Lankans thrash Kent

LANKANS IN TOP GEAR....: The Sri Lankan cricketers are quietly slipping into top gear if the convincingly victory over Kent in a 50-over game by 128 runs at Canterbury on Friday is an indication.

The Sri Lankan cricketers were at near full strength, missing only the destroyer Lasith Malinga who was rested after his tough games in the IPL in the Gulf and India.

Put into bat on a wicket that saw the ball coming on nicely to the bat in cool conditions with the ball as usual wobbling about, the batsmen made merry to run up a massive score of 301 for 7 in 50 overs.

Although Kusal Janith Perera from whom much is expected in the

Twenty20 and 50-over games against England fell early, the rest of the batting clicked to put up a big score and take the game away from Kent. Opener Tillekeratne Dilshan 35, Kumar Sangakkara who joined the team after a successful run for Durham 33, Mahela Jayewardene 30, Angelo Mathews 51, Lahiru Thirimanne 49, Dinesh Chandimal an unbeaten 47 and Thisara Perera 29 piled on the agony for Kent. Particularly impressive after Captain Mathews blasted a half century was the stylish right hander Dinesh Chandimal who again showed that he is form.

He has had a successful run so far and it is hoped that he will carry the bag full of runs into the big games ahead.

All rounder Thisara Perera who hit the match winning ix against India in the Twenty20 World Cup final in Dhaka, again batted aggressively to make 29 and was involved in a blistering partnership of 71 in 48 balls with Chandimal.