The Sri Lanka Emerging Squad made a bold reply of 201 for 1 wicket to Kent’s massive 595 for 8 declared at the close of the second day of their four-day match on tour of England yesterday at the Canterbury St. Lawrence Grounds.
One drop batsman Nishan Madushka struck an unbeaten 104 off 120 balls and Lasith Croospulle 86 off 109 in an unfinished 187-run partnership in fronting the spirited Lankan fight back after Kent’s run spree that saw the English county run up 418 for 6 on the first day before declaring at the lunch break on centuries by Darren Stevens 168, George Linde 107 and Billey Mead 106*.
Nishan Madushka hit 18 boundaries and a six in rallying the Sri Lanka Development Squad’s innings with great support coming from Lasith Croospulle who reeled out 10 boundaries and 2 sixes after the pair had come together after losing skipper Nipun Dhananjaya for 8 with the score on 18 to Harry Padmore.
Kent’s top scorer Darren Stevens wove his 142-ball 168 around 24 boundaries and 5 over the top in putting the touring Lankan side drawn from the country’s emerging stock to the sword. George Linde’s 141-ball ton contained 11 boundaries and 2 sixes and Billey Mead’s 106 off 188 balls comprised 8 fours and a six.
CHIEF SCORES: KENT 595/8 decl. (Darren Stevens 168, George Linde 107, Billey Mead n.o. 106, Harry Padmore 56, Joe Denley 35, Hamdullah Qadri 34, Yasiru Rodrigo 2/90, Dhananjaya Lakshan 2/106, Udith Madushan 2/109)
SRI LANKA EMERGING 201/1 (Nishan Madushka n.o. 104, Lasith Croospulle n.o 86)