REPORT: Alex Hales stands firm for England as Sri Lanka’s bowlers fight back
On a sultry Saturday the Test match accelerated into life against most expectations. For two days the batsmen had generally held sway, but now the bowlers took over, which always adds spice to the contest.
Thirteen wickets fell in the day. Sri Lanka lost nine for 126 as the England pacemen found a consistent line as well as a flicker of movement. Thus England gained a first innings lead of 128, which would be extended to 237 by the close with six wickets remaining.
Read Vic Mark’s full match report here.
Updated
If you’re keen for some cricket tomorrow, there are tickets still available for day four, which you can purchase here.
TICKETS: If you want to be here tomorrow, we have tickets on sale online until 11:59pm, starting at £50 for adults and £10 Under 16s #ENGvSL
— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 11, 2016
STUMPS (England lead by 237)
38th over: England 109-4 (Hales 41, Finn 6)
Pradeep on the money second ball, as he gets one to move into Finn, from wide on the crease. He appeals for LBW but an inside edge gives Rod Tucker an easy decision to make. The Watford Wall sees out the day. “What is the point of putting Finn in as nightwatchman, rather than Jimmy?” asks Graham Samuel-Gibbon, with the final thoughts of the day. “Finn cannot protect his wicket and won’t be able to play shots or offer anything other than his wicket in the morning, assuming he lasts that long.”
Updated
Both teams at fault for this...
Spectators will be short-changed of five overs today. ICC say they're trying to deal with over-rates, but the evidence is patchy.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) June 11, 2016
37th over: England 109-4 (Hales 41, Finn 6): Two slips and a short leg for Finn, as Hales gives the nightwatchman the strike with a single down the ground. A single off the penultimate ball – skewed past bat-pad – gives Finn the last over of the day.
36th over: England 107-4 (Hales 40, Finn 5): Bairstow goes and Steven Finn comes in as nightwatchman. Two claims for a tickle down the legside, both not out – both times Mathews decides against a review. However, the final delivery is flicked off the bat down the leg side – Alex Hales is the batsman. Chandimal gets there but can’t pouch one-handed. And now a regulation edge goes begging – Finn nicks to Chandimal’s right, but the keeper is already moving to his left. Big moments, those.
Pretty knackered shot from Jonny B. He's been on the field for a long time in this Test.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 11, 2016
WICKET! Bairstow b Pradeep 32 (England 101-4)
Where did that come from? Bairstow tries to play a decent length ball into the leg side. It’s too straight and, as a result, he plays onto his stumps. England lead by 229...
Updated
35th over: England 101-3 (Hales 39, Bairstow 32): Herath to Hales for the entire over. Hales hasn’t been able to move the ball around the field like Bairstow has, but the 100 comes up with a bye, which also brings up the fifty partnership from 126 balls. Hales has only managed three singles off Herath, from 23 deliveries.
34th over: England 99-3 (Hales 39, Bairstow 32): Nuwan Pradeep to bowl from the Pavilion End as Mathews takes himself out of the attack. Yikes, that’s close: another near grubber threatens to fell a second Yorkshireman.
33rd over: England 99-3 (Hales 39, Bairstow 32): Bairstow does well again to punch out of the rough, with the spin, for three. With Hales back on, Herath moves around the wicket and immediately finds the edge of Hales. Big turn there, but just short of first slip. “Nice, nice, nice,” says Shane. The last turns past the outside edge. Bowling, Rangana.
32nd over: England 96-3 (Hales 39, Bairstow 29): Mathews getting some good bounce from the track with a ball that still has a nice sheen on it. Just two from the over. 11 overs left in the day...
31st over: England 94-3 (Hales 38, Bairstow 28): Hales sweeps out of the rough for a single, before Bairstow clears his front leg and drives inside-out through extra cover for two.
30th over: England 91-3 (Hales 37, Bairstow 26): No width or great pace to work with Mathews is sticking with the straight channels and waiting for Bairstow to make a mistake. And there it almost is: he gets the last ball to go back up the hill and pass perilously close to Bairstow’s outside edge.
29th over: England 91-3 (Hales 37, Bairstow 26): Bairstow joining Hales in using his pad to Herath. There are a few cheeky “oooos” and “aaaahs” from behind the wicket to try and put some indecision in the heads of the batsmen.
28th over: England 90-3 (Hales 37, Bairstow 25): Ian Bell-esque from Bairstow, who cuts late and through gully, very deliberately, for four. Mathews lands a counter, with a ball that just leaves Bairstow and skews, just short, to second slip.
27th over: England 85-3 (Hales 37, Bairstow 20): Herath is coming over the wicket to Hales, which is giving him a different angle to think about. He pads away a couple but, as Herath slows the pace, decides his bat should do the brunt of the work until he’s got his bearings. Maiden.
Updated
26th over: England 85-3 (Hales 37, Bairstow 20): Angelo Mathews is bringing himself on to replace Herath, but possibly get the spinner on at the other end and give Lakmal a break. Three from the over, as Bairstow takes guard halfway up the pitch.
