Lees, Bohannon, Smith help England Lions make bold reply 

By M. Shamil Amit 

Half tons by Alex Lees, Josh Bohannon and Jamie Smith helped the visiting England Lions to make a bold reply of 234 for 3 in reply to host Sri Lanka ‘A’s score of 332 on day two of the four day 2nd unofficial Test match played at the Galle International Stadium.

The second day’s proceedings started with Sri Lanka ‘A’ resuming from their overnight score of 190 for 3 before losing quick wickets. The overnight pair Lasith Croospulle and skipper Nipun Dhananjaya were separated with Croospulle being able to add only another six and 21 runs respectively. 

They lost another two quick wickets for the addition of only eight runs, sliding to 219 for 6 before they recovered thanks to a 47-run stand for the seventh wicket between skipper Dhananjaya and Lakshitha Manasinghe. 

Manasinghe associated in another partnership of 42 runs for the eighth wicket with Lasith Embuldeniya for Sri Lanka ‘A’ to end with a score of 332 runs.

Josh Tongue who ended with a five-haul along with Sam Cook and Matthew Fisher shared the wickets.

England Lions in their turn had an inauspicious start as they lost two early wickets with 17 runs on the board before opener Alex Lees who remained unbeaten on 75 made in 82 balls with eight boundaries. He shared two valuable partnerships with the first of 105 runs for the third wicket with Josh Bohannon who made 54 with nine boundaries, and an unbroken 112-run for the fourth wicket with Jamie Smith who remained unbeaten on 86 in only 56 balls inclusive of ten boundaries and five sixes for the visitors facing only 35 overs to end with a bold reply before the match was called off with 17 overs of play left.

The match will be continued today.

Results 

At Galle

Sri Lanka ‘A’ (190/3 overnight) 332 (Lasith Croospulle 128, Nipun Dhananjaya 61, Lakshitha Manasinghe 43, Lasith Embuldeniya 42, Nishan Madushka 22, Nuwanindu Fernando 22: Josh Tongue 5 for 76, Sam Cook 2 for 69, Matthew Fisher 2 for 83)
England Lions 234 for 3 (Josh Bohannon 54, Alex Lees 75 n.o., Jamie Smith 86 n.o.)