Replying to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 299, the youthful President XI fell just three runs short, being dismissed for 296 with captain Daren Ganga, who made 54, wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh (43) and Dave Mohamed (33 not out) also making significant contributions.

The 22-year-old Hinds hit seven fours in an attractive 166-ball knock which lasted 197 minutes but unfortunately his innings came after the West Indies selectors had announced the squad for the first Test starting in St Lucia on Friday.

Hinds, who did not find favour with the regional selectors during the preceding tour of the Caribbean by Australia after a modest Carib Beer Series, featured in two crucial stands as the West Indian reserves recovered from a shaky start.

They found themselves in early trouble at 56 for three, having lost Devon Smith, caught in the slips for eight, Narsingh Deonarine, needlessly run-out for 11, attempting a third run, and Dwayne Bravo for, driving a simple return catch to off-spinner Tilan Samaraweera, who was Sri Lanka's most successful bowler with three for 56 off 19 overs.

But Hinds, first with Ganga, who hit five fours in a solid 123-ball knock in 197 minutes, began the recovery by adding 72 runs for the fourth wicket and then with Baugh, the pair featured in an entertaining 94-run sixth wicket.

The Hinds-Baugh alliance enabled the President’s XI to move from 97 for three at lunch to 193 for five at tea after they had lost Ganga and Dave Bernard (3) to leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarchchi, but delighted the sprinkling of spectators.

On resumption, the left-handed Hinds cut and cover-drove fast bowler Dinusha Fernando for boundaries to move into the 80s.

He seemed set to record his second first-class century but gifted his hand, when he flirted at a wide delivery from the same bowler and edged a catch to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

Fernando also removed Baugh even though the batsman was not too pleased when he was given out for a caught by wicketkeeper Tillekeratne Dilshan after pulling his bat out of the way of a lifting leg-side delivery.

Tino Best enjoyed himself with three lofted fours in a breezy 18 before Samaraweera had him stumped and also removed Darren Powell in the same over.

Mohamed then found a useful ally in fast bowler Jerome Taylor and they added 38 valuable runs for the last wicket with Mohammed smashing two sixes and a four in his cameo 39-ball knock.

Left with 24 overs to bat, experienced left-handed opener Sanath Jayasuriya warmed up for the first Test with a rapid unbeaten 44, studded with seven fours and a six off just 46 balls as he and Dilshan put on 66 in 15.2 overs for the first wicket.

Jayasuriya smashed Powell for two fours and a six in his second over which cost 14 runs but was denied a half-century as play was called off when Dilshan was caught behind by Baugh for 20 off medium pacer Bravo with 8.4 overs left.

SRI LANKA 1st innings 299

PRESIDENT’S XI 1st innings

D.Ganga c Jayasuriya b Lokuarchchi 54

D.Smith c Jayasuriya b Thushara 8

N.Deonarine run-out 11

D.Bravo c & b Samaraweera 1

R.Hinds c Jayawardene b Fernando 83

D.Bernard c wkp. Dilshan b Lokuarchchi 3

C.Baugh c wkp. Dilshan b Fernando 43

D.Mohamed not out 33

T.Best stp. Dilshan b Samaraweera 18

D.Powell c wkp. Dilshan b Samaraweera 0

J.Taylor lbw b Thushara 10

Extras: (lb-4, w-3, nb-25) 32

Total: (all out, 78.5 overs) 296

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-54, 3-56, 4-126, 5-130, 6-224, 7-231, 8-258, 9-258.

Bowling: Fernando 15-2-61-2 (nb-11), Thushara 11-0-43-2 (nb-11, w-3), Gamage 11-3-47-0 (nb-1), Samaraweera 19-2-56-3, Lokuarchchi 17-6-58-2 (nb-2), Jayasuriya 4-0-17-0, Tillekeratne 2-0-10-0.

SRI LANKA 2nd innings

S.Jayasuriya not out 44

T.Dilshan c wkp. Baugh b Bravo 20

Extras: (lb-2) 2

Fall of wicket: 1-66.