Welegedera and Paranavitana star in big win

Sri Lanka Cricket Invitation XI 372 for 9 decl (Paranavitana 166, Prasad 57*) beat Tamil Nadu 74 (Welegedara 5-34, Prasad 3-18) and 202 (Srinivasan 73, Kumar 41, Welegedera 5-61) by an innings and 96 runs
Scorecard

It was a rout. Sri Lanka Cricket Invitation XI declared at 372 for 9 before bowling out Tamil Nadu for 202 to win by an innings and 96 runs.

Tharanga Paranavitana added 63 runs on the second day even as wickets fell around him before Dammika Prasad hit a 74-ball 57 to propel the hosts to a 298-run lead. R Ashwin, the offspinner, shared five wickets with Ramadoss Naresh to keep Tamil Nadu in the game. But their poor first-innings score of 74 proved a huge burden in the end.

Welegedra, who had taken a five-for in the first innings, returned to haunt Tamil Nadu in the second, picking up another five-wicket haul. Rajhamany Srinivasan and Santosh Kumar offered a semblance of a fight as Tamil Nadu ended the second day on 154 for 4.

There was to be no miracle on the third day, though. Srinivasan and Kumar added only 9 runs between them as Tamil Nadu folded up meekly.