SRI LANKANS CRUISE TO 57-RUN VICTORY IN CHATSWORTH

Quite what the tourists were doing playing a one-day game just a week ahead of the first Test match against South Africa at Kingsmead is anyone’s guess, but to the credit of the tourists they made short work of a young and understrength home team.

Set to chase Sri Lanka’s 266 for eight, a total arrived at after a great deal of head-scratching at the scorers’ table, Natal lost early wickets and never gave themselves any real chance. They were eventually bowled out for 210.

For the home team, Doug Watson, acting as captain in place of Dale Benkenstein, made a dogged 42 at the top of the order, standing firm until the 30th over of the innings. But when he went, caught down at third man off a top edge, he became the sixth Natal wicket to fall with the total on 120.

There was precious little support from his team-mates until Gary Gilder joined Gulam Bodi to add 70 for the eighth wicket. Gilder made a rollicking 28 off 25 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes before he holed out high into the covers, while Bodi went on to make 53 off 54 deliveries before he was the ninth man out.

The Sri Lankans now move inland for what should prove more meaningful preparation in a three-day game against KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg starting on Thursday.

SPARKLING JAYAWARDENE GIVES SRI LANKA A LIFT

The 23-year-old shared in the two most substantial partnerships of the innings after the home team had snapped up the first three Sri Lankan wickets inside the first 12 overs.

With Avishka Gunawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Marvan Ataputtu all going cheaply, Jayawardene was joined by Kumar Sangakkara at 56 for three for the pair to add 61 for the fourth wicket.

The stand ended at 117 when Sangakkara hammered a full toss from offspinner Kyle Bender straight to short midwicket for 28, but Russel Arnold then joined Jayawardene to put on 75 for the fifth wicket.

With the innings now fully back on track, the pair lost their wickets within three balls of each other. Jayawardene’s splendid effort came to an end after he had faced 88 deliveries, hitting seven fours and an effortless straight six when he was bowled by Bender at 192 for five.

Two balls later Arnold was run out for 23 at the same score when he and Chaminda Vaas contrived to get themselves into a terrible muddle, but Vaas went some way towards making amends by clubbing three sixes as he scorched to an unbeaten 52 off 41 balls towards the end of the innings.

For the home team, left-arm seamer Gary Gilder finished with innings with four for 43, taking two at the top of the innings and two at the end.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 19 Dec2000 - 18:23