Wanninayake scores century on debut as Sri Lanka-U19 wrest control

Sri Lanka wrested control of the first four day Under19 Youth cricket test when opener Asitha

Asitha Wanninayake scored a century on the second day of the first U19 Youth Test against England

Wanninayake frustrated England bowlers with a solid unbeaten century on debut at the County ground in Chelmsford on the second day.

Replying to England’s first innings of 387, Sri Lanka ended the day strongly placed at 301-4 with Wanninayake, the St Anthony’s College, Katugastota and Kurunegala YCC cricketer finishing on 132* off 307 balls.

England bowlers were made to toil all day as Wanninayake struck 19 fours and built partnerships to bring Sri Lanka within 86 runs of England’s total. The left-hander also made a century in the three-day warm-up game a few days ago.

Whilst George Bell’s hundred on day one was fluent and rapid, Wanninayake’s was stoic and solid and following his effort, the game no longer felt in the balance. England took only one wicket in the morning session, that of Shevon Daniel, Sri Lanka’s No.3, who fell lbw to Yorkshire’s Ben Cliff for 22.

There was also a dropped catch off Sussex’s right-arm offbreak bowler Foreman, England’s second drop of the innings.

But midway through a sedate afternoon session, Foreman, 18, trapped Pawan Pathiraja, Sri Lanka’s No.4, lbw for 32 and earned England a breakthrough. The wicket prompted the return of Cliff to the attack, having already picked up two wickets, as England as skipper Ben McKinney displayed some proactive captaincy.

But Wanninayake was the man on whom the game hinged. He reached 50 off 101 balls in the morning and played very nicely, coupling sound defence with attacking shots. Throughout the day he opted to soak up pressure rather than score with the kind of freedom that England’s Bell and Whitfield enjoyed on the first day. Wanninayake’s partnership with Ranuda Somarathna, batting at No.5, laid the platform for Sri Lanka to go on and get a big score. As the day neared its conclusion, the pair started to break out of their shell and played a few more shots. They had together, worn down the England bowlers.

The breaking of the partnership by Jack was important but then Sri Lanka’s captain, Raveen de Silva, coming in at six, played an imperious cover drive to his first ball, on a pitch that is giving the Sri Lankan batters a lot of confidence. Somaratne made 65 off 114 balls with six fours.

Scores:

•  England (U19) 387;
•  Sri Lanka (U19) 301-4 at close (Asitha Wanninayake 132*, Shevon Daniel 22, Pawan Pathiraja 32, Ranuda Somaratne 65, Benjamin Cliff 2/57)