Online edition of Daily News

Two superb half centuries from Romesh Kaluwitharana and Chamara Silva helped the Sri Lanka Board President's XI make 251 in their first innings on the opening day of their three day match against the touring South African team played at the CCC grounds, Maitland Crescent yesterday.

Kaluwitharana returned to form with a typical aggressive knock of 51 from only 50 deliveries including eight blazing boundaries. The dashing right hander batting at number five blasted the South African bowlers to all parts of the ground and raced to his half century in a spectacular manner.

Kaluwitharana hammered three fours in a row in one over bowled by Lance Klusner and altogether collected sixteen runs from the South African all rounder. He also figured in two useful partnerships as the home side recovered well to score over 250 runs in their first innings having won the toss and elected to bat first.

Kaluwitharana put on 60 runs in under one hours of batting time along with skipper Thilan Samaraweera who played a good supporting role while stroking only two boundaries.

Chamara Silva joined Kaluwitharana and the pair put on the best partnership of the innings adding 77 runs for the sixth wicket in 106 minutes and from 176 deliveries.

Chanaka Wijesinghe too frustrated the South Africans with a stubborn knock of 42 from 91 balls and 106 minutes which included eight boundaries.

The visitors in reply made a shock start with Dilhara Fernando striking twice in his opening spell. He first trapped newcomer Andrew Puttick in front of the wicket and found the edge of skipper Graeme Smith for 21.

Michael van Dort b Ntini			6
Tharanga Paranavithana c Boucher b Ntini		10
Russell Arnold lbw b Hayward			9
Thilan Samaraweera v Jaarseveld b Boje		20
Romesh Kaluwitharana c Jaarseveld b Ntini		51
Chamara Silva c Boucher b Ntini			68 
Chanaka Wijesinghe c Boucher b Ntini		42
Rangana Herath lbw b Kallis			8
Umesh Wijesiriwardena c Boucher b Hayward	14
Dilhara Fernando not out			10 
Tharanga Lakshitha lbw b Boje			0

Extras (B-4, LB-9, NB-9)			22

TOTAL (all out in 79.4 overs) 			251

FALL OF WICKETS: 
1-7, 2-10, 3-36, 4-96, 5-111, 6-188, 7-210, 8-229, 9-248.

BOWLING: 
Pollock 5-0-8-0, Ntini 13-2-37-5, Hayward 11-1-43-2, 
Klusner 12-5-38-0, Boje 22.4-4-70-2, Kallis 11-3-29-1, 
Ruddolph 5-1-13-0.

Graeme Smith c Kaluwitharana b Fernando		21
Andrew Pattick lbw b Fernando			0
Martin van Jaarsveld not out			8
Jacques Kallis not out				2

Extras (NB-1, W-1, LB-1)			3

TOTAL (for 2 wickets in 8 overs)			34

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6, 2-32. 

BOWLING: Fernando 4-1-16-2, Lakshitha 2-0-11-0, Herath 2-1-6-0.

UMPIRES: Gamini Dissanayake and G. Liyanage.