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Cricket-New Zealand stretch lead to 86 against Sri Lanka

SYDNEY, April 13 - New Zealand led Sri Lanka by
86 runs with four first innings wickets in hand at lunch on the
third day of the second and final test on Wednesday.

Lou Vincent was not out 93 with James Franklin unbeaten on
two and the Kiwis 297 for six in reply to Sri Lanka's 211 when
rain halted play at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

New Zealand lost two wickets in the morning session for the
addition of just 44 runs. Captain Stephen Fleming went 12 runs
short of a century when he fell to Sri Lankan paceman Chaminda
Vaas, who also dismissed Brendon McCullum for a golden duck to
capture his sixth wicket of the innings.

Vaas finished the session with six for 82 from 31 overs and
within sight of his career best figures of 7-71, which he took
against the West Indies in 2001-02.

The Kiwis resumed on 253-4 and Fleming signalled his
intentions early when he pulled Farveez Maharoof over
mid-wicket for six in the first over, with the ball trickling
down a drain and needing replacing.

The New Zealand skipper survived a confident appeal for
caught behind on 69 but his luck ran out on 88 when skied a
hook shot to Shantha Kalavithigoda at deep square leg, ending a
211-minute, 176-ball innings that included 11 fours and a six.

Vaas, who also dismissed Craig Cumming and Nathan Astle in
successive balls on Tuesday, did it again when he took a simple
return catch off McCullum.

Vaas had to wait 15 minutes before attempting his hat-trick
as the first of three downpours forced the players to scurry
from the field but Franklin eventually survived when he took
strike.

Vincent added 14 runs to his overnight score of 79 to reach
lunch just seven short of a third test hundred. The
26-year-old's innings featured 11 boundaries and a six.

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