Sangakkara 169 takes Board XI to dominant position

Kumar Sangakkara's 169 propelled Board XI to a dominant position on day two of their four-dayer against Sri Lanka A at the Sinhalese Sports Club. A sodden outfield had made play impossible on day one, and with two days remaining, Board XI have almost batted the opposition out of the match, ending the day on 427 for 5. Dimuth Karunaratne and Mahela Jayawardene made 73 and 82 respectively, during long associations with Sangakkara.

Sangakkara first rebuilt after Kaushal's loss with Karunaratne, adding 122 for the second wicket, before consolidating his team's position with a 174-run stand with Jayawardene. He scored his 45th first-class hundred late in the second session, embellishing a year in which he has been a juggernaut across all formats. This hundred was his fourth in the last five first-class innings. He had hit 58 on the occasion he missed out.

The moisture in the turf after the weekend's heavy rains did not seem to have spiced up the pitch for the quicks, who largely endured a day of meagre reward. Left-armer Vimukthi Perera and right-armers Ishan Jayaratne and Kanishka Alvitigala sent down 50 overs collectively, but took only 2 for 221 between them.

Vimukthi removed Kaushal Silva - the only batsman who failed - in the ninth over for 8, but was wicketless after that, and Jayaratne dismissed Angelo Perera for 49 to brighten his figures marginally at the end of the day.

Allrounder Ashan Priyanjan emerged with the day's best haul, taking the wickets of Karunaratne and Jayawardene to finish with 2 for 47 from his 10 overs.

Prasanna Jayawardene and Thisara Perera were at the crease at stumps, and although Board XI do not require many more runs, both men are vying to regain their Tests spots in what is the last first-class encounter before Sri Lanka's tour of the UAE.