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Sri Lanka's warm-up game rained off

The Sri Lankans were denied valuable practice in the warm-up game at New Plymouth after rain forced the game to be called off

Lynn McConnell
21-Dec-2004
Central Districts 220 for 7 (Oram 74) v Sri Lankans 20 for 2 - no result (rain)
Scorecard


Jacob Oram carried on his great form with the bat © Getty Images
Sri Lanka found themselves victims of New Zealand's miserable summer, so far at least, when the opening game of their tour was rained off after only five overs of their innings at New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium.
Sri Lanka won the toss and asked Central Districts, the New Zealand one-day domestic champions, to bat first. Most of the interest hovered around how Jamie How, the season's standout performer so far, would fare.
But both he and and Craig Spearman, the former New Zealand opener, were dismissed for two runs by Nuwan Zoysa, the left-arm fast bowler. At 10 for 2 the pressure was on the home team. Mathew Sinclair batted down the order at No. 4 but scored only 4, and it was left to Ross Taylor to provide a typically dynamic innings of 36 before he was forced to retire hurt.
Jacob Oram and Glen Sulzberger kicked on from that point, and added 123 for the fourth wicket with Oram maintaining his cracking form for a breezy 74 off 78 balls. A rain shower forced the teams off the field for nearly half an hour, and that was sufficient to end the stand. Sulzberger scored 39 before he, like Oram, fell to Upul Chandana. Some spirited late resistance came from Ewen Thompson, who flogged 30 off 19 balls including one huge six, as CD finished with 220 for 7.
Of more concern than the CD recovery for the Sri Lankans was the finger injury suffered by Zoysa while fielding. The finger was put back in place, but there was a deep cut and he was taken to hospital for a full check-up with CJ Clark, the physio. Zoysa remains a doubtful starter for the first game on Sunday. Zoysa had looked very dangerous during his two bowling spells, and had two for 22 off eight overs before he left the field. Nuwan Kulasekara finished with 2 for 27.
Even as the Sri Lankans began their innings a hint of rain was evident. When it arrived they were in trouble with Saman Jayantha and Kumar Sangakkara dismissed with the score was 14, both falling to Lance Hamilton, the left-arm medium-pacer.
Two attempts were made to get back onto the field, but more showers prevented the resumption on both occasions.