CRICKET: GURUSINHA SHORES UP SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka 233 and 210-3 New Zealand 307

CRICKET

Sri Lanka 233 and 210-3

New Zealand 307

Sri Lanka yesterday handed a lesson in hard work to their hosts, New Zealand, after resuming at nought without loss on the fourth day of the second Test in Dunedin. At the close, the tourists were 210 for 3, taking a lead of 136 into the final day.

Sri Lanka suffered two early setbacks by lunch, reaching 71, three runs in arrears. They lost Dulip Samaraweera for five when the total was 11 and Sanjeeva Ranatunga for 23 at 63.

New Zealand claimed only Aravinda de Silva, who made 13, in the second session, but Asanka Gurusinha then shored up the innings slowly with Hashan Tillekaratne to guide his side towards a position of some security. He batted for just over six hours to be 92 not out, but was clearly fortunate to still be at the crease when Bryan Young dropped him at slip on 73.

(Fourth day; New Zealand won toss)

SRI LANKA - First Innings 233 (C Vaas 51).

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 307 (B A Young 84, S P Fleming 66; Vaas 6- 87).

SRI LANKA - Second Innings

(Overnight: 0 for 0)

A P Gurusinha not out 92

D Samaraweera lbw b Su'a 5

S Ranatunga c Parore b Patel 23

P A de Silva c Murray b Patel 13

H P Tillekaratne not out 68

Extras (b6 lb2 nb1) 9

Total (for 3) 210

Fall: 1-11 2-63 3-81.

Bowling (to date): Walmsley 21-7-53-0 (1nb); Patel 33-15-45-2; Su'a 16- 1-59-1; Pringle 10-2-32-0; Larsen 16-10-13-0.

n The Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott suffered torn ligaments in his left ankle while jogging back from the Bourda ground, Georgetown, after the first day of the match against Guyana. He has been ruled out of the first two Tests against West Indies - in Barbados from 31 March to 5 April and in Antigua from 8 to 13 April. He is believed to have flown home for treatment.