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Malinga and Muralitharan share three wickets each
Extras top score for Derbyshire
Derbyshire, Saturday - The unconventional bowling actions of Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan was too puzzling for the Derbyshire batsmen as they crashed to 219 all out on the opening day of their three-day match against Sri Lanka here today.

After they had won the toss and decided to bat the two Derbyshire openers S. D. Stubbings (43) and C.R.Taylor (34) saw them making 85 no loss at lunch. However in the post lunch session Malinga and Muralitharan shared hauls of three wickets each to see the home team sliding from a position of strength to a very vulnerable position at 160 for 8. However a fighting 57 run stand between Gray and Lungley saw them making a partial recovery before being all out for 219. A very noteworthy factor in the Derbyshire innings extras was the highest scorer in their total which amounted to 44 including 29 no balls sent down by the Lankan bowlers.

First it was opening bowler Malinga who was responsible for the first three wickets to fall, accounting to the wickets of openers Stubbings, Taylor and Birt. Thereafter Sri Lanka’s master spinner Muralitharan took three more middle order wickets to see the Derbyshire batting in total disarray. Adding to the woes of Derbyshire Hassan Adnan and M.A. Sheikh were also run out.

Earlier Sri Lanka went into the game with the services of skipper Mahela Jayawardena and experienced seamer Chaminda Vaas.
At close Sri Lanka were 3 for no loss in four overs of batting.

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