Update from Sri Lanka: Lancashire v Sri Lankan State Services

Luis Reece and Ashwell Prince preparing to start Lancashire's innings. 

Lancashire made steady progress on the first day of their two-day match at the Police Park Cricket Ground against the Sri Lankan State Services.

The visitors were made to bat first and achieved a first-innings total of 270/8 declared, as Steven Croft, Luke Procter and Jordan Clark all made half-centuries.

Their Sri Lankan opponents had initially decided to bat first, but then changed their mind, but when it was their turn to bat later in the day they recovered to 75/2 after they had lost a wicket with only the third ball of their innings.

Lancashire had been pegged back by an eye-catching knock from Dishan (49) who smashed his way towards fifty before he fell to the final delivery of the day to Simon Kerrigan.

The hosts made an early breakthrough when Luis Reece was caught behind by Hemakantha off Wijethilaka for 11, with the score at 21/1. Ashwell Prince (17) soon followed when he was bowled behind his legs by Sandaruwan in the 13^th over.

A rocky start continued for Lancashire when Liam Livingstone (14) was caught and bowled, as Sandaruwan (2-23) collected his second wicket of the innings at 46/3. 

The hosts were bowling and fielding very well and, although the standard of the opposition may not have been any higher than the navy team Lancashire had been playing, the heat and sticky wicket made perfect practice for playing in tough conditions.

Jordan Clark before he made an important fifty.

Lancashire recovered to 85/3 at lunch and after the interval Croft (57) and Procter (68) continued to rebuild the innings, accumulating 113 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership.

The visitors passed 100 when Procter smashed a six, as the partnership for the fourth wicket passed 50. The Lancashire duo batted with intent as they raced towards half-centuries. Procter was marginally more aggressive, hitting two sixes and four boundaries to reach fifty.

Croft hit just three fours, but soon followed with a half-century of his own taking their partnership beyond 100 runs, before the Blackpool-born all-rounder was caught at first slip off the bowling spin bowler, Diyanthaoff.   

One wicket brought another as Procter was then caught at backward point, attempting to play a cut shot, to give spinner Priyadarshana his first wicket.

Lancashire reached 187/5 at tea and were neither in trouble, nor in command of proceedings, but two more impressive knocks ensured that the visitors posted a respectable total.

Jordan Clark went on the assault after the interval and hit three sixes on his way to an eye-catching half-century, hitting a huge six in to the leg side to reach this milestone.

Clark’s innings was halted by a smart catch from wicketkeeper Hemakantha as Wijethilaka removed the Lancashire all-rounder for 56. Clark and Alex Davies had added 87 for the sixth-wicket stand and the latter continued an impressive knock, now joined by Stephen Parry (3*).

The scoreboard after Lancashire had declared.

Wijethilaka was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, finishing with figures of 3 for 63 and his third wicket was a big one as he dismissed Davies for 42, although the Lancashire wicketkeeper was hitting out at the time he was caught in the covers.

A Lancashire declaration beckoned and when George Edwards (0) was trapped LBW by Rathnapriva, the visitors declared immediately on 270/8.

The visitors made the perfect start to their response when youngster Toby Lester trapped Ponnamperuma leg before wicket with the third ball of the innings before the hosts had been able to register a run.

Edwards shared the new ball but remained wicketless, but was the victim of Dishan’s early intent and was hit for a huge six as he helped the Sri Lankan hosts to recover to 50/1 after just nine overs.

Although Kerrigan was responsible claiming the wicket of Dishan, a lot of credit must go to Gavin Griffiths, who took a superb catch running around at long-on, as the hosts ended the first day on 75/2.

Lancashire team: Reece, Prince, Livingstone, Croft, Procter, Clark, Davies, Parry, Kerrigan, Edwards, Lester, Griffiths.

The close of play scoreboard.

Match information courtesy of Neil Adams. Scorecard information courtesy of Mike Moore and Phil Clark.