Opener Zak Crawley made his way to his fourth first-class hundred and skipper Joe Root and Ollie Pope further consolidated the position by edging closer to their respective centuries as England warmed up for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in impressive fashion ending the first day of their 4-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI on 354 for three wickets at the P Sara Oval yesterday.
It was a hard toil for the local bowlers on a hot and humid day as England batsmen found form on a pitch generally regarded as the bounciest in the country which had a covering of grass and slight moisture in the first session of play.
Crawley and his opening partner Dom Sibley negotiated the movement of the surface early on to put together a partnership of 103 that laid the foundation for England’s big total later during the day as the surface flattened out making life difficult for the bowlers.
Crawley struck 11 fours in his knock of 105 off 145 balls scoring all round the wicket. He stitched together a stand of 72 with Joe Denley after off-spinner Ramesh Mendis had initiated the breakthrough for his side by having Sibley taken at leg slip for 37.
Crawley was eventually bowled by Mohamed Shiraz which happened to be the last wicket to fall for the day as Root and Pope took charge of the batting from thereon to raise an unfinished stand of 175 by the close.
With the pitch gradually easing out the pair were hardly troubled by the President’s XI bowlers who toiled hard for success.
Root showing aggression against the spinners swept and reverse swept them as he raced to 90 not out off 122 balls inclusive of eight fours and Pope taking the cue from his skipper struck seven fours in his 120 ball knock for 84 not out.
The match continues today on its second day.
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