Mahela shines in rain-affected game

CRICKET: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene showed that his team was ready for their Twenty20 international debut against England at the Rose Bowl on Thursday when he plundered 12 fours and two sixes off the PCA Masters XI in their friendly match played at England's most picturesque Arundel grounds here Wednesday.

Jayawardene's 35-ball 79 propelled his team to 180 for three from 16 overs, before the umpires had to call a halt under incessant rain which eventually forced the abandonment of this warm-up fixture.

But there was enough time for Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara to have shown the holiday crowd of 3000 how effective they can be in this shortened version of the game.

Jayawardene really got everyone going when he got out there and charged down the wicket first ball as Sri Lanka when his team was still searching for some early impetus.

The cautious start was overseen by Jayasuriya, who then quickly clicked into gear in company with his captain in a second-wicket stand of 75, which came up in little more than five overs.

It was not until the 15th ball of the innings that Jayasuriya's opening partner Chamara Kapugedera provided Sri Lanka's first boundary, with a well-timed push on the up past cover off Vasbert Drakes.

The teenager nicked one behind off Chris Lewis in the fourth over, and by the end of the fifth there was still only a paltry 24 for one on the board. The jump start came in the next, though, when Jayasuriya plundered 16 of the 21 runs to come off Lewis - and by the time Shaun Udal came on for the 10th over the total had rocketed to 95.

It was then that Sri Lanka lost Jayasuriya when his captain insisted on a single off the left-hander's bat to short fine-leg - leaving the opener short of his ground when the throw came in from Drakes.

Although Jayawardene was eventually deceived and bowled by a quicker and flatter ball from Udal, Sangakkara weighed in with another flurry of boundaries before the rain intervened to spoil the fun.

After suffering embarrassing defeats by Essex and Somerset, Sri Lanka tried their hand at Twenty20 and were making impressive progress against the Masters XI which comprised nine internationals past and present before their preparations were rudely cut short.

Scores: Sri Lanka 180-3 in 16 overs (D.P.M.D. Jayawardene 79) v PCA Masters XI.