Gunawardene smashes quick hundred in practice match

With the Champions Trophy in Sharjah just around the corner Avishka Gunawardene looks to have hit form at just the right time after a blistering century in a practice match between the Sri Lanka national side and A team at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Grounds in Colombo today.

Batting first, the A team scored 193 runs thanks to a well compiled 60 by skipper Thilan Samaraweera off 86 balls, which included a six and five fours. They had been in grave trouble at one stage having lost seven wickets for 92 runs before a late rally from lower order batsmen Gayan Ramyakumara, Prasanna Jayawardene and Muttumudalige Pushpakumara.

Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya picked up four wickets for 45 runs. Senior squad newcomers Prabath Nissanka and Charitha Buddika impressed with two wickets apiece.

In the reply, the Sri Lankan team cruised to their target in just 39.4 overs for the loss of just two wickets. Opening partners, skipper Sanath Jayasuriya and Avishka Gunawardene, led the assault. Jayasuriya reached his 50 off only 37 deliveries while Gunawardene got there in 34 balls. Gunawardene went onto make 109. His century came off just 70 balls and he hit eight sixes and 10 fours in all.

Though the Sri Lankan national side reached the target in 39.4 overs with just two wickets down, they continued to bat on, to allow all the batsmen some batting practice. They finished up with 291.

Summarised scores:

Sri Lanka A 193 all out (49.2 overs)

T. Samaraweera 60, M. Vandort 25, G. Ramyakumara 18, M. Pushpakumara 18. S. Jayasuriya 4-45, P. Nissanka 2-10.

Sri Lanka 291 all out (43.3 overs)

Gunawardene 109, S. Jayasuriya 51, M. Atapattu 38, Russel Arnold 32. Dinusha Fernando 2-46, R. Herath 2-52.