Sri Lanka Board President's XI recovered to 153 for six after at one stage being 24 for four on the opening day of England's final warm-up match before the First Test.

England took the field without Graeme Hick who had failed to recover sufficiently from a calf strain sustained in training. It would have been Hick's last chance to press for a place in the Test side.

However, both he and Michael Vaughan could still play if England opt to play seven batsmen in Galle. This option is being seriously considered. Coach Duncan Fletcher admitted: "There is certainly a chance of that. What would be the point of playing someone who was only going to bowl nine overs in the day?"

Matthew Hoggard : Opportunity Photo CricInfo

In Matara today Matthew Hoggard was given his first run out of the tour and he grasped his opportunity with both hands. Halfway through the day's play he had the impressive figures of three for 19 off 12 overs.

On a pitch variable in bounce and conducive to seam bowling, he generated considerable pace from his long run-up. He was well supported by Andrew Caddick and Craig White, who picked up a wicket apiece.

Avishka Gunawardene was the first batsman to be dismissed. The swashbuckling left-hander arrived bleary-eyed at the crease after a shortage of sleep in the past 48 hours. To then have to face up to the England fast bowlers on a sporting wicket was always going to be a daunting prospect. He lasted just five balls and scored a solitary single before Andy Caddick induced an uncertain waft. Graham Thorpe took a tumbling catch at third slip. Gunawardene stood his ground, but after the umpires had concurred he was given out.

Ruwin Peiris, a compact left-hander who recently toured Kenya with Sri Lanka A, was the next man to fall when he had his stumps uprooted by Hoggard who had already had a couple of appeals turned down by Umpire TH Wijewardene.

Hoggard struck again in his next over. Schoolboy batsman Sunendra Kumara was given a torrid time and lasted just four balls before being caught behind by Alec Stewart.

Star batsman, wicket-keeper, and now captain, Tillakaratne Dilshan, was also caught behind three balls later off Craig White's first delivery of the match to leave the President's men 24 for four in the 13th over.

But then Hashan Tillakaratne and Jevantha Kalatunge instigated something of a recovery with a stand of 60 for the fifth wicket. Although Tillakaratne impressed, it was Jevantha Kalatunge who caught the eye with his free-flowing strokeplay. The 26-year-old batsman plays his domestic cricket for Colts Cricket Club and has been in sparkling form this season.

He did enjoy one moment of fortune, however, when he was nearly caught sweeping by a diving Andy Caddick at deep square leg in the 24th over. Caddick looked to have grasped the catch, but let it slip as his body thudded into the ground.

Tillakaratne perished when he became Hoggard's third wicket, brilliantly caught in the gully by White, but Kalatunge went on to complete his half-century before Caddick induced him to hole out to mid off for 54.

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