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Northants 199 in 49.4 overs

World champs Sri Lanka were positive in everything they did and were duly rewarded when they bowled out Northamptonshire for 199 with two balls of the fiftieth over remaining in their first of three World Cup warm-up games played at here today.

Northamptonshire winning the toss chose to bat first, as forecast later in the day is for rain. As the players returned at the end of the Northamptonshire innings for lunch, rain was beginning to fall.

Sri Lanka were left chasing 200 for victory off 50 overs, and if there is any play they will come up against the rather complicated Duckworth and Lewis rain rule.

Sri Lanka had every reason to be happy with their first serious outing, the outstanding performer being fast bowler Erik Upashntha who having achieved the initial breakthrough at 32, came back to take two further wickets and finish with figures of 3 for 33. Upashantha was not down to play but he had to be drafted in the eleventh hour after Chaminda Vaas developed flu and had to sit out the match.

Leg-spinner Upul Chandana also had to pull out due to flu, and Chandika Hathurusingha took his place. He didn't do badly either bowling his 10 overs for 41 runs and two wickets.

Despite their fine performance, Sri Lanka had much room to improve on. Coach Somachandra de Silva was not happy at the way his bowlers gave away too much width and allowed eight wides and four no balls.

Off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan was spot on his first bowl in a major match after surgery and finished with excellent figures of one for 21 off his 10 overs.