Date-stamped : 07 Mar95 - 14:34
Sri Lanka v NZ Academy XI,
Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, 4-7 March 1995

====> Day 1, 4 Mar 95

Chaminda Mendis saved Sri Lanka from  crashing  to  a  low  score
against New Zealand Academy XI when he scored 75 on the first day
of the four-day match. Mendis, a newcomer to the Sri Lankan side,
performed  far better at the wicket than more experienced batsmen
against a young but enthusiastic team of New Zealanders.

Sri Lanka were all out for 257, and at the close of play the  New
Zealand  Academy  side  had  scored  14  runs for the loss of one
wicket.

(Thanks : INtv)
<END> Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)

====> Day 2, 5 Mar 95

Sri Lanka were in command of their four-day match against the New
Zealand Acadamy XI at the close of the second day on Sunday.  The
Sri Lankans finished with a 218-run lead with  all their   second
innings  wickets  intact after dismissing the Acadamy XI for 133.
Sri Lanka scored 257 in their first innings.

An excellent spell of spin bowling by Jayantha Silva and  Muthiah
Muralitharan knocked over the Acadamy XI, Silva taking five wick-
ets for 29 and Muralitharan four for 45.  At close on  play,  Sri
Lanka  had  laid  a  solid foundation to their second innings and
were 94 without loss.

<END> Contributed by vasa (vasanthan.dasan@central.sun.com)

====> Day 3, 6 Mar 95

Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga hit 107 to  put  his  side  on
course  for a big win in their four-day cricket match against New
Zealand Academy XI Palmerston North on Monday.  Academy faced   a
virtually  impossible  task  of  scoring  another 348 runs to win
Tuesday on a pitch  reaping  rich  rewards  for Sri  Lanka   spin
bowlers.   Ranatunga finished his 107 before declaring his team`s
second innings at 323 for five,  leaving the  young  Academy   to
score 448 for victory.

Academy approached their difficult task in a  positive  frame  of
mind  but  lost  wickets  at regular intervals to be precariously
placed on 110 for four at stumps.  Right arm offspinner   Muthiah
Muralidaran,  who  bagged four wickets in the Academy`s first in-
nings of 133,  had  already  taken three  for  20  to  make   the
Academy`s task more difficult.

<END> Contributed by vasa (vasanthan.dasan@central.sun.com)

====> Day 4, 7 Mar 95

The spinning partnership of Jayantha  Silva  and  Muthiah  Mural-
itharan bowled Sri Lanka to an emphatic 242-run victory against a
New Zealand Academy XI on Tuesday.  Left-armer Silva grabbed  his
second  five-wicket  haul  of  the  game as the Academy side were
dismissed for 205 chasing 448 for victory.

Silva finished with five for 77 and a match analysis  of  10  for
106,  while  Muralitharan`s second innings share was five for 56.
Only a resolute 80 by Canterbury all-rounder Nathan Astle delayed
the  inevitable  after  the Academy X1 resumed at 110 for four on
the fourth and final day.  The Academy side`s capitulation   gave
the  Sri Lankans a timely boost before the first test against New
Zealand starting in Napier on Saturday.

Source :: AFP
<END> Contributed by vicky (vigneswa@sulu.ecs.umass.edu)