Cricket: Giles waits on decision

ENGLAND will make no decision about Ashley Giles' fitness until just before the first Test in Galle on Thursday.

Despite his efforts to shrug off an Achilles injury to bat for more than an hour in yesterday's warm-up match against the Board President's XI, there are still worries about whether he can cope with a five-day Test.

Giles may have made only 17 but he survived 64 minutes at the crease and - although tentative while running - appeared to have come through his innings unscathed.

The tourists claim the real test will come only when Giles bowls in the nets at Galle on Tuesday, but at least England now know his heel is strong enough to enable him to bat.

He sustained the injury on the opening day of this match, aggravating a long-standing problem. But his efforts yesterday both encouraged the tourists about his fitness and helped them claim a 165- run advantage as they reached 418 for 7 at the close of the third day.

Opener Michael Atherton had resumed unbeaten on 74 and added only 11 runs before being bowled by left-arm seamer Dinusha Fernando, who also dismissed England's most senior batsman twice during the two- day practice match in Moratuwa.

Graham Thorpe provided England with further encouragement for the Test series by scoring his first half-century of the tour before becoming the second victim for left-arm spinner Niroshan Bandartilleke, who is hoping to force his way into Sri Lanka's line- up at Galle.

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