Harmison endures tough first spell

Although he and bowling coach Ottis Gibson arrived on Tuesday, one of his kitbags did not, which meant he did not have any bowling boots when play began on the second day of the match against a Sri Lanka Cricket Board XI.

They were eventually delivered to the Colombo Cricket Club - after being held up in transit from South Africa via Dubai - in mid-afternoon.

Within minutes of tour manager Phil Neale handing over the lost boots, Harmison began his spell of 6-0-48-0, as he was punished for overstepping on half-a-dozen occasions. Prior to 2.30pm, the 29-year-old was restricted to bowling in the indoor nets between fielding stints.

Wickets once again proved hard to come by on a benign surface and Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera and Thilina Kandamby all cashed in with hundreds.

The President's XI declared on 500 for five moments before rain brought a premature end to play for the second time in 24 hours. The only breakthrough of a morning session extended by half-an-hour to make up time lost to a storm on Tuesday was provided by Matthew Hoggard's fifth ball of the day.

The dismissal of left-hander Tharanga (112), who flashed to gully and was well held by Ravi Bopara, came during an impressive spell of 5-3-4-1 by the Yorkshireman.

England could not separate Kapugedera and Kandamby but were left frustrated by several appeals for leg before being declined and absolutely infuriated when Kandamby was given not out after appearing to edge behind off Stuart Broad.

By the second interval, the burly left-hander had moved onto 84 not out. His 142-run alliance with Kapugedera came to its conclusion when a Graeme Swann long-hop was savagely pulled to Owais Shah on the deep midwicket boundary.

But diminutive wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva joined in the run-fest with an unbeaten 54, while Kandamby was unbeaten on 107.