Kolkata: Sri Lanka cricket team have started their campaign in India with a bang as they scored 411 for 8 on day one of the two-day warm-up game against Board President’s XI in Kolkata on Saturday.
After winning the toss Board President’s XI captain Sanju Samson elected to bowl first. On a flat deck Sadeera Samarawickrama (74), Dimuth Karunaratne (50), Niroshan Dickwella (53) and Angelo Mathews (54) all scored half-centuries for their side.
It may not be ideal practice ahead of what lies in store against the world number one Indian team but Sri Lanka’s upcoming players like Samarawickrama showed promise with fluent shots all around at the Jadavpur University second campus ground in Saltlake.
Samarawickrama, who made his Test debut in the second and final Test against Pakistan in Dubai last month, faced the first delivery and showed his positive intent with a fluent off drive.
The in-form left-handed opener Karunaratne, fresh from a careerbest 196 against Pakistan in the second Test last month, gave fine support at the other end as the duo gave the team a brisk start with 102 in 16 overs.
Silva, who made a comeback in the two Test series in UAE against Pakistan, made 67 runs in four innings with a top score of 27.
Ace all-rounder Mathews, who is making a comeback after sustaining a calf injury in September that ruled him out of the entire Pakistan series, also looked in rhythm in his 93- ball effort before retiring at tea.
The only blip was when he was dropped on 53 by Jiwanjot Singh at slip before the tea break, while Sri Lankan skipper Chandimal retired on 29 and opted for some throwdowns at the adjacent nets.
Sri Lanka had little trouble against the lacklustre bowling attack from the Board’s team barring pacer Avesh Khan, who returned with figures of 1/68 after a marathon 11-over spell.
Pacer Sandeep Warrier and leg-spinner Akash Bhandari returned with two wickets each.