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Kiwis crash to defeat against South Africa A

The touring New Zealanders slumped to an 85-run defeat in their final warm-up match before facing South Africa in two Test matches.

They went down to South Africa A on the final day of a four-day match at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom on Sunday.

The Black Caps' fate was effectively sealed when young batsman Ross Taylor was out for 86 in the fifth over of the day, caught at gully by South Africa A captain Boeta Dippenaar off fast bowler Friedel de Wet.

Taylor and captain Daniel Vettori resumed with their side on 230 for six, needing another 128 to win.

With Taylor gone after after a 124-ball innings, which included 14 fours and a six, it was only a matter of time before the bowlers would work their way through the tail.

De Wet, who took six for 50 in the first innings, followed up with three second innings wickets for match figures of nine for 126.

Eastern Province swing bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe picked up three for 53 with Charl Langeveldt (one for 58) Rory Kleinveldt (one for 40), Jean Paul Duminy (one for 3) and Ghulam Bodi (one for 4) sharing the rest of the wickets.

The New Zealanders go into the first Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Thuesday with a win and a loss in their two first-class matches.

Of most concern will be the form of their top-order batsmen, with only opener Craig Cumming, Taylor and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum having made half-centuries on the tour to date.

New skipper Vettori, who has replaced Stephen Fleming at the Black Caps helm, was last out for 30 on Sunday.

He hit two half-centuries as a lower order batsman over the course of the final warm up match.

Queensland staved off a Sri Lankan pace onslaught to hold on for a four-wicket victory on the final day of their three-day tour match at Allan Border Field on Sunday.

The Australian state side, chasing a target of 142 runs from 43 overs, slumped to 78 for six before Clinton Perren (62 not out) and Ashley Noffke (21 not out) shared in a seventh-wicket stand of 64 to steer the home team to victory.

But for a time it looked as though Sri Lanka were on the road to a morale-boosting win ahead of next Thursday's opening Test against Australia with pace duo Lasith Malinga and Farveez Maharoof in full cry.

"We spoke amongst ourselves and are very happy with the bowlers. Ready for the Test match," skipper Mahela Jaywardene said.

"I'm disappointed with the batting, a few shot selections. A lot of people weren't 100 percent about the shots, " he said. "There are no excuses, we probably could have been much more positive with our shot selection."
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