Gough and Hick combine to boost England

13 April 2012

Darren Gough produced a sensational spell of bowling to put England firmly in the driving seat against a strong Board President's X1.  

Gough took three wickets as the hosts crumbled to 20-3 at the close of day three needing a further 306 more runs for victory.

Earlier Graeme Hick struck a much needed half-century as England declared on 261-9, a lead of 325.

The Worcestershire batsman arrived in Sri Lanka knowing his place was under threat after a disappointing series in Pakistan.

Hick has also missed two further opportunities to impress since - scoring only 22 runs - while others like Michael Vaughan have prospered.

But Hick's response was impressive - hitting a six and 10 other boundaries during his 112-ball innings.

His display also helped the tourists progress into a winning position after another middle-order collapse threatened their hopes of victory against a side featuring five Sri Lankan Test players.

They had begun the day 64 ahead after dismissing the President's XI the previous night for 261, but suffered an early loss with captain Nasser Hussain fending a rising delivery from Ravindra Pushpakumara to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardne.

It was the dismissal of Michael Atherton, however, just four overs before lunch which prompted a flurry of wickets with England losing four for 40 in 11 overs either side of the interval.

Atherton was harshly judged to have edged behind to left-arm spinner Dunuk Hettiarachchi who also claimed Alec Stewart for the second time in the match.

Graham Thorpe had threatened to play his first significant innings of the tour during a productive 60-run second-wicket partnership with Atherton, only to be trapped leg before to Hettiarachchi with a delivery that kept low for 40.

Vaughan's dismissal in the next over left England only 185 ahead, but Hick and Craig White launched an effective counter-attack to take the game out of the reach of their opponents.

They added 63 runs in only 16 overs with the Yorkshire all-rounder hitting an aggressive 39 off only 47 balls before he fell to Samaraweera.

England's lead reached 300 by the time Ashley Giles was given leg before and Hick's search for a century ended when he gave a leading edge to cover point.

The tourists finally declared on 261 for nine, giving them 11 overs at the President's XI and they used the time productively with Gough claiming three early wickets.

He trapped opener Jehan Mubarak leg before with his first delivery after the batsman shouldered arms and removed Michael Vandort off-stump later the same over with a yorker before also sending back Chaminda Mendis when he slashed straight to Robert Croft at point.

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