Chamara Silva ensured England's bowlers endured a hot and frustrating first day of their final pre-Test warm-up against a Sri Lankan Development XI.
Tourists made to struggle in stifling heat
Chamara Silva ensured England's bowlers endured a hot and frustrating first day of their final pre-Test warm-up against a Sri Lankan Development XI in Colombo.
Silva produced a superb 163 in his side's imposing 376-5 as England's bowlers toiled without much reward.
The tourists' spinners, in particular, failed to shine, with Graeme Swann bowling 21 wicketless overs for 102 and Samit Patel returning 1-83.
It was a gruelling challenge for the England attack on a day so stifling that Matt Prior kept wicket for long periods without pads.
The day had started with good news as Stuart Broad was passed fit following a sprained ankle and went on to remove both openers.
England lost the toss but it took Broad just four balls to register his first wicket of the tour, former Test batsman Malinda Warnapura lifting a full delivery straight to Ravi Bopara at mid-off.
Broad then accounted Dilshan Munaweera in his fifth over, the opener clean bowled for 19.
Silva was looking more composed and found able support from Thilina Kandamby.
England turned to Swann's spin after 15 overs but Sri Lanka were quick to get after him. His first ball was swept for four by Silva, who then lifted him for a straight six.
Kandamby also got into the act, first edging the spinner for four and then hitting six over long-off as Swann's first three overs cost 25.
The hosts reached lunch at 103-2, with Silva on 58.
Kandamby began to open up against Steven Finn, taking fours either side of point and getting lucky when he inside-edged a slower ball for another boundary.
Patel became England's sixth bowler after Bresnan and Ravi Bopara had been tried, taking over from the ineffective Swann.
Breakthrough
It took him until his seventh over but the Nottinghamshire all-rounder was eventually able to make a much-needed breakthrough.
He managed to turn one in from the rough to bowl Kandamby for 64 and end a 151-run stand that had started to wear England down.
New man Angelo Perera got off the mark with six off Patel, whom Silva drove down the ground to bring up a well-deserved century in 134 balls.
Four more followed over extra-cover off Patel's next ball as the session closed with the Development XI on 223-3.
Silva almost gave away his wicket after the restart when he lobbed Swann towards long-on, but the ball stopped short and he was soon controlling England's spinners again.
He took successive fours off Patel to reach 150 - one a flourish over cover, the next a deft reverse sweep, while his third 50 took just 40 deliveries.
There were also consecutive boundaries off Finn, one a half chance in the deep, before he was caught at fine-leg hooking.
Finn proceeded to give the batsman a send-off, though with 163 to his name it was clear who had the last laugh.
Swann's rough day continued in the final hour as Perera hoisted him for two huge sixes on his way to a half-century.
Kushal Janith also had some fun against a flagging attack, with six fours in his 35, before Broad had him lbw with the first delivery of the new ball.
At stumps Perera had 61no, with Kaushal Lokuarachchi 22no.
