Date-stamped : 03 Nov93 - 05:17
New Zealand- Sri Lanka  Test heads for draw, 2 Dec 93

Rain stopped play in the afternoon  session  of  the  first  Test
between  New  Zealand  and  Sri Lanka  which seemed to be heading
for a draw here on Wednesday.
The tourists stood on 151 for three in their second innings, giv-
ing them a 112-run lead over  Sri Lanka's  first innings total as
the umpires called for an early tea.
Although the rain stopped play could not be resumed due  to  poor
light.   Umpires stopped play about 50 minutes after starting the
second session with vice-captain Andrew Jones (14) and Ken  Ruth-
erford  (11)  making  slow  progress  and taking no risks against
tight bowling.
Left-arm spinner Don Anurasiri claimed his second wicket when  he
had  skipper  Martin  Crowe  out to a brilliant one-handed diving
catch by Hashan Tillekeratne at silly point for 11.
Sri Lanka  had briefly looked like running through the  New  Zea-
land line-up when they claimed the wickets of openers John Wright
and Blair Hartland within 12 runs in  the  morning session.   But
Crowe and Jones held out until lunch.
Hartland added just two runs to his overnight score of 50  before
he  was  trapped  leg-before to seamer Champaka Ramanayake in his
first over for the day after a 110-run opening stand with veteran
Wright who made 42.
Hartland had five boundaries in his 256-minute stay during  which
he survived two chances in the slips Tuesday.
Wright continued to struggle against left-arm  spinner  Don  Anu-
rasiri  and  right-arm  off-cutter  Jayananda  Warnaweera who saw
wicket-keeper Gamini Wickremasinghe dropping the batsman at 38 in
his first over.
Wickramasinghe however made up for his lapse  30  minutes  before
lunch  by  stumping the 38 year old left-hander who went down the
track to drive Anurasiri and missed. Wright had four fours in his
300-minute innings.
With an eye on insulating themselves from  defeat  and  on  much-
needed  batting practice, the New Zealand batsmen were content to
plod on against the tight bowling attack and at  one stage   gave
Warnaweera seven straight maiden overs.

(Compiled from various sources, thanks to Vasa)

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