Batsmen dominate drawn game

The Sri Lanka A openers hit half-centuries on the fourth day as the first unofficial Test against South Africa A ended in a tame draw in Pallekele.

Set an improbable target of 374, Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne made the most of the opportunity to get some batting practice. Thirimanne made 67 off 129 deliveries with seven fours while Karunaratne got 52 off 85 with five fours and a six. Offspinner Thandi Tshabalala had Karunaratne caught by Jonathan Vandiar for his only wicket of the match. Vandiar later bowled Thirimanne in his only over of the match. With Sri Lanka A on 175 for 2, the match was called off after 48 overs as bad light intervened. Dinesh Chandimal remained unbeaten on 39 off 61 deliveries with three fours and two sixes.

The day had started with South Africa A carrying on from their overnight score of 187 for 2. Dean Elgar got to his century, making 105 off 214 deliveries with six fours, before being caught behind by Kaushal Silva off Janaka Gunaratne. Stiaan van Zyl fell to Sachithra Senanayake for 81 off 152, and Heino Kuhn made his second half-century of the match, hitting four sixes in his unbeaten 51 off only 21 deliveries. Kuhn's frenzied hitting enabled South Africa to get 93 runs off 73 deliveries and they declared on 280 for 5 off 78.1 overs.

However, the target of 374 was too steep to interest Sri Lanka A, who made no attempt to reach it. The second and last unofficial Test begins at the SSC in Colombo from August 16.