Chandimal finds form with 190 in warm-up

Dinesh Chandimal has made a strong return to runs, while Bangladesh seam bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman made promising starts to their tour of Sri Lanka as well, in the two-day practice match in Moratuwa.

Chandimal's 190 not out off 253 balls followed a chastening tour of South Africa in which his highest score in 12 international innings was 36. He had been omitted from the ODI XI towards the end of that tour, and was later told by chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya that he should "go back to club cricket" in order to "work his game out".

Though there was little doubt he would feature in the Test XI - especially in a series with Bangladesh, whom he averages 128.33 against - this long occupation of the crease will have Sri Lanka feeling much happier about what remains an inexperienced top order. Chandimal struck seven sixes and 21 fours in the innings, after he had kept wicket the previous day. Despite Niroshan Dickwella's presence in the Test squad, Chandimal is likely to bat at No. 6 and keep wickets in the first Test as well.

Mustafizur was the most economical of the Bangladesh bowlers, conceding only 28 runs from his 12 overs, while claiming the scalps of opener Ron Chandraguptha and Leo Fransisco. Taskin was more penetrative: he took two new-ball wickets in his second over of the day, then returned later on to dismiss the highly-rated Roshen Silva. He finished with figures of 3 for 41 from 11 overs.

Twenty-year-old Tamil Union allrounder Chamika Karunaratne also hit an unbeaten fifty late in match, after he had claimed three wickets on day one. The SLC President's XI ended the day on 403 for 7 compared to Bangladesh's 391 for 7 declared.

Both teams scored their runs at more than four an over - an indication that this had been a particularly batting-friendly track. The surfaces awaiting Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Galle and the P Sara Oval are almost certain to be more treacherous.