In a hammer and tong scintillating touchwood that produced 200-plus totals in a 20-over affair, Kusal Janith Perera at one drop, led from the front in a characteristically rampaging 95 off 50 balls on a day Sri Lanka’s trump cards came thumbs up in the second intra squad warm up match at Old Trafford, Manchester yesterday. Perera’s XI breezed to 220 for only 3 wickers overhauling Kusal Mendis’ XIs 219 for 4 with Oshada Fernando equal to the task striking 50 off 34 before retiring with Dhananjaya de Silva topping things off with unbeaten 32 off 22 and Wanindu Hasaranga 25 off 10. The disappointment was Pathum Nissanka opening the innings falling for a first ball duck.

For Mendis’ XI, opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka smashed 98 off just 52 deliveries in setting the tone followed by 42 off 31 by skipper Mendis followed by Avishka Fernando 32 off 16 and Dasun Shanaka 30 off 20.

CHIEF SCORES:

Kusal Mendis XI 219/4 (20 overs)
Batting
D Gunathilaka 98, A Fernando 32, K Mendis 42,D Shanka 30, N Dickwella 4*, D Chameera 1/18, C Karunaratne 1/36 I Udana 1/48)

Kusal Janith Perera XI 220/3 (19.2 overs)

(K Perera 95, O Fernando 50*, Dhananjaya de Silva 32*, W Hasaranga 25, R Mendis 0*, B Fernando 2/34, A Dananjaya 1/40)

Team KJP –
Oshada Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Udana, Dushmantha Chameera, Shiran Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan

Team Mendis –
Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Ishan Jayaratne, Charith Asalanka, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep