Brilliant Burgess makes big impression

Leicestershire versus Sri Lanka, Day 2

SCORECARD | The scorecard from ESPN Cricinfo is available HERE

INTERVIEW | Michael Burgess spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae HERE

REPORT | Michael Burgess made a terrific 98 on his Leicestershire first-class debut as the team put in another strong performance against Sri Lanka.

The tourists progressed to 367 in their first innings as Dasun Shanaka posted a maiden first-class century and extended his ninth wicket alliance with Rangana Herath (55) to 174 on the second morning.

County's top order all made useful contributions before Burgess played the outstanding innings of the day. The batsman timed the ball beautifully as he put on 128 for the fifth wicket with Tom Wells (53*) and throroughly deserved a century. 

However, Burgess was unfortunate to see an attempted drive end up back in the hands of Milinda Sirwardana in the antepenultimate over of the day as the team closed on 304-5. Fellow slow left armer Herath followed up his good work with the bat by recording fine figures of 19-8-29-2.

There was a slightly delayed start to proceedings due to a pre-match injury on the outfield. The injury was sustained by Elite Development Coach Keith Piper, who broke his ankle while taking the pre-match warm-up. He will be undergoing surgery within the next 24-48 hours and is looking forward to being back at the FCG as soon as possible.

Play got underway at 11.10am and Sri Lanka resumed their first innings on 318-8. Shanaka guided a couple of fours in the opening over as he quickly progressed to a century, a landmark that came from 122 balls with 11 fours and three sixes.

Shanka added a fourth maximum by smoking Wells over mid-wicket and that brought up the 150 partnership. After a show of defiance yesterday, Herath opened up and progressed to 50 from 93 balls by striking a brace of consecutive fours in the 97th over. 

However, he departed to the very next ball, a steepler held by Lewis Hill at cover off Rob Taylor. Hill also took the final catch of the innings, another skier at deep backward point as Shanaka was dismissed for a splendid 112 off Wells.

There was a positive start to the Leicestershire innings as 11 runs were scored off the second over, including a boundary apiece for captain Angus Robson and Lewis Hill.

Runs continued to flow, with Robson clipping a lovely four off his toes and Hill punching a drive down the ground. The stand passed 50 before lunch, Leicestershire being in good shape at the interval at 61-0 with Robson on 36 and Hill 23.

The introduction of Herath brought about the first wicket, the left arm spinner trapping Robson (39) leg before with the score at 71-1. The spinner quickly picked up a second wicket as he bowled Hill (30) with one that came back in.

Herath had figures of 2-1 in his sixth over before Aadil Ali smashed a glorious six over mid-on. Ned Eckersley then opened his boundary account against the spinner, hitting a delightful drive through extra cover.

Eckersley struck another couple of fours before being stumped by Niroshan Dickwella off the bowling off slow left armer Siriwardana for 21. That brought Burgess to the crease and he started with intent, striking a brace of boundaries in the 40th over.

Ali continued to accumulate nicely and had progressed to 40 at tea alongside Burgess (12*) with the score at 155-3. Ali (46) added a further six runs after the break before being pinned lbw by seamer Suranga Lakmal.

Burgess and Wells kept the momentum going with a highly entertaining alliance. After Wells lofted Siriwardana for  a straight six in the 64th over, Burgess reached a well-constructed 50 with a terrific cover drive that flew to the boundary. The milestone came from 88 balls and contained six fours.

Twelve were yielded from that over and ten came off the next offering; a cracking pull from Wells raced to the fence to bring up the 50 stand while Burgess produced a majestic cover drive that also found the ropes.

Wells and Burgess each collected a boundary as 14 were scored off the 67th over and the Loughborough MCCU student continued to strike the ball sweetly. Two further fours from Burgess arrived as part of another double figure over, the 69th of the innings.

Two consecutive boundaries at the start of the 71st over took Burgess into the eighties and the stand moved into three figures at the beginning of the 72nd over as Burgess punched a two through the covers.

Wells moved to a 77-ball 50 (5x4, 1x6) but there was not to be another landmark as a leading edge from Burgess agonisingly found its way back to the bowler. Taylor (1 not out) joined Wells and the duo took the team through to the close.

Bowling figures for Leicestershire: Sheikh 21-4-86-1, Taylor 16-3-55-2, Naik 15-2-61-2, Wells 18.1-2-72-2, Sykes 15-5-24-1, Sayer 12-1-41-2.

* Thanks to Ed Melia for the photograph of Michael