November 26, 2007	Monday	Ziqa’ad 15, 1428

COLOMBO, Nov 25: Sri Lanka’s young batsman Upul Tharanga staked a strong claim for the first Test against England with another powerful display against the tourists here on Sunday.

The left-hander smashed 86 as the Sri Lanka Cricket XI made 298-9 by stumps on the opening day of the three-day match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club here.

Strike bowler Steve Harmison added to England’s worries when he left the field with back spasms after sending down the third ball of his 11th over an hour before close.

Harmison finished the day with one for 45.

“Steve does not require scans, but is being treated and we will see how much he recovers overnight,” England media manager Andrew Walpole told reporters.

Fast bowler Matthew Hoggard and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar claimed three wickets each.

Openers Tharanga and Mahela Udawatte gave the hosts a good start with a 55-run stand for the first wicket when Hoggard broke through by having Udawatte caught by a diving Michael Vaughan at mid-on.

Test discard Malinda Warnapura hit four boundaries in 16 when he tickled a ball from seamer Ravi Bopara to the wicket-keeper.

The hosts, who went to lunch at 109-2, suffered a setback seven runs later when captain Tillekeratne Dilshan was dismissed by Harmison for 23.

Dilshan smashed three fours and a six when he mis-hit a bouncer and was caught at mid-on.

Tharanga was denied a second successive century against the tourists when he edged a drive from James Anderson and was snapped up by Ian Bell in the slips.

Chamara Kapugedera managed only 13 when he flicked Hoggard to Bopara in the short mid-wicket region.

Jehan Mubarak (68) and wicket-keeper Kaushal Silva (53) boosted the total by adding 105 for the sixth wicket.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA CRICKET XI

U. Tharanga c Bell b Anderson 86

M. Udawatte c Vaughan b Hoggard 18

M. Warnapura c Prior b Bopara 16

T. Dilshan c Anderson b Harmison 23

J. Mubarak c Prior b Hoggard 68

C. Kapugedara c Bopara b Hoggard 13

K. Silva c Cook b Panesar 53

K. Lokuarachchi lbw b Panesar 0

S. de Silva not out 1

C. Welagedera c Cook b Panesar 1

I. Amarasinghe not out 0

EXTRAS: (b6, nb7, nb6) 19

TOTAL (for nine wickets in 81 overs) 298

FALL OF WKTS: 1-55, 2-79, 3-116, 4-158, 5-182, 6-287, 7-287, 8-297, 9-298.

BOWLING: Hoggard 17-3-57-3 (nb2), Anderson 15.3-4-55-1 (nb1), Harmison 10.3-1-45-1 (nb1), Bopara 11-2-43-1 (nb1), Panesar 22-4-67-3, Pietersen 4-0-15-0, Vaughan 1-0-3-0

ENGLAND: Michael Vaughan (capt), Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara, Matthew Prior, James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar.—-AFP