Sri Lankans forced to work hard

A late start in Lenasia reduced day one of the tour match between Sri Lanka and a Rest of South Africa XI to two sessions of play, allowing the visitors to reach a hard working 226 for four when bad light brought an early end to the day.

Heavy overnight rain had seeped through the covers and left a wet patch, just on a length, at the northern end of the pitch. Play could only start after the scheduled luncheon interval.

Winning the toss and batting first, even with the first appearance of Muttiah Muralitharan on this tour, the Sri Lankans made a disastrous start by losing opener Russel Arnold to Garnett Kruger in the first over of play.

A 77-run partnership between Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara restored the innings but came to an end when the latter, on 40, was run out by a direct hit from Kruger at extra cover. Coming down the pitch from the non-striker's end, he was sent back by Atapattu with no hope of beating the throw.

Atapattu playing a controlled innings of 36 was caught in the slips off Pierre Joubert when attempting to drive outside the off. After middling the ball for most of his innings he got one that left him to be well taken at first slip.

Sanath Jayasuriya, after a brisk start in which he scored 17 from 11 balls, had just returned from tea when he was well caught at deep point for 33, failing to keep a slashing cut down from the bowling of Jon Kent.

With Mahela Jayawardene and Hashan Tillakaratne at the crease the runs flowed steadily with Jayawardene going to his fifty in 166 minutes including eight boundaries. Looking very comfortable at the crease and seeking to control the game, they took the score past the two hundred mark.

With bad light imminent, Kruger fired in a bouncer that just cleared the batsman's head forcing the umpires to offer the light. It was hastily accepted and stumps was called with Jayawardene on 66, Tillakaratne on 40, a partnership of 89, and Sri Lanka 226/4.