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  • England win Sri Lanka warm up but lose Bopara Home > News > March 2012 >England win Sri Lanka warm up but lose Bopara

    England successfully chased 359 to top the Sri Lankan Development XI by four wickets in their final warm-up game before taking on Sri Lanka in a tow-Test series starting from Monday.

    After the home side declared on 199-4 at lunch, England rolled on to their target within 64 overs, with Kevin Pietersen's run-a-ball 52, Ravi Bopara (66), Matt Prior (84) and Samit Patel (72) pushing them on to the finishing line.

    Unfortunately for the tourists, Bopara suffered a side strain during the first innings and is now "unlikely to bowl in the Tests".

    An ECB spokesman said the 26-year-old will remain available for selection ahead of the first Test in Galle but still might get a cameo with his cricket bat as "a specialists batsman."

    Prior is convinced that England are ready for the opening Test, despite initial concerns following the white wash suffered against Pakistan in their previous series.

    "Going into this Test series now having won our first two warm-up games gives the team a lot of confidence," said Prior.

    "And, after a run chase like today we're fully prepared for the series," said the wicketkeeper, who made amends for his three-ball duck last time out with a fluent knock that included 13 boundaries and one maximum.

    "We thought they'd got too many but we started very well and it makes it easier making it as realistic to a Test match as possible.

    "You are wanting to put pressure on yourself wanting to put pressure on the team to perform and win games. This is why we want these matches."

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