25th over: England (Hales 36, Bairstow20): Lakmal to continue after drinks. Jonny Bairstow used the break to get a drink and inspect his kit, which must be very worn. Sri Lankan royalty at Lord’s earlier today...
Heavy weights @HomeOfCricket @sanath07 @KumarSanga2 @ArjunaRanatunga #ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/rqbYw5el0t
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) June 11, 2016
24th over: England 81-3 (Hales 34, Bairstow 19): Two from the over. Herath’s trying to coax some big shots with a bit of flight but, last ball, loses his nerve and fires one in that Bairstow blocks solidly.
23rd over: England 79-3 (Hales 33, Bairstow 18) Bairstow starting to turn things with his running, here. Mathews can’t quite decide what to do with his field.
22nd over: England 75-3 (Hales 32, Bairstow 15): Well played by Bairstow: he drops his wrists for two into the leg side, before he burgles another two through point with some exceptional running that puts pressure on the fielder, who fumbles.
Updated
21st over: England 71-3 (Hales 32, Bairstow 11): Looks like these two will just try and see things out till stumps rather than look to push on too much. Hales has packed away the square shots and even his straight drive, which he crunches straight to mid off, is played with the sole intention of keeping the ball away from the stumps.
Updated
20th over: England 69-3 (Hales 31, Bairstow 10): Untidy keeping allows a bye but it brings Hales on strike, who has been getting himself out to left arm spin this series. The over passes without alarm.
19th over: England 67-3 (Hales 30, Bairstow 10): Suranga Lakmal replaces Shaminda Eranga. A couple threaten to sneak under Bairstow’s bat, but the Yorkshireman gets low to defend back down the ground. Change at the other end, too - it’s time for Herath...
18th over: England 65-3 (Hales 29, Bairstow 9): Good eyes, good hands, better feet from Bairstow: he spots a wide delivery, hands back and ready to cut late. The ball doesn’t get to the boundary, but Bairstow manages to run four anyway. Quality.
17th over: England 59-3: Smart from Sri Lanka’s seamers. They’re almost exclusively bowling cross seam deliveries to exploit the dead spots in the pitch. Occasionally, the seam is used for an extra bit of bounce. Watchful from Hales and JB.
With that dismissal, this will be the first Test series Root has averaged under 45 since the 2013-14 Ashes #EngvSL
— Alan R Gardner (@alanroderick) June 11, 2016
16th over: England 57-3 (Hales 27, Bairstow 3): Pradeep still getting a bit of low bounce, which Hales and Bairstow counter by camping on the front foot. A push through extra cover gives Bairstow two.
15th over: England 55-3 (Hales 27, Bairstow 1): Sri Lanka sense they are onto something. Hales thinks he’s got four through midwicket, but a brilliant dive from Herath not only saves the boundary but stops Hales in his tracks. No run. Unlike England’s top order, Zaltzmann’s on fire...
England's numbers 3&4 (Compton/Root; Root/Vince) have scored 8 for 4 in this match. Eng's worst ever Test by nos 3&4 https://t.co/oyTQe7rdtd
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) June 11, 2016
14th over: England 50-3 (Hales 24, Bairstow 0): Brilliant from Pradeep. Even the hat trick ball, so often an anticlimax, is spot on. Jonny Bairstow, who was netting at lunch, defends into his foot to see out the over. England were 45 for none...
WICKET: Root bowled by an unplayable Pradeep delivery that kept low. ENG 50-2: https://t.co/XbFzNuRrnw #ENGvSL https://t.co/XhJOBZfbfE
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 11, 2016
WICKET! Vince b Pradeep 0 (England 50-3)
God awful leave from James Vince, especially having seen the ball misbehave to get rid of Joe Root. Pradeep hits off stump flush and is now on a hat trick...
Updated
WICKET! Root b Pradeep 4 (England 50-2)
Wowser – a real grubber does for Root, whose weight is back for a good length ball. The ball just gets above ankle height and knocks off stump.
Updated
Alastair Cook latest: X-rays show no break, just bruising to left knee/leg. Unlikely to bat tonight, assessed in the morning
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) June 11, 2016
13th over: England 49-1 (Hales 23, Root 4): The news is that Alastair Cook has bruising on the knee. He should be fine, but he won’t be batting tonight. As a result, Joe Root comes out at number three – something Trevor Bayliss and many others believe should be the norm. Gets off the mark with an inside edge that nearly takes out off stump...
Harrogate Spring Hydration Break at the fall of that wicket. Could be something stronger for poor Compo.
— Henry Cowen (@HenryCowenAOC) June 11, 2016
WICKET! Compton c Chandimal b Eranga 19 (England 45-1)
Despite looking good, Compton pushes at a delivery from Eranga and, no for the first time this series, nicks behind. The ovation is generous and ignored by Compton, who makes the slow walk off which, according to reports, will be his last...
Updated
12th over: England 45-0 (Compton 19, Hales 23): Really good running from these two, now. Calls loud, running on cue.
Selfie fail... @benstokes38 to the rescue 😂😂 https://t.co/Phtzrk62KB
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 11, 2016
Updated
11th over: England 42-0 (Compton 17, Hales 22): Everything about Compton seems crisper now. The feet are decisive and, when the ball is short, his hands are quick to pull Eranga through square leg for four. Mathews takes a fielder out of the ring and gets him to marshal that fence for the time being. This is exactly what Compton hasn’t been able to do until now: give Mathews and the touring attack something to think about. Now offered an acre into the leg side, he obliges for one.
TICKETS: If you want to be here tomorrow, we have tickets on sale online until 11:59pm, starting at £50 for adults and £5 Under 16s. #ENGvSL
— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 11, 2016
10th over: England 35-0 (Compton 12, Hales 21): Nice punch off the back foot brings Compton a boundary. Even up the hill, it races away from the two chasing fielders, who started out at point and cover.
Hales/Compton is the first right-handed opening pair England have had since Key & Vaughan opened v India, at Leeds, in August 2002.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) June 11, 2016
9th over: England 31-0 (Compton 8, Hales 21): Compton flays through backward point with all the freedom of a man who knows this might be it. There’s an element of “live each day like it’s your last” in the stroke: he rocks back, throws caution to the wind and swings his hands through the ball. It’s not quite controlled, but there’s enough purpose in the shot to command respect. He gets one for it.
Shot of the day from @alexhales1 as Lakmal is driven straight for four. Beauty that. ENG 28-0 #ENGvSL
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 11, 2016
https://t.co/SELFD1ru2p
8th over: England 28-0 (Compton 7, Hales 20): Hales is put down at second slip off Nuwan Pradeep, who has replaced Eranga. First (Kaushal Silva) and second (Dimuth Karunaratne) have a sizeable gap between them and Karunaratne moved late, diving to his left. Really should have been taken. Hales survives and moves to 20 with a one-handed tuck to square leg.
7th over: England 25-0 (Compton 6, Hales 19): After 16 dot balls, Hales plays straight drive that just evades Lakmal’s boot and the nonstriker’s stumps to go for four. Finishes the over with another boundary, too: this one picked up strongly from middle and leg and beyond midwicket. The lead is now 153.
6th over: England 17-0 (Compton 6, Hales 11): Eranga, too, has found his best set. At times, it looks like he has rushed Compton with his quicker deliveries coming around off stump.
Updated
5th over: England 17-0 (Compton 6, Hales 11): A maiden for Lakmal, as he tightens his line and targets the stumps to keep Hales honest. Floodlights in full effect, now.
4th over: England 17-0 (Hales 11, Compton 6): Oh my, what an end that would have been. Alex Hales beats the first off side fielder with a drive and thinks, for a moment, that he has beaten the second (Herath). Both batsmen end up mid-pitch by the time Herath collects the ball and gets back to his feet to throw to the keeper’s end. Luckily for Compton, the throw asked too much of Chandimal.
Updated
England considering Tymal Mills for T20 game against Sri Lanka
Tymal Mills, the fastest bowler on the county circuit, is being considered for his first international call-up as England weigh up their options for the upcoming limited-overs series with Sri Lanka.
The 23-year-old left-armer retired from first-class cricket last year due to a congenital back condition, but has shone in Twenty20 for Sussex this season, bowling well in excess of 90mph – see the yorker that cleaned up Somerset’s Chris Gayle at the start of the month – and picking up six wickets, including three for 15 against Kent on Friday.
Ali Martin has the full story.
3rd over: England 14-0 (Compton 6, Hales 8): Warne, as he did with the ball in his hand, has noticed a peculiar tick in Compton’s set-up. His front foot, which is usually so certain, is moving two or three times from delivery to shot execution. There’s no way Lakmal’s going to exploit it with some wide dross and Compton, sure-footed this time, cracks four through cover with a bit of a flourish.
Oval 2006. Strauss & Trescothick v Pakistan. The last time England's opening pair in a home Test did not contain Alastair Cook.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) June 11, 2016
Updated
2nd over: England 10-0 (Compton 2, Hales 8): Compton chases a wide loosener from Eranga, which is taken by Chandimal in front of second slip. Nothing wrong with the shot, to be fair. England don’t need to be hanging around. Meanwhile, here’s a nice video on Alex Hales...
Good first over for @AlexHales1 - we caught up with him before the Test match to discuss his Lord's journey:https://t.co/65NmWUeP8B
— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 11, 2016
Updated
1st over: England 9-0 (Compton 1, Hales 8): Suranga Lakmal opens the bowling and there is a bit of away movement for the gangly seamer. Nick Compton clamps down into the leg side and a single is snatched as the ball barely gets off the cut strip. He looks relieved. Hales, on the other hand, looks at ease, tucking one off his pads for four and then punching through cover point off the back foot, like a chiselled red ball specialist with more than 10,000 first class runs to his name.
Updated
Vish here for the evening session. It’s a bumper one, too, with 42 overs still to be bowled! It starts with some delicious narrative: Alastair Cook, back from his X-ray, will not be opening the innings. Nick Compton, under immense amounts of pressure to save his Test career with this knock alone, will not only move up the order but will also take the first ball...
Updated
TEA
That completes an