KENT lost their one-day friendly to a strong Sri Lanka A side by four wickets at Canterbury on Wednesday, but not before giving the tourists a good run for their money.

A rain-delayed start limited the game the 43 overs per side and set a fairly sombre tone for the rest of the day as Sri Lanka won the toss and invited Kent to bat first.

Having rested the likes of Rob Key, Andrew Symonds, Geraint Jones, Ian Butler and Matt Walker, Kent’s makeshift top-order gave the host’s the best of starts through Ed Smith and Michael Carberry – players with a point to prove.

Smith, dropped from the Twenty20 side despite consecutive one-day 50s, teamed up with Carberry, a left-hander who loves to open rather than bat at No 5, to post 109 for the first wicket.

Smith played the anchor role while Carberry went on the counter, hitting five fours from one over by Thilan Murando in his fluent 48 from 57 ball.

The stand was broken in the 24th over when Carberry, aiming to drive over cover, sliced to deep point where Shanta Kalavitagoda was one of three fielders converging on the ball to come up with an excellent running catch.

Alex Loudon's run of good one-day displays ended when he went for single just three overs later, caught off a juggled return catch by Suraj Mohamed.

At the other end, Ed Smith scored his third successive one-day half-century from 72 balls and with four fours to stake his claim to play in Kent's final Twenty20 Cup qualifier.

But, with his score on 70, he chipped a catch to Malintha Gajanayake mid-wicket to make it 129 for three.

A flurry of middle order wickets left the tourists in control, however, until a cameo 27 from 25 balls by Niall O'Brien gave Kent a measure of respectability at 188 for eight after their 43 overs.

The Sri Lankan reply was measured, controlled and commanding and, despite a three for 39 burst from Amjad Khan, the tourists were always destined for a comfortable win.

Bathiya Perera top-scored with an unbeaten 43 to steer them home with 5.3 overs to spare, having received decent support from his captain Jeaan Mubarak (31) and Kaushal Lokuarachchi (22 not out).