Opening batsman Alex Lees’ maiden England Lions century made light of tricky batting conditions on day one versus Sri Lanka A Emerging Players.
The 20-year-old left-hander held firm to share a first-wicket stand of 152 with Varun Chopra and went on to register 119 of the tourists’ 327 for five in their second tour match in Sri Lanka.
Lees’ fourth first-class hundred in only 19 innings dominated the alliance with Chopra, who like number three James Taylor contributed 47 before Jonny Bairstow struck a swift 45.
The hosts, who held the Lions to a draw in another three-day game that ended on Monday, inserted their opponents in dewy conditions at Colombo’s Colts Cricket Ground.
Lees and Chopra showed great application to see off the new ball, with the former particularly demonstrating gritty determination against a battery of four seamers including Chaminda Bandara, whose 15 overs cost just 28.
It was the 40th over when spinner Akila Dananjaya had Chopra caught behind, but Taylor proved another capable ally for Lees in a 75-run partnership.
Shehan Jayasuriya, another off-spinner, trapped Taylor in front and soon bowled Lees, who hit 15 fours, before Dananjaya cleaned up James Vince for 18.
Bairstow scored fluently until being the first player to fall to a seamer, a surprising statistic given the early conditions, Chathuranga de Silva beating his defence in the closing overs.
Ben Foakes and Scott Borthwick saw the Lions through to stumps with 24 and two respectively.