Mathews plays lone hand

Angelo Mathews saved Sri Lanka’s blushes on the first day of a three-day tour match against a New Zealand XI at McLean Park, Napier. Mathews strode to the middle with the tourists on 10-3 and was still there, 217 minutes later, on 128 not out before Sri Lanka declared at 210-9. Blake Coburn was the most successful bowler, taking 3-44, while Michael Snedden and Peter Younghusband claimed two apiece. Sri Lanka’s bowlers redressed the balance by reducing the composite side to 67-4 by stumps.