The Sri Lanka Devnlopment squad totalled 281 and grabbed a wicket in the very first over to leave Hampshire scoreless at the close on the opening day of their four-day match against the English county at Southampton’s Rose Bowl yesterday.

Having started their tour of England on a positive note drawing the opening game in a high scoring draw against Kent, the Lankan yoth side won the toss and opted to bat with Santhush Gunathilaka and Nuwanidu Fernando notching half centuries. Gunathilaka maee 53 off 93 balls hitting 7 boundaries while Nuwanidu Fernando made 52 off 104 balls inclusive of 8 boundaries. It was Fernando’s second haf century following his 99 against Kent.

The highlight of the Lankan innings was the 43-run eighth-wicket partnership off 102 balls between Dilum Sudeera and Ashen Daniel which lifted the score from 215 for 7 to 258. Sudeera struck an unbeaten 33 off 66 containing 5 boundaries, and did strike with the new ball by removing John Turner. Ashen Daniel’s contribution was 21. The pick of Hampshire’s bowlers was John Turner who took 5 for 31.

Of his very first over, Sudefra had Turner caught by Gunathilaka off the fourth delivery when stumps were drawn.

CHIEF SCORES: SRI LANKA EMERGING SQUAD 281 (86.1 Overs) (Santhush Gunathilaka 53, Nuwanidu Fernando 52, Dilum Sudeera 33, Ashen Daniel 21, Dhananjaya Lakshan 21, Mudith Madushan n.o. 13, John Turner 5/31, Harry Petrie 3/48, Dominic Kelly 2/55) HAMPSHIRE 0/1)