Sri Lanka Draw Rain-Affected Tour Game

Sri Lanka Draw Rain-Affected Tour Game

Kumar Sangakkara scored 153 in Sri Lanka's first innings

©Action Images / Steven Paston Livepic

Sri Lankans 337-9 dec. (Sangakkara 153) & 38-3 drew with
Essex 351 (ten Doeschate 164, Westley 99)
Tour game, Chelmsford

Sri Lanka and Essex drew a rain-affected three-day tour game in Chelmsford as the tourists completed their match preparations for the third and final Test against England.

Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 337 for nine and closed the game on 38 for three in their second innings after Essex were bowled out for 351.

With Tillakaratne Dilshan unavailable due to injury, Lahiru Thirimanne made his case for opening the batting in Southampton by scoring 104 while Kumar Sangakkara hit 153, making the most of his chance to get some time at the crease.

Only two other players - Tharanga Paranavitana (27) and Dinesh Chandimal (16) - reached double figures as Thilan Samaraweera took charge of the Sri Lankan team.

Young left-arm quick Reece Topley impressed once again with a spell of four for six on day two to complete figures of four for 23 before the Sri Lankans declared.

Essex were in big trouble in their reply when they lost Billy Godleman (5), Mark Pettini (0) and Ravi Bopara (5) to slip to 24 for three before a 195-run partnership between Tom Westley and Ryan ten Doeschate put them back on track.

Westley fell for 99 before ten Doeschate - like Sangakkara only recently returned from the Indian Premier League - went on to score 164 in 174 balls but just as in the Sri Lankan innings, no other batsmen, aside from Tim Phillips, who was unbeaten on 37, could get a start.

Off-spinner Suraj Randiv put his hand up for selection later this week by returning four for 76 while opening bowlers Tissera Perera and Farveez Mahatoof grabbed two wickets apiece.

Sri Lanka had only just inched into an overall lead when the match drew to a close due to bad weather although they had lost Paranavitana (1), Thirimanne (6) and Chandimal (1) as Topley returned two for 11.

© Cricket World 2011