DAY FOUR
Game on! The equation was straightforward after New Zealand A declared on the last morning at 229/6, Sri Lanka A needing 342 runs and to weather an attack studded with BLACKCAPS.
The final innings began with a hiss and a roar. A double strike from Colin Munro and Neil Wagner in the half hour before lunch saw Sri Lanka in early peril at 47/3 inside 15 overs, still needing a further 295 at just under five an over.
But Sri Lanka steadied, then fought back, with a crunch fourth wicket stand of 176 between Kithuruwan Vithanage (88) and Roshen Silva, who would bring up his well-earned century in the closing chapters of the day.
Two quick wickets from Neil Wagner after tea had broken their important partnership and put New Zealand A in with a sniff in the final session, then Adam Milne charged in for his first in Vandersay. But Sri Lanka's centurion would steer them to safety, four wickets in hand as the match petered to a draw that no doubt frustrated both sides.
Silva headed in with an unbeaten 120 by his name, Sri Lanka A 68 runs short of New Zealand A's tally at 274/6 and Wagner denied a five-wicket bag.
Earlier, Henry Nicholls had built his overnight total to 88, Derek de Boorder unbeaten on 86 when he declared.
The second and final first-class match of the tour begins on Saturday at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval. Admission is free.
DAY THREE
New Zealand A's opening first-class encounter with Sri Lanka A is full of intrigue heading into its final day, the home side sitting on a 270-run second innings lead at stumps; Derek de Boorder and Henry Nicholls each having registered a half-century in an unbroken 124-run stand.
The day, thankfully much sunnier and less windy than the previous, had begun with Sri Lanka A three down and looking to peel back a significant deficit.
Two key knocks helped them carve the mountain down to a 112: a sweet and sour 99 to opening batsman Udara Jayasundera (removed on the second most painful of scores by Ish Sodhi, who had lured him into slashing a catch to Adam Milne) and a positively galloping 128 to impressive keeper-batsman Dickwella, whose dismissal finally produced Sodhi's second victim and closed the innings.
The spring in the step of the Sri Lankan visitors went up a notch when the potent pairing of the first innings, Jeet Raval (11) and Dean Brownlie (1), was separated inside three overs, Fernando having a hey-day up front with three wickets by the 11th over.
How quickly a game can change its complexion. When Colin Munro's departure made it 34/4 in a ropey last session, all the graft of the opening day was in danger of being thrown away. But it was mainlanders to the rescue as first de Boorder then Nicholls settled in for the fifth wicket.
Sri Lanka A will be desperately seeking early wickets tomorrow.
Perfect way to end the day! @BLACKCAPS #NZAvSLA #HagleyOval pic.twitter.com/eWIEKfhxLL
— Henry Rounce (@Henry_Rounce) October 19, 2015
DAY TWO
To see how blustery it was for the players at Hagley as battle recommenced, just check out these highlights from our high performance analysis camera.
The windy conditions at Hagley Oval were a reminder that spring hasn’t quite left us yet, but Sri Lanka A knuckled down to weather both the chill and New Zealand A’s attack in a dogged reply.
Colin Munro emerged as New Zealand A’s strike weapon, taking the only three Sri Lankan wickets to fall in the day to sit on handsome figures of 3-27 off nine overs at stumps. Munro had even put himself on a hat-trick with his first two victims.
By then, Sri Lanka (166/3) had patiently cut their first innings deficit to 304, Udara Jayasundara having hauled himself to 70* and Dhananjaya de Silva on the cusp of a half-century.
Earlier, New Zealand had pressed on from their overnight 336/5 to an imposing 470, young Canterbury star Henry Nicholls achieving his third first-class century, and first for New Zealand A, with a delightful unbeaten 144*.
Sri Lanka A legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, meanwhile, improved on his previous day's haul for a five-wicket bag.
DAY ONE
When opening batsman Jeet Raval gets in, settle in for a long watch.
The lithe, left-handed Aucklander ensured that New Zealand A's first of two first-class fixtures against Sri Lanka A got off to an imposing start at Hagley Oval, brushing off Sri Lankan captain Ashan Priyanjan's decision to send the hosts into bat.
Steady and watchful Raval glided to his 11th first-class century, an innings of 152 off 235 balls. It was his first hundred for New Zealand A and his meaty 153-run partnership with opening partner Dean Brownlie meant the 'A team' was set up to reach a solid 336 for five by stumps.
Brownlie scored a patient 68, and it took the Sri Lankan A attack 42.3 overs to make the initial breakthrough. There was almost a sense of shock when suddenly captain Michael Bracewell was back in the hut as well, gone next over for a six-ball duck.
But the respite for Sri Lanka was brief as Raval and Henry Nicholls cracked on to add 121 for the third wicket.
Nicholls was unbeaten on 67 at the end of the day's play, legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay walking back in with 2-67 from his 22 overs after a tough day in the field for the visitors.