The young Leicestershire batting lineup excelled against Sri Lanka on day two of their tour match on Saturday at Grace Road.
Michael Burgess hit a career-best 98 as Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to take regular wickets as the hosts’ piled on 304 for 5 in reply to the visitor’s first-innings score of 367.
Resuming on 318 for 8, Dasun Shanaka who was 91 overnight reached his century off 122 balls before the 24-year-old was caught off Tom Wells for 112 while Rangana Herath, 28 overnight, played his shots and brought up his half-century before he was caught off the bowling of Rob Taylor for 55.
Leicestershire’s reply got off to a solid start with Angus Robson (39) and Lewis Hill (30) putting on 71 for the first wicket.The introduction of Herath brought about the first wicket as he trapped Robson leg before. The spin wizard quickly picked up his second wicket when he clean bowled Hill to restrict the Foxes to 82 for 2.
Ned Eckersley struck a couple of boundaries before being stumped by Niroshan Dickwella off the bowling off left-arm spinn Siriwardana for 21.
Right-handed Aadil Ali batted patiently for his 46 before being trapped leg before by Suranga Lakmal as the Sri Lankan bowlers opened up the inexperienced Leicestershire middle order but Burgess and Tom Wells together put on 128 in less than 25 overs to take Leicestershire past the 300-run mark.
The Lankan seamers especially Dushmantha Chameera leaked runs heavily. The fastest Sri Lankan gave away 83 runs off his 12 overs as he struggled to find his line and length consistently.
Burgess was eventually caught and bowled by Siriwardana, two short of his century, with just two overs left in the day. Wells and Taylor saw those out before the umpires called it a day. Wells have faced 92 balls for his well-executed 53. Herath was the most impressive and economical for the Islanders conceding only 29 for his 2 wickets from his 19 overs.
The match will be continued today (15th May).
