanage 61 as they put on 108 for the second wicket in their second innings, ensuring their team wouldn’t suffer an embarrassing loss to the New Zealand President’s XI.

Captain Angelo Mathews was on 54 when stumps were called, with Sri Lanka reaching 226-6 in stolid fashion.

The home side had forged a first-innings lead of 206 after declaring at 399-8 at the Queenstown Events Centre.

Auckland 20-year-old Shawn Hicks raced to an unbeaten 79, putting on 124 for the eighth wicket with tailender Tim Johnston (62) in less than 20 overs.

Sri Lankan seamer Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of their bowlers, taking 4-57 as the lively pair added 114 to the President’s XI’s overnight score.

The tourists head to Dunedin where the first Test against New Zealand begins on Thursday. (NZN)

Uncapped Fernando to replace injured Prasad

ESPNCricinfo: Uncapped left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando has been named as a replacement for the injured Dhammika Prasad in Sri Lanka’s Test squad for the two-match series in New Zealand. 

Prasad sustained a back injury during the tour game against New Zealand Board President’s XI in Queenstown, where he bowled only four overs for 20 runs.

Fernando has featured in Sri Lanka’s Test squads to the UAE and Bangladesh in 2014 and was also picked in the squad for the home series against India in August this year, but did not get a game.

Fernando was the second-highest wicket taker for Sri Lanka A with five wickets in two matches, behind legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay in the two unofficial Tests against New Zealand A in October. He had come into prominence after claiming 40 wickets in nine Premier League tournament matches, Sri Lanka’s first-class competition, in the 2014-15 season at 21.97.

Meanwhile, Prasad’s injury comes as a significant blow to Sri Lanka. He had been their most penetrative seamer in the past year and was expected to lead the attack in New Zealand. Prasad is unlikely to regain fitness in time for the ODI series, for which he was named in Sri Lanka’s squad.

Fernando has been named as a Test replacement only, for now, but Sri Lanka have made tentative plans to keep him in New Zealand for the ODIs as well.