Plenty of batsmen found form for Sri Lanka, as they closed their Test series preparations with a draw against South Africa Invitation XI.
Sri Lanka will be content with the way they went about their work over the course of the three days of action in Potchefstroom, as seven batsmen scored fifties against the invitational side.
With emphasis placed on the visitors just getting a decent run around before the first Test against the Proteas starting on Boxing Day, both sides were clearly content to just play out a draw. The hosts went into the third and final day on 285-8, this after the Sri Lankans posted 373.
Knights top-order batsman Leus du Plooy dominated proceedings on day two with 142, but the next best score was 29 made by George Linde, as the final two wickets fell for just four runs.
The tourists changed their batting order around to allow other players to get some runs under their belts, and sure enough the top three were all able to make fifties. Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga both retired out on 51 and 50 respectively as pace bowlers Duanne Olivier and Lwandiswa Zuma struggled up front as they did in the first innings, although Olivier did end up taking 4-54.
It would be Du Plooy to find the first wicket, as Chandimal, who made his Test debut in South Africa back in 2011 with a pair of fifties, fell for 60. Promising Lions all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin then took the other two wickets, seeing off skipper Angelo Mathews (37) and Kusal Mendis (2) before they called it a day on 212-5.
