England quick Stuart Broad in first-Test fitness battle
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
| Tour match, Colombo (SSC), day one of three: |
| Sri Lankan Development XI 376-5 (90 overs) v England |
| Match scorecard |
England paceman Stuart Broad remains a doubt for the first Test against Sri Lanka on 26 March despite taking 3-55 against a Sri Lankan Development XI.
Broad sprained an ankle when he tripped over a boundary rope before the
He was England's most successful bowler as the Development XI finished on 376-5, but later told BBC Sport: "I'd suggest it's OK, I wouldn't say 100%.
"It's a little sore but with another week I think it will pull up fine."
Broad showed few signs of discomfort against the Development XI, but he was part of a team that was dominated in the Colombo heat.
Having easily beaten the Board XI in their previous match, this was England's first real day of toil on tour.
The damage was done by Chamara Silva, who struck a superb 163.
England were missing first-choice bowlers James Anderson and Monty Panesar - both rested alongside Alastair Cook - but Graeme Swann bowled 21 wicketless overs for 102 and Samit Patel returned 1-83.
The day had started with good news as Broad was passed fit following a fitness test - and he went on to remove Malinda Warnapura and Dilshan Munaweera.
Silva and Thilina Kandamby dispatched Swann's first three overs for 25 and guided the hosts to 103-2 at lunch.
Patel managed to turn one in from the rough to bowl Kandamby for 64 and end a 151-run stand, but Angelo Perera started with a six off Patel, who Silva drove down the ground for his century.
Lunch arrived with the Development XI 223-3 and Silva kicked on after the resumption, eventually caught at fine-leg off Finn.
Finn gave the batsman a verbal send-off and Broad said: "You're playing against international players so there's always a little bit of niggle there.
"But it's important you don't overstep the mark and go too far with it.
"I don't think anything got out of control, just a couple of cheeky words here and there."
Perera and Kushal Janith took a particular liking to Swann, before Broad trapped the latter lbw with the first delivery of the new ball.
At the close, Perera was 61 not out and with Kaushal Lokuarachchi unbeaten on 22.
"I think we're pretty happy with how things have gone today," Broad added.
"They had a couple of batsman who batted fantastically well but we kept threatening, we kept our energies up, and we showed the character that has made us a successful team.
"Sri Lanka is the biggest test of the lot. A few of the guys have lost up to 4kg in the first two sessions - that's a lot of fluid.
"It's a test but it's an exciting test. We don't get this weather at Trent Bridge even in June."
