Exciting final day in prospect at Alexandra

Close Sri Lanka A 308 for 6 dec and 33 for 2 lead Otago 246 for 8 dec (McCullum 80, Hettiarachchi 4-65) by 95 runs
Scorecard

An interesting final day is on the cards in the first match of Sri Lanka's A tour of New Zealand, after two enterprising declarations on the second day at Alexandra. Sri Lanka A closed at their overnight score, then Otago declared 62 runs behind. Sri Lanka A lost two wickets in extending that to 95 by the close.

For Otago Nathan McCullum, the brother of the New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon, top-scored with 80, from 110 balls. He hit eight fours and two sixes, one of them all-run. He had good support down the order: Marcel McKenzie made 40, and helped him add 50, then Warren McSkimming made 29 in a seventh-wicket stand opf 60. Mohammad Wasim, the former Pakistan Test opener, earlier made a polished 39.

Dinuka Hettiarachchi, the low-slung slow left-armer, was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 65, although Hasantha Fernando, the fast bowler, took 3 for 31.

Sri Lanka A lost two quick wickets when they batted again - both to McSkimming, who finished the day with 2 for 12.