England Lions take Bazball method as Alex Lees moves 94-ball century towards Sri Lanka President’s XI

SL President’s XI 93 for two path England Lions 413 for 8 dec (Lees 103, Haynes 64*, Bohannon 58, Abell 57, Smith 50) by means of 320 runs

Lees, who debuted within the Caribbean in March final yr, performed all seven of England’s Assessments in a outstanding summer time underneath the brand new management of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, however used to be dropped for the hot excursion of Pakistan after making 327 runs at 25.15, together with two half-centuries.

His omission from the ECB’s record of centrally gotten smaller gamers used to be an additional signal that he had slipped down the pecking order, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett most popular in Pakistan, however his efficiency towards a Sri Lanka President’s XI used to be transparent proof that the Take a look at workforce’s new mindset is firmly entrenched in his psyche.

He struck 12 fours and two sixes in his innings of 103, the second-fastest century in England Lions’ historical past, in the back of Luke Wright – the brand new nationwide selector – who reached the mark in 91 balls in New Zealand in 2009.

“I feel I loved being in that atmosphere, particularly in the summertime enjoying in a a hit aspect,” he stated. “It used to be good. I feel my reflections on enjoying the ones video games, I kind of performed lovely competently however simply lacked that massive rating which is clearly the adaptation. As a top-order batter, you might be averaging mid-twenties to mid-forties for the summer time which, in essence, is what your Take a look at summer time is constructed round.”

However, Lees’ affect rubbed off right through a Lions batting card with an overly “Bazball” glance to it, as England declared on 413 for 8 after 67 overs, a efficiency that got here at higher than a run a ball, and incorporated 4 additional half-centuries for Tom Abell (57), Josh Bohannon (58), Jack Haynes (64 now not out) and Jamie Smith, whose 35-ball at No.8 used to be the fastest by means of an England participant at Lions degree.

Haseeb Hameed used to be any other guy who featured on the height of the Take a look at batting order in 2022, along with his most up-to-date look coming within the Ashes at Sydney in January, however he fared fairly much less smartly in his first day trip as Lions captain. He fell to his first ball of the fit, stuck off Kavindu Pathiratne within the first over of the fit.

In answer, the President’s XI reached 93 for two in 19.5 overs sooner than the shut, with spinners Liam Patterson-White and Jack Carson each choosing up a wicket.

The Lions are enjoying all 16 in their gamers on this fit in Colombo, which isn’t being categorised as first class. The President’s XI used ten bowlers during England’s innings.