Test discard Lahiru Thirimanne did not have luck on his side as he approached what would have been a deserving century against the England tourists when he scored an undefeated 88 off 115 balls for Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI on the second day of the 4-day warm-up match at the P Sara Oval when it was called off soon after the tea break as England took the decision to return home on the mounting threat of the corona virus.
The match was called off 11 overs after tea, a few minutes after the ECB confirmed that the Test series scheduled for later this month had been cancelled.
The SLC President’s XI at that stage in reply to England’s first innings of 463, were 150-3 with Thirimanne batting fluently hitting 12 fours in his unbeaten knock.
Thirimanne and Angelo Perera who scored an aggressive 38 off 53 balls (7 fours) added 83 for the third wicket after Chris Woakes had threatened to run through the top order with two early wickets in his opening spell dismissing Pathum Nissanka for a golden duck and then held onto a sharp chance offered by Sadeera Samarawickrama who made four.
Following Perera’s dismissal when he was bowled by leg-spinner Matt Parkinson with his seventh ball, Thirimanne associated himself in another useful stand of 55 with Roshen Silva (11 not out) when the match ended.
Earlier England captain Joe Root became the second centurion for his team when he scored 102 off 139 balls (9 fours) and shared a fourth wicket stand of 190 with Ollie Pope who missed his hundred by five runs when he was dismissed for 95 scored off 134 balls (8 fours).
England resuming at their overnight total of 354-3 were dismissed for 463 losing seven wickets for 91 with with left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya taking six wickets 6 for 164 off 37.4 overs that included the wickets of Root and Pope.
Off spinner Ramesh Mendis of whom much was expected managed only a solitary wicket conceding 106 runs.
England brought in Parkinson as an injury replacement for Ben Stokes following the allrounder’s abdominal strain.
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