da leao： Potchefstroom: Sri Lanka A lost their first tour match when theyopened their five weeks tour with a six-wicket defeat at the NorthWest Stadium by a combined side made up of Free State, North West andGriqualand West players
Trevor Chesterfield28-Oct-1999Potchefstroom: Sri Lanka A lost their first tour match when theyopened their five weeks tour with a six-wicket defeat at the NorthWest Stadium by a combined side made up of Free State, North West andGriqualand West players.The three-day game ended late on the final afternoon after theCombined XI recovered from a poor start to their second innings onTuesday. Although their required target was only 94 the Combined XIslid alarmingly to 37 for four before skipper Nicky Boje steered hisside to victory with an unbeaten 39. With solid support from GlenHewitt, Boje went after the Sri Lanka A bowlers as he hammered sixfours and a big six over long-on.For the Lankans, who recovered for their first innings set back withTM Dilshan propping up the top-order, it was a far better battingperformance although the North West fast bowler Jannie Dreyer earnedfive wickets for 81 to dismiss the tourists for 264.Dilshan narrowly missed his century when, on 96, he drove wide at aDreyer delivery and was caught behind by Wendell Bossenger. Dilshanwas helped by the former Lanka A captain Sajith Fernando with a soundinnings of 55 and all-rounder Nimesh Perera with 44.Sri Lanka A were shot out in their first innings for 99 to which theCombined XI had replied with 270 for eight declared.The tourists will need to put together a better performance thisweekend when they play a combined Gauteng/Northerns XI at theWanderers.