Sri Lanka in smashing win

Sri Lanka opened their tour of England with an exciting four wicket outright victory over Middlesex in the first three day match which concluded at Uxbridge yesterday. The Lankan bowlers dismissed the home side for 161 runs in the second innings with the pace spin combination of Chanaka Welagedera (3 for 39) and Ajantha Mendis (3 for 28) doing most of the damage.

Sri Lanka chasing 213 runs to win shuffled their batting order in the second innings and reached 216 for six wickets with Thilan Samaraweera making a top score of 49 from 63 deliveries inclusive of four boundaries.

Middlesex: 360 and 161 (A. Strauss 25, D. J. Malan 34, A. J. Ireland 22, C. Welagedera 3 for 39, S. Lakmal 2 for 40, A. Mendis 3 for 28)

Sri Lanka: 309 for 2 decl (T. Paranavithana 103, T. Dilshan 123, L. Thirimanna 28, D. Chandimal 42 n.o) and 216 for 6 (L. Thirimanna 33, T. Samaraweera 49, D. Chandimal 39, T. Paranavithana 28, T. Dilshan 22, T. M. J. Smith 2 for 45, J. W. M. Dalrymple 2 for 58).