By Scyld Berry at Southampton
First day of three: Hampshire 347-8 v Sri Lanka
IT WAS not a full-scale Test rehearsal for the Sri Lankans at all, just a practice game for their fringe players, who bowled a load of mediocre seam after Hampshire had been sent in and conceded a total of 347 for eight. There was something in the pitch for the seamers, but precious little in the seamers for it.
``We have played too much cricket,'' said the tourists' vice-captain, Aravinda de Silva, who rested along with their other senior players. Since the World Cup, the Sri Lankans have spent as much time on the road as anyone and face a winter of unmitigated one-day cricket. Yet de Silva added that he would be interested in county cricket next summer after the World Cup.
So no de Silva, or Arjuna Ranatunga, and no Marvan Atapattu, the 27-year-old man of the triangular tournament. His may be a new name, but he was taking Robert Croft apart as long ago as the Sri Lankans' 1990 tour of England and Wales, when he made himself a reputation as something of a prodigy, and had a first-class average of 60.
What followed, when Atapattu began Test cricket, was even more extraordinary: almost nothing. In his first three Tests - two innings each - he scored one run, and that was said to have been a leg-bye. ``He was nervous,'' said de Silva, but not any more, and he plays straighter than most of his countrymen who traditionally hit square of the wicket.
Sri Lanka deserved the Emirates Trophy if only because their batsmen, led by Atapattu, used their feet against spin, unlike England's, who thus allowed their innings to coagulate. If nobody else can prevent England's one-day collapses, then Ronnie Irani, the steam coming out of his ears, would at any rate fancy having a go at arresting them.
Muttiah Muralitharan's off-breaks turn at 45 degrees but at the Oval England will have to attempt something more than working him to leg. Muralitharan is also resting from this game as he is bound to do a lot of work as the tourists' main - if not only wicket-taker.
As Ravinda Pushpakumara limped off after four overs, the tourists' pace bowling rested in the slender hands of Pramodya Wickremasinghe, whose 58 wickets have come at a rate below two per Test and above 46 runs each. He dismissed Derek Kenway, in his third first-class match, when he missed a shot to leg and Will Kendall, who was lured into an over-ambitious drive.
Giles White was dropped twice at second slip by Sanath Jayasuriya. But White drove neatly on to the highest score of his career before being caught at slip in the penultimate over as the Sri Lankan spinners and fielders made some amends for the deficiencies of their seamers.
Robin Smith was snappily run out when White called for a single to Mahela Jayawardene at cover. The Sri Lankans have made themselves into the best fielding side to come out of Asia, helped by their physio Alex Kountari, who not only rubs hamstrings but can say which player's physical make-up is best suited to which position.
The fielding of England's one-day team has, meanwhile, regressed since Sharjah and if they do not finalise soon their World Cup 11, if not 15, there will be no time left for players to grow familiar with their positions and each other.
Second day of three: Hampshire 347-8 dec v Sri Lanka
A DAY lost to rain yesterday has deprived Sri Lanka of the chance of a meaningful workout before the forthcoming Test. Not that the tourists had fielded their Test side; they left out four front-line players.
Giles White had been the main beneficiary of Sri Lanka's weakened bowling line-up on Saturday; his innings of 156 lasted all but the final five minutes of the first play and was his highest first-class score.
White was dropped twice, but, those blips aside, played a circumspect innings marked by crisp driving and delicate late cuts. He owed the Southampton crowd a good innings, having run out Robin Smith for 11. They, in turn, repaid him with a standing ovation.
``I had to get the runs Robin would have scored. It was our plan to bat out the day, get as many as we could. They used all those bowlers, and they were all good. I had to keep concentrating, but sometimes it was a bit tricky to keep adjusting to a different type of bowler,'' White, 26, said.
Yesterday's rain denied Sri Lanka the chance to give some of their younger players valuable practice. Manager Ranjit Fernando said: ``The Test match is only a few days away, and it would have been handy to have had an extended bat.
``On the first day our bowlers got a good work-out against Hampshire, and we were looking for the same for the batsmen.''
Day 3: Jayawardene steals march on his rivals
By Angus Hampel at Southampton
Sri Lanka (39-4dec & 309-5) bt Hampshire (347-8 & inns forfeited) by 5 wkts
MAHELA Jayawardene looks set to take the final batting position in the Sri Lankan Test team after a battling innings of 90 on the last day here. His rival, Russel Arnold, who made 209 against Somerset earlier in the tour, grabbed a pair before lunch, falling twice to Alex Morris.
Chandika Hathurasinghe might also have pushed himself into the side at the expense of Kumara Dharmasena with his unbeaten 108, but the latter's off-cutters would probably tip the balance in his favour.
Under the threat of imminent rain, Sri Lanka started the day scratchily. The home side's opening bowlers looked fearsome in helpful conditions and through a combination of tight seam bowling and loose shots, the visitors edged to a declaration of 39 after an hour.
Simon Francis, a promising 20-year-old fast bowler, took his first two wickets for Hampshire, the second of which was the prize scalp of Sanath Jayasuriya who sent a spiralling catch to Kevan James at midwicket.
Hampshire forfeited their second innings and the Sri Lankan's were allowed another go, requiring 309 to win from 82 overs.
They got off to a bad start again with the loss of Arnold in the third over, but Prassana Jayawardene and Jayasuriya saw their team through to lunch with the score at 58 for one. After the break, the batsmen found the boundary with increasing regularity.
However Jayasuriya was caught in the gully for 40, his highest first class score of a disappointing tour. He looked in good form, driving at anything over pitched.
Jayawardene continued to cut fiercely, edging the odd delivery over the slips until he was caught by Raj Maru at first slip. His 90 came in 117 balls and included 15 fours and left the tourists needing 131 in 36 overs.
The pitch, now bathed in sunshine, bore no resemblance to the monster of the morning. Hathurusinghe continued to accumulate runs all around the wicket and brought up his century and the Sri Lankan 300 with a cover drive off Morris.
At the other end Hashan Tillekeratne, veteran of 52 Tests, pushed the runs along, before carving a wide ball from Francis into the midriff of Keech at gully. Umul Chandana batted without inhibition and, with only five runs needed to win, was caught at deep-midwicket off the occasional leg spin of Giles White. Hathurusinghe finally scored the winning run with a cut through backward point.
As far as the Sri Lankan bowling is concerned for the Oval Test, Chaminda Vaas, the left-arm opening bowler, is almost certain to be included in the side at the expense, probably, of Suresh Perera.
Vaas joined the tour party under two weeks ago, suffering from an ankle injury he had incurred against South Africa in March. The Sri Lankan manager, Ranjit Fernando, is confident that he will be fit and he was bowling in the nets this morning, albeit off a shortened run up.
The probable team for the Oval is Jayawardena, Atapattu, Jayasuriya, De Silva, Tillekeratne, Ranatunga, Kaluwitharana, Wickremasinghe, Vaas, Muralitharan and Dharmasena.