Asitha Wanninayake century frustrates England despite late wickets

NICHOLAS ROWLAND AT CHELMSFORD: Wanninayake scored a stoic and solid century, finishing the day unbeaten on 132 off 307 balls as Sri Lanka Under-19s wrestled back control

Chelmsford (second day of four): England Under-19s 387, Sri Lanka Under-19s 301-4 – Sri Lanka Under-19s trail by 86 with six first-innings wickets remaining

On an attritional day, Asitha Wanninayake frustrated the England Under-19 bowlers who toiled on day two at the County Ground in Chelmsford in their bid to build on a strong day one batting display.

Their efforts received some reward late in the day when Ranuda Somarathna drove straight to Bertie Foreman at silly mid-on for 65 off the bowling of the impressive medium pacer Eddie Jack. However, the hero of the day was undoubtedly Wanninayake who ended unbeaten on 132 off 307 balls.

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.

^{Bertie Foreman, pictured bowling for Sussex, picked up a wicket [Mike Hewitt/Getty Images]}

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. It came at a time when the game was meandering and woke up a sleepy crowd.

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.

The morning's bright sunshine gave way to grey clouds which enveloped the ground in the afternoon and England hunted wickets. The game came more alive after a slow day.

As tea loomed and the floodlights shone, England enjoyed their most threatening period of the day as the ball regularly went past the outside edge. It was one of those periods under leaden skies with the ball doing plenty that only red-ball cricket can conjure up.

England's seamers, including Thomas Aspinwall (Lancashire) and Jack, bounded in and continued to exert pressure. However, they found the Sri Lankans, especially Wanninayake, immovable.

At 16, Jack is the joint-youngest in this England Under-19s side alongside his Hampshire teammate Dominic Kelly. He displayed real commitment and was in no way overawed by the occasion. He regularly beat the outside edge and produced three maidens.

It was a day of old-school, attritional Test cricket and a departure from the action-packed frenzy of yesterday on a batter-friendly pitch.

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.

The game is interestingly poised. Sri Lanka have plenty of wickets in hand and if Wanninayake can build on his exploits of today, then the tourists have a real opportunity to put pressure on England when they come into bat again. If England's catchers can take their chances tomorrow and the batters score at pace, then the home side might get their opportunity on the fourth day.

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.