Stars in tame England draw !

Cook stars in tame England draw - BBC

Tour match, Colombo, day three (close):
Board President's XI 500-5 dec drew with England 315-6

Match scorecard

Cook hit a half-century, adding 77 with captain Michael Vaughan

Alastair Cook (63) was one of four England batsmen to retire as the first tour match, against the Sri Lanka Board President's XI, ended drawn.

The tourists had spent two full days in the field as the President's XI reached 500-5 declared on a docile pitch.

Captain Michael Vaughan hit 38 in a first-wicket stand of 77 with Cook.

Then, Ian Bell (49), Paul Collingwood (52), Owais Shah (38) and Ravi Bopara (40 not out) all had some batting practice as England finished on 315-6.

Kevin Pietersen was the only front-line batsman to fall cheaply, making just four before he edged a quicker ball by seamer Nuwan Kulasekara to Chamara Kapugedera at gully.

Restored to the opener's role, Vaughan reserved particular punishment for seamer Dammika Prasad, who he cut and drove for three of his seven fours, but was eventually trapped lbw by leg-spinner Malinga Bandara.

They were the only two batsmen actually dismissed by the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Several of Vaughan's shots were reminiscent of his 2002-03 heyday, which also coincided with his extended run as opener.

One pirouette of a pull off leg-spinner Bandara also suggested the right knee which sidelined him for a year no longer impairs some strokes.

As Cook reached his fifty, most of his England team-mates were investigating another reported sighting of a snake behind the advertising boards - and he eventually retired, having hit seven fours.

The match was clearly over as a contest but Bell served early notice of his intentions by lofting left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for a huge straight six, and eventually retired at a drinks break.

Collingwood became the third England batsman to retire after making a rapid half-century, which included two sixes and five fours.

Shah, by contrast, took 75 balls to reach his total, but he shared a sixth-wicket stand of 53 with Bopara, one of his rivals for a Test place.

Wicket-keeper Matt Prior was the eighth player to bat, hitting an unbeaten 18, although fellow keeper Phil Mustard and the seven bowlers did not reach the middle in this 16-a-side game.

England captain Michael Vaughan was pleased with the workout, saying: "The real key was everyone getting an hour and a half at the crease.

"Only Kevin Pietersen didn't really get that, but he is in decent touch anyway.

"Everyone else getting an hour and a half out there in these conditions, against spinners and a little bit of reverse swing was perfect for us."