Sa'adi Thawfeeq
CANTERBURY, Tuesday - The game was re-started and reduced to a 45 overs-a-side affair and Kent had progressed to 119 for four wickets after 35 overs.
Russel Arnold had a hand in the first three dismissals, running out two batsmen with direct hits at the stumps and, then capturing a wicket with his first ball. The innings got off to an inauspicious start when fast bowler Suresh Perera sent down five no-balls in his opening over, but in his second spell took the big wicket of Carl Hooper for 15, when the West Indian all-rounder was caught at long-on, having hit a six off the previous delivery. Kent fielded an unchanged side, while Sri Lanka replaced Jayasuriya with Hashan Tillekeratne.
Marsh once again called correctly and on this occasion, chose to bat first. Kent were fielding their full side which included their overseas cricketer Carl Hooper of West Indies, in whose absence in 1995, de Silva played one season for them.
The match marked Graham Cowdrey's final appearance for Kent. It brought to an end a 49-year-old dynasty of the Cowdrey's at Kent starting with father Colin and then Graham's brother, Christopher.
Graham and De Silva have a lot in common having played together for Kent. Graham made his first-class debut for Kent against Sri Lanka in 1984 and caught de Silva for 50 in that game. They share the country's highest fourth wicket partnership of 368 against Derbyshire at Maidstone in 1995, which according to Graham is ``the biggest highlight of my career''.
Sri Lanka cruise to victory over Kent
Sa'adi Thawfeeq
CANTERBURY, Tuesday - Sri Lanka overcame the initial fear of losing opener Sanath Jayasuriya to register an impressive eight-wicket win over a full strength Kent team, to complete their successful build up for the Triangular tournament on Friday.
The good news for Sri Lanka is that Jayasuriya will be fit for the opening triangular game against South Africa at Trent Bridge. Sri Lanka coach Roy Dias said that Jayasuriya suffered blows in both hands, as it was to be revealed later, on a pitch declared dangerous by the umpires.
``Jayasuriya was hit four times on his left index finger and on his right knuckles. He went for a precautionary X'ray which did not reveal any fractures, but only bruising. He will be okay for Friday,'' said Dias.
Sri Lanka chasing Kent's total of 176 for eight off 45 overs, knocked off their target in the 34th over with Marvan Atapattu and Aravinda de Silva, both completing unbeaten fifties and sharing an unbroken third wicket partnership of 128 off 23.2 overs.
The win was Sri Lanka's fifth in as many one-day matches on the tour, and their most impressive, barring the win over Worcestershire, where they chased a bigger target and won.
It was also a special occasion for acting captain de Silva, who made his return to St. Lawrence ground after three years, by scoring an exhilarating 66 off 74 balls to steer his side to victory. De Silva played one season for Kent in 1995, and today the county supporters and spectators were treated to a special kind of innings reserved for them. De Silva is still remembered with great affection here and his popularity was measured by the number of spectators, especially the younger generation, who crowded around him at every opportunity for his autograph. He has no doubt left an idelible mark here and he didn't disappoint the thousands of spectators who had turned up for the match, showing the flair in his batting which brought him over 1700 runs and seven first-class hundreds for Kent during the 1995 season and, earned him a place in Wisden's Five Cricketers' of the Year.
The Kent public gave de Silva a warm ovation as he strode to the wicket at 51 for 2 in the 11th over. A misfield at square-leg by Matthew Fleming which went for four took de Silva off the mark and launched his innings. He looked in very good nick and he goes to Nottingham with a batting average of 120 in one-day matches on the tour, which includes five scores of over fifty in six innings and a total of 360.
Atapattu finished the match by cover driving Fleming for four, a stroke which also brought up his half-century off 77 balls. He had six fours.
Russel Arnold who opened the innings, was unlucky to be run out for nine when a drive by Romesh Kaluwitharana deflected onto the stumps off bowler Dean Headley's hands. Kaluwitharana made 27 off 35 balls before getting an inside onto his stumps attempting to pull Headley to squareleg.
Kent who chose to bat first in the re-started match, following the abandonment of the first game after fours overs due to a dangerous pitch, struggled to 176 for eight off 45 overs. The county were tied down by accurate Sri Lanka bowling and fielding, despite fast bowler Suresh Perera giving them the luxury of five wides in his opening over.
Mark Ealham made the most for them scoring 40 off 49 balls with one six and five fours, followed by a rather sedative knock of 34 off 81 balls from Robert Key. Graham Cowdrey in his farewell innings for Kent made 18 off 17 balls before Hashan Tillkeratne ran him out with a direct hit.
Sri Lanka also ran out two other Kent batsmen with direct hits and their fielding overall showed a vast improvement from the previous games, which augurs well for the important matches against South Africa and England.