Kirtley enjoys the moment

Before playing squash against James Anderson when a practice session was rained off, James Kirtley was scheduled to fly home with the other one-day specialists. During the course of the game, however, Anderson twisted his ankle to put himself out of immediate contention and Kirtley remained in Sri Lanka as cover.

Included in the side to play against the Sri Lanka Cricket President's XI in Colombo, Kirtley had figures of 10-2-19-4 at the end of the first day to open up possibilities that he might claim a place in the side for the first Test in Galle starting on December 2nd.

After his incisive new-ball spell, Kirtley said: "It was a very simple day for me in that it was a game I didn't expect to play in, so the pressure is very much off me. I am not trying to compete and I am not under any pressure to do anything. I am just out here to bowl and keep it very simple.

"For days like this as a bowler, if you are relaxed, things work for you more often than not. But the way I am looking at it is I am here as cover for James Anderson and very happy to be here."

As well as his four wickets, Kirtley also saw a chance go down at slip off his bowling and had two very reasonable lbw appeals turned down. As it is, he will still have a chance to add to his tally when play resumes on the second morning after the SLCP XI had reached 142 for eight when rain brought a premature end to the first day's play at tea.

But for a drop low down at first slip by Graham Thorpe and two seemingly blatant leg before appeals which were turned down, Kirtley could have had an even stronger case to stay beyond next week.