Cricket: Hollioake's 163 underlines his potential

Myles Hodgson reports from Moratuwa

BEN HOLLIOAKE gave a further demonstration of his potential with a second century in less than a week to ensure England avoided the follow-on on the penultimate day of the third unofficial Test here yesterday.

Resuming 210 runs behind, England A lost three early wickets - Darren Maddy was run out one short of his century after resuming on 92; David Sales failed to score; and Mark Ealham for 35 - but the Surrey all-rounder, who made his maiden first-class hundred during England's second Test victory in Matara, responded with a magnificent 163.

He added 154 with Ashley Giles in 160 minutes to take England past the follow-on target. Giles was stumped just before the tea interval, having scored 46, including nine boundaries.

Hollioake's innings ended after nearly six hours at the crease. He hit 10 sixes and 17 fours off 189 balls to enable England to reach 466 all out just before the close.

Third day of four; Sri Lanka A won toss

SRI LANKA A - First Innings 371 (U C Hathursinghe 90, G P Wickremasinghe 76no, N Bandartilleke 61; J Ormond 4-76).

ENGLAND A - First Innings

*N V Knight lbw b De Silva 18

D L Maddy run out 99

O A Shah c Samaraweera b De Silva 23

M A Ealham c Ranatunga

b Bandartilleke 35

D J G Sales c Samaraweera b De Silva 0

B C Hollioake c Mendis

b Bandartilleke 163

A F Giles st Jayawardene

b Bandartilleke 46

C M W Read c and b De Silva 20

J Ormond st Jayawardene b Bandara 39

J C Powell c Wickremasinghe

b Bandartilleke 6

D A Cosker not out 0

Extras (b4, lb8, w1, nb4) 17

Total (143.3 overs) 466

Fall: 1-55, 2-120, 3-176, 4-176, 5-184, 6-338, 7-384, 8-446, 9-466.

Bowling: Wickremasinghe 19-2-65-0; Hewage 7-1-31-0; Bandartilleke 49.3- 21-89-4; Hathursinghe 8-0-25-0; De Silva 32-3-131-4; Bandara 28-1-113- 1.

Umpires: M M Mendis and S Armarsinghe.