Vandort boosts hopes of a Test place

CRICKET: Michael Vandort boosted hopes of a Test place against England with an innings of 90 not out as Sri Lanka defeated Derbyshire by six wickets. After the weather prevented any play before lunch, they were eventually left to score 262 off a minimum of 60 overs.

Vandort opted for the anchor role in a knock which lasted almost four hours and included 10 fours. Kumar Sangakkara made 48 and youngster Chamara Kapugedera helped see them home with an unbeaten 44 off 45 balls.

Upul Tharanga dominated the opening stand of 60 and took a liking to Tom Lungley, who went for 29 in four overs, before he was bowled by a delivery from Mo Sheikh which kept low. Sangakkara was quickly into his stride, pulling Graeme Welch for four to bring up the hundred in the 24th over and driving Ant Botha to the ropes twice in an over which cost 11 runs.

At tea, the Sri Lankans were 127-1, needing another 135 from 31 overs, and Sangakkara showed his intent by dancing down the pitch to the second ball after the interval from Sheikh.

He was stumped attempting a repeat off Andy Gray and Jehan Mubarak made only four before he played too early at Botha and was caught and bowled. Tillakaratne Dilshan top-edged a sweep at Botha and was caught for 21 by Welch running from slip to point to leave the tourists on 193-4 but Vandort and Kapugedera made sure there were no late alarms.

Kapugedera slog-swept Botha for six and Vandort pulled Welch for two fours before Kapugedera sealed victory with a single off part-time medium-pacer Travis Birt. Afterwards, coach Tom Moody said he was pleased with the workout his side had got over three chilly days in Derby.

"The important thing was to get some good practice and this has been an excellent exercise for us to get three days of cricket in," he said. "Our players adjusted to the conditions. The wicket was good, it offered for the bowlers so it was a challenge for the batsmen.

"The result was by the by, it was nice to get a win but the practice we have got from the game has been invaluable." "It was bitter out there but our guys have reacted very well to it. They've put enough layers on and haven't complained."

Derbyshire 1st innings 219 
(Lasith Malinga  3 for 59, M.Muralitheran 3 for 47)

Sri Lanka 1st innings 166 for 7 declared 
(Jehan Mubarak 33, Chamara Kapugedera 45, Fervez Maharoof 44)

Derbyshire 2nd innings
C. Taylor St Jayawardene b Muralitharan		53
S. Stubbings b Maharoof				06
T.Birt st Jayawardene b Dilshan			83
H.Adnan not out					32
A.Botha c Sangakkara b Malinga			07
G Welch not out					15
Extras (lb 4, nb 8)				12
Total (4 wickets)				208
Fall: 1-18 (Stubbings), 2-144 (Birt), 3-156 (Taylor), 
4-167 (Botha).
Bowling: Malinga 13-2-43-1(2nb), Zoysa 4-0-18-0(1nb), 
Maharoof 10-1-59-1(5nb), Kapugedera 1-0-7-0, Muralitharan 13-2-55-1, 
Dilshan 3-0-22-1.

Sri Lanka 2nd innings 
M. Vandort not out				90
U. Tharanga b Sheikh				39
K. Sangakkara st Pipe b. Gray			48
J. Mubarak c&b Botha				04
T. Dilshan c Welch b Botha			21
C. Kapugedera not out				44
Extras (b 8, lb 2, w 1, nb 5)			16
Total (4 wickets)				262
Fall: 1-60 (Tharanga), 2-146 (Sangakkara), 3-151 (Mubarak), 
4-193 (Dilshan).
Bowling: Lungley 4-0-29-0 (2nb), Dean 5-1-23-0(3nb), Sheikh 11-2-41-1,
Welch 11-2-43-0, Botha 14-1-65-2 (w1), Gray 13-1-50-1, Birt 0-1-0-1-0 
[BBC]