Kusal, Oshada score half-centuries in warm-up for New Zealand Tests

Kusal Mendis fell just short of a century and Oshada Fernando retired not out for 78 on the opening day of Sri Lanka's two-day warm-up match against New Zealand XI at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on Saturday. 

While this New Zealand XI does not feature any of the 13 players the hosts named for the first Test starting on Thursday (9), Sri Lanka's batsmen scored briskly before declaring on 276 for 4 in 57.3 overs. 

Mendis was paricularly aggressive scoring 95 off just 87 deliveries faced, his innings including 16 boundaries and two sixes. 

Fernando's 78 came off 111 deliveries, with Dinesh Chandimal also getting in on the act with 35 off 45 balls. 

Other contributions came from Angelo Mathews (38 off 70 balls) and captain Dimuth Karunaratne (21 off 36 balls). 

By stumps, New Zealand XI reached 141 for the lose of one wicket, with Jack Boyle unbeaten n 73 and Jokb Bhula on 37 not out. 

Fast bowler Lahiru Kumara accounted for the solitary wicket. 

Scores:

Sri Lanka 276/4 declared in 57.3 overs (Kusal Mendis 95, Oshada Fernando 78, Angelo Mathews 38, Dinesh Chandimal 35, James Hartshorn 1/41, Ross ter Braak 1/36)

New Zealand XI 141/1 in 38 overs (Jack Boyle 73, Jakob Bhula 37, Lahiru Kumara 1/16)