Dilshan, Tharanga tons swell Sri Lanka total

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from LONDON

Two fine centuries from skipper Tillekeratne Dilshan (117) and Thranga Paranwithana (125) helped Sri Lanka reach a respectable total of 342 for 5 wickets in their second essay.

An excellent captain's knock of 117 by Tillekeratne Dilshan saved the blushes for Sri Lanka after having been asked to follow on in their game against British Lions. Dilshan showing brutal aggression raced to a century with 17 fours and two sixes in just 110 deliveries and was involved in an opening stand of 200 with Tharanga Paranvitharne.

Dilshan stung to the quick probably being humiliated in having been asked to follow just waded into the Lions bowlers of Graham Onions, first innings wrecker Jade Bernbach, Stephen Finn and Ajmal Shahazd and made them look ordinary. None of them could contain him as he cut, hooked and drove to his three figure score.

At tea the Sri Lankans were 249 for 2, and lead by 22 runs with a session and a day to spare with the other batsman out being Kumar Sangakkara for 18. Mahela Jayawardena was batting on 4.

Paranvitharne who is showing good touch, played second fiddle and carved out a confidence boosting half century. And at tea seemed to be heading for a century being unbeaten on 95 with 15 fours in 172 balls.

To recap - Sri Lanka who went into bat facing a mammoth England Lions total of 493 for 8 declared, found the Lions medium pace bowlers menacing and were on the skids at 114 for six at tea.

After the big batting guns Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena went cheaply, it needed some courageous batting from the middle and tail to bring some respectability to the innings. Sangakkara and Jayawardena failing must be causing worry to the Lankan camp, with just a few days more for the First Test.

The respectability to the innings was provided by Thilan Samaraweera 41 with 6 fours, Suraj Randiv 76 not out with 12 fours and a six and Thisara Perera 47 with 9 fours. Samaraweera added muscle to the middle while Suraj Randiv and Thisara Perera built on it.

Samaraweera and Randiv put on 60 for the seventh wicket and then Randiv and the big hitting Perera added a valuable 89 for the eighth wicket to take the Sri Lankan score to 266. Considering that they were 114 for six at tea, it was a good recovery. Sri Lanka was dismissed just before the close. Of the England Lions' bowlers Jade Dernbach bowled good line and length and moved the ball both ways to cause the Lankan collapse and finished with 5 for 44. He is not in line for Test selection, but could be considered for the one-day internationals on this form. He took the wickets of the two Fernando - Dilhara and Suraj Fernando and is on a hat trick. Dilshan and Paranavitharne deprived him of the hat-trick.

Graham Onions with 2 for 65 and Ajmal Shahzad with 2 for 55 gave Dernbach good support. Shahzad with this effort could find a place in the Test squad in place of the injured Tim Bresnan.

Here's my probable England squad for the First Test against Sri Lanka - Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior (wk), Stuart Broad, Greame Swann, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson, Ajmal Shahzad.

ENGLAND LIONS 1ST InnInGS
493-8 Wickets

Sri Lanka - 1ST InnInGS

N.T. Paranavitana lbw b Onions 		   26
T.M. Dilshan c Hildreth b Shahzad 	   38
K.C. Sangakkara c Bairstow b Shahzad 	   15
D.P.M.D. Jayawardene c Patel b Dernbach    01
T.T. Samaraweera c Bairstow b Onions 	   41
L.D. Chandimal c Adams b Dernbach 	   00
H.A.P.W. Jayawardene c Hildreth b Dernbach 00
S. Randiv not out 			   76 
N.L.T.C. Perera c Onions b Patel 	   47
C.R.D. Fernando b Dernbach 		   04
A.N.P.R. Fernando b Dernbach 		   00
Extras (b 2, lb 9, w 2, nb 5) 		   18
Total (all out; 63.4 overs) 		  266

Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-71, 3-72, 4-96, 5-97, 6-97, 7-157,8-246, 9-266, 10-266.

Bowling: G. Onions 15-0-65-2,S.T. Finn 17-3-59-0, J.W. Dernbach	13.4-2-44-5, A. Shahzad	11-0-55-2,
	 R.S. Bopara 5-0-17-0, S.R. Patel 2-0-15-1.

SrI Lanka - 2nd InnInGS

T. PARANAVITANA c Taylor b Bopara 	 125
T. M. DILSHAN c Bairstow b Finn 	 117
K. SANGAKKARA b Finn 			  18
M. JAYAWARDENE b Shahzad 		  26
T. T. SAMARAWEERA not out 		  28
D. CHANDIMAL c Hildreth b Dernbach 	  05
P. JAYAWARDENA not out 			  05
Extras(b 11, lb 3, w 1, nb 3) 		  18
Total (5 wickets) 			 342

FALL OF WICKETS 1-200,2-237, 3-279, 4-322), 5-337

BOWLING: Onions 12-1-57-0,Finn 13-0-63-2, A Shahzad13-0-49-1, Dernbach 16-3-60-1, Bopara 12.5-0-49-1, Patel 12-1-50-0.