Lankans strike early blows

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE - reporting, Derbyshire, England

It was mostly cloudy at the county ground here Derbyshire has the two skippers Tillekeratne Dilshan and James Hildreth walked to the middle to toss. Dilshan won the toss and invited the England Lions to have a first go in the four day game.

The Lankans had an early break through when Thissara knocked back the stumps of James Adams for 7 with the score on 7. James Taylor and Ravi Bopara played cautiously and took the score to 47, when Bopara who is challenging strongly for a place in the England squad was taken by wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardena in the slips off Dilhara Fernando for 17 with three fours. It was not the ideal innings for Bopara.

Taylor who was striking the ball beautifully and captain Hildreth then associated themselves in a stand of 58 before Hildreth was bowled by A. Fernando for 35 with 6 fours at 105.

In the mean time Taylor who had completed a stylish half century and looked for a three figure score went for 76 with 7 fours and a six with the total on 162.

Eoin Morgan the hard hitting left hander who is another staking a claim to play for England in the First Test settled down nicely and cutting out the frills usually associated with his batting and knowing full well that England selectors were watching buckled down to make a big score.

At tea the England Lions were 191 for 4 with Morgan on 40 with 6 fours and a six and keeping him company was Samit Patel on 15.

The Sri Lankan team Tillekeratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitharne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardena, Suraj Randiv, Thissara Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dilhara Fernando and A. Fernando