Cricket: Hard day's work for Giles and Cosker

Sri Lanka A 171 and 196-3 England A 26

England A's attempts to force victory on yesterday's third day of the second unofficial Test here were once again frustrated by the two factors which have plagued them throughout their Sri Lankan tour - flat pitches and contentious umpiring decisions.

But rarely have the two combined to such demoralising effect as yesterday, with Sri Lanka A batting all day to reach 196 for 3, having begun their second innings 89 runs adrift.

Nick Knight used seven different bowlers in an attempt to break their stubborn resistance but despite several confident appeals for leg-before and catches behind, the flat pitch suited the Sri Lankan batsmen and the left-arm spinners Dean Cosker and Ashley Giles could only conjure up three dismissals from their shared workload of 56 overs.

Sri Lanka A won toss; Third day of four

SRI LANKA A - First Innings 171 (M C Mendis 58, A Gunawardena 51; A F Giles 4-46).

ENGLAND A - First Innings 260 (B C Hollioake 103; N Bandartilleke 4- 57).

SRI LANKA A - Second Innings

A Gunawardena b Cosker 31

*R P Arnold c James b Giles 79

P B Dassanayake not out 51

D R M Jayawardene b Giles 9

N Nawaz not out 13

Extras (b9, lb3, nb1) 13

Total (for 3, 90 overs) 196

Fall: 1-57, 2-139, 3-164.

To bat: I de Seram, M C Mendis, H Boteju, A Juniad, R Perera, N Bandartilleke.

Bowling: Hutchison 11-5-26-0; Hollioake 14-5-39-0; Giles 32-15-41-2; Brown 3-0-10-0; Cosker 24-5-55-1; Ealham 3-0-9-0; Maddy 3-0-4-0.

Umpires: R N Sirasona and T H Wijewardena.