England openers give firm start to innings...



England made a firm start to score 60 without loss by lunch on the second day, Wednesday, of the three-day warm up match against SLC

President's XI, played at the SSC grounds, Colombo. SLC President's XI declared their first innings at 431 for six wickets after 100 overs.

The mutual agreement between the two teams was to restrict the first innings to 100 overs and the hosts declared as agreed.

Resuming at 376 for five, Angelo Perera played some improvised shots in an attempt to reach his century, but was dismissed for 85.

There were some anxious moments as both Perera and his overnight partner Kaushal Lokuarachchi tried to reach their personal milestones within the remaining 10 overs in the morning. Kaushal who resumed on 22 reached his half century smashing 51 off 62 deliveries with eight hits to the rope.

Perera starting the day at 61 was caught at third man as he attempted to glide the ball over the wicket keeper's head. He hit seven fours and three sixes in his 223 minutes stay at the crease.

In contrast, the England openers looked well set on a bowler's graveyard. Andrew Strauss and his new partner, Jonathan Trott hit five boundaries apiece without trying to do anything out of the ordinary and looked set to give England a similar total as the hosts.

(By Daminda Wijesuriya)

Scorecard

Match			:	3 Day Warm up match – (First Class)
Venue			:	SSC Grounds
Date			:	20, 21, 22 nd March 2012
Toss			:	Won by SLC President's XI
Result			:
SLC President's XI – 1st Innings
Batsmen							How Out											R	M	B	4's	6's
Dilshan Munaweera							b. Broad											19	44	30	2	0
Malinda Warnapura							c. Bopara b. Broad											0	3	3	0	0
Chamara Silva							c. Trott b.Finn											163	281	181	25	1
Thilina Kandambi							b. Patel											64	162	141	8	1
Angelo Perera							c. Bresnan b.Finn											85	233	136	7	3
Kusal Janith							lbw b.Broad											35	53	44	6	0
Kaushal Lokuarachchi							not out											51	91	62	8	0
Isuru Udana							not out											0	4	0	0	0
Extras							(b-4, lb-2, nb-6, w-2											14
Total							for 6 wickets declared in 100 overs											431
Fall of wickets
1-01(Warnapura), 2-38(Munaweera), 3-188(Kandambi), 4-282(Silva), 5-342(Kusal Janith)
6-427(Angelo)
Did Not Bat
Tharanga Lakshitha, Sajeewa Weerakoon and Vishwa Fernando
Bowling							O	M	R	W	Nb	Wd
Stuart Broad							18.0	3	69	3
Steven Finn							20.0	2	92	1
Tim Bresnan							18.0	0	59	0
Graeme Swann							21.0	2	102	0
Ravi Bopara							5.0	1	19	0
Samit Patel							18.0	2	83	1
England – 1st Innings (As at Lunch, Wednesday)
Batsmen							How Out											R	M	B	4's	6's
Andrew Strauss							not out											29	63	44	5	0
Jonathan Trott							not out											27	63	35	5	0
Extras																		4
Total																		60
Bowling							O	M	R	W	Nb	Wd
Tharanga Lakshitha							5.0	1	11	0
Vishwa Fernando							5.0	0	29	0
Isuru Udana							3.0	1	18