Board President’s XI pile up 432 for five wickets:

Upul, Thilina and Thilan blast Indian attack

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Centuries from opener Upul Tharanga, Thilina Kandamby and Thilan Samaraweera tormented the touring Indian cricket team as the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI piled up a massive 432 for 5 wickets in their first innings on the opening day of their three day practice match which commenced at the Colts grounds in Havelock Park yesterday.

While skipper Samaraweera played a more sedate innings, Kandamby a dashing left hander dazzled with the bat while racing to a run a ball century against a near Indian Test bowling attack.

Kandamby who returned from Australia a couple of days ago after a successful series with the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team, got his act together from the start and plundered a sparkling 101 with one six and 13 boundaries.

The 28 year old batted with a great amount of confidence with an array of aggressive strokes as he made a strong claim towards making his Test debut in the first match of the series which begins on Sunday at the Galle International Stadium.

Kandamby in stroking a magnificent century was able to cause heavy damage to the Indian bowling attack which has already been weakened following the injury to two of their key bowlers Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth.

As a result the two spinners Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ohja did the bulk of the bowling while sharing 50 overs between each other and also conceding over one hundred runs. Earlier Upul Tharanga who is of course not in the 21 member squad for the opening test match led the way with an elegant century from 116 balls inclusive of two sixes and 20 boundaries. He provided a bright start to the home side after Thilan Samaraweera had won the toss and elected to bat first. Tharanga and his partner Lahiru Thirimanna another promising left hander figured in a superb opening stand of 188 runs from 34.1 overs. Thirimanna’s contribution was a solid 66 from 110 deliveries inclusive of one six and eight boundaries.

Samaraweera and Kandamby further demoralized the visitors while adding a further 180 runs for the third wicket from 36 overs. Samaraweera also joined the centurions while stroking a splendid 102 from 150 balls with two sixes and a dozen boundaries.