Paceman Malinga stakes Test claim with five wickets
 

Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from England

HOVE, Sussex, May 20 - Under cold and blustery conditions at Hove interspersed with sunlight for brief moments Sri Lanka pace bowler Lasith Malinga staked his claim for a Test place with five wickets for 79 runs but Sussex exposed the frailties of the Lankan bowling yet again when 20-year-old German-born Oliver Rayner became the first batsman to score a century on debut for the county since 1920.

Malinga's unorthodox bowling action coupled with his pace unsettled the county top order batsmen as they lost four wickets for 16 runs either side of lunch to slide from 82-2 to 98-6 in reply to Sri Lanka's massive total of 521-5 declared. But it failed to unnerve or unsettle the tall big made right-hander who went onto complete a fine chanceless century much to the delight of the handful of supporters who were present at the ground.

Rayner's joy was shortlived because he was out a ball later when Kulasekera trapped him lbw for 101. But by then Rayner had rescued his county from peril with the aid of the tailenders carrying them to a respectable 262 all out, giving Sri Lanka a first innings lead of 259.

Sri Lanka did not enforce the follow-on but batted again with the hope of giving their two openers Michael Vandort and Jehan Mubarak another opportunity to make a claim for the opener's berth. But Vandort's chances of a Test place diminished when he was trapped lbw by James Kirtley for one before bad light ended play on the third day of this four-day contest with Sri Lanka five for one in their second innings.

Rayner who signed up as a professional with Sussex in November 2005 and had to stay until the Sri Lankan match for his debut, made it a worthwhile wait batting for 193 minutes and 133 balls (12 fours, one six) to write his name in the county record books.

The last Sussex player to score a century on first-class debut was K.A. Higgs against Worcestershire on this ground in 1920.

Rayner who received harsh treatment from the Lankan batsman when his off-breaks were cartered around the ground for 115 runs without success made Sri Lanka pay the price for going into this match with only three frontline bowlers.

With only three frontline bowlers Zoysa, Malinga and Kulasekera Sri Lanka struggled to remove the Sussex tail as it wagged vigorously to add 164 runs for the last four wickets. Most frustrating was the ninth wicket stand of 71 off 150 balls between Rayner and skipper James Kirtley (28 n.o.). Both batsmen were given 'lives' by Sri Lanka.

Rayner was missed at 15 when Tharanga failed to hold onto a hard chance at forward shortleg off Malinga and Kirtley was let off at two when Vandort put him down at gully off Zoysa.

Giving Malinga a good run was Kulasekera with three for 35 off 19 overs and Nuwan Zoysa with two for 44 off 20. With no front line spinner in the side Sri Lanka had to call up five part-time bowlers without much success.

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS (521-5 decl.)

Sussex 1st innings                                             
RR Montgomerie        c HAPW Jayawardene b Malinga             27  
CD Hopkinson          c Mubarak          b Zoysa               32 
CD Nash               lbw                b Kulasekara          11  
NRK Turk              c Vandort          b Kulasekara          24 
SA Heather            lbw                b Malinga              0 
+AJ Hodd                                 b Malinga              0  
LJ Wright                                b Malinga              0  
OP Rayner             lbw                b Kulasekara         101 
DJ Spencer            c HAPW Jayawardene b Zoysa               17  
*RJ Kirtley           not out                                  28 
TE Linley                                b Malinga              0  
Extras                (b 4, lb 8, w 1, nb 9)                   22
Total                 (all out, 85.5 overs)                   262

FoW: 1-39 (Montgomerie), 2-66 (Nash), 3-82 (Hopkinson),
     4-88 (Heather), 5-97 (Hodd), 6-98 (Wright), 7-143 (Turk),
     8-190 (Spencer), 9-261 (Rayner), 10-262 (Linley).

Bowling                      O      M      R      W
Zoysa                       20      8     44      2 (1nb)
Malinga                     21.5    4     79      5 (4nb)
Kulasekara                  19      7     35      3
Kapugedera                   8      2     24      0 (1nb)
Mubarak                      1      0      8      0
Samaraweera                  7      0     31      0 (3nb)
Sangakkara                   5      1     20      0 (1w)
DPMD Jayawardene             4      1      9      0

Sri Lankans 2nd innings                                        
MG Vandort            lbw                b Kirtley              1   
J Mubarak             not out                                   0  
KC Sangakkara         not out                                   2  
Extras                (w 2)                                     2
Total                 (1 wickets, 2 overs)                      5

To Bat: WU Tharanga, *DPMD Jayawardene, TT Samaraweera,
        CK Kapugedera, +HAPW Jayawardene, KMDN Kulasekara,
        DNT Zoysa, SL Malinga.



Bowling                      O      M      R      W
Spencer                      1      0      3      0 (2w)
Kirtley                      1      0      2      1