Rains came down in Galle with Sri Lanka A just 3 wickets away from a remarkable, come from behind win against the England Lions in the 1st Unofficial Test between the sides.
The game ended with an hour of the day’s play remaining, the visitors on 221/7, 111 runs adrift from the target, saved by the showers in Galle.
Sri Lanka A scripted an incredible comeback in the game, having being bowled out for 136 on the 1st day and subsequently conceding a 331-run lead to the Lions. The chief architect behind the comeback was Nishan Madushka, who has been in red-hot form during the last 12 months.
The right-hander hit 241 in Sri Lanka A’s mammoth 2nd innings total of 663/9d, the 3rd highest score by a Sri Lanka A batter according to available records, behind Dinesh Chandimal’s 244 (2010) and Malinda Warnapura’s 242 (2006).
A 219-run partnership between Madushka and skipper Nipun Dhananjaya (128) helped Sri Lanka cross the 650-run mark, but then there was a mini collapse, with Sri Lanka losing 6 wickets for 9 runs, slumping from 654/3 to 663/9.
Nevertheless, the hosts felt they had enough on the board to bowl out the Lions and declares, giving the visitors a target of 333.
The Lions started off cautiously, but once again showed signs of emulating their senior side, with some attacking batting as they looked to chase down the target. This in turn opened the door for the Sri Lankan bowlers, who struck regularly to reduce them to 221/7 before the game was ended by rain.
