Silva celebrates in style

Middle order batsman Chamara Silva celebrated his call-up into the Sri Lankan Test squad with a brilliant hundred to guide his Board XI side to a dramatic five-wicket win against Zimbabwe at P. Saravanamuttu Stadium on Sunday.

The Board XI, asked to score 220 in 42 overs after a sporting declaration from Zimbabwe, reached the target with just four balls to spare as Silva clattered two consecutive boundaries off medium pacer Gary Brent.

Silva, called into a 14-man squad for the first Test when the Sri Lankan selectors met on Friday night, smashed an unbeaten 127 in 118 balls to equal his highest ever first class score.

The elegant 22-year-old right-hander could have been run out when on 27 and 78, but rode his luck in an otherwise classy innings full of improvised and wristy strokeplay. Quick on his feet and positive throughout, he hit 15 fours and one six.

Silva came to the wicket after the early fall of first innings centurion Gayan Ramyakumara. He added 35 with skipper Pradeep Hewage (27) and 35 with teenager Jeewan Mendis (7), but after the fall of the fourth wicket (80 for 4) a win looked unlikely for the home team.

However, Silva found a willing partner in leg-spinning all-rounder Malinga Bandara (32) - who partially made amends for his erratic bowling - with whom he added 87 to keep their hopes alive. But when Bandara was clean bowled by Henry Olonga the Board XI still needed 53 from 7.3 overs.

Ian Daniel, who had been forced down the order with a bruised hip and needed a runner, joined Silva. The pair managed to raise the tempo, swinging the bat profitably, as Olonga was clubbed for 28 in his last three overs.

The Sri Lankans were left needing five from the last over, but Brent was unable to contain Silva, who whipped him through the on-side for the winning boundaries.

Earlier in the day, Zimbabwe had started their second innings with a 50 runs lead, courtesy of an overnight declaration by the hosts.

They lost both openers cheaply as Hamiliton Masakadza shouldered arms first ball to be trapped lbw and Trevor Gripper flashed a catch behind off Prabath Nissanka, another new face in the Test squad, who took just one wicket in the game.

But after the early wobble Craig Wishart (28) and Gavin Rennie (68) steadied the innings before pre-declaration cameos from Andy Flower (25 not out) and Stuart Carlisle (19 not out).

Geoff Marsh, the Zimbabwean coach, was, on balance, happy with his side's last workout before the first Test starting next Thursday.

"It would have been nice to go into the Test match with a win or winning draw and it was disappointing to lose from that position, because we could have won or saved it, but in the end the bowlers had a good workout and the batsmen a couple of hits," Marsh said.

"You learn every day in this game and there are things that we learnt here in the last couple of hours that will hopefully help us in the Test matches."

"The performance of Trevor Gripper and Stuart Carlisle was very pleasing on the first day. The wicket was a little damp and the boys stayed positive and played well. Gavin Rennie also played well today, as did Andy (Flower), but aside from that we would have liked a few other players to score runs."

With strike bowlers Travis Friend and Heath Streak both rested, the bowling department looked weak, with the form of leg-spinner Murphy being a concern. "Brian (Murphy) hasn't bowled for six weeks and he didn't have his rhythm in this match at all," Marsh admitted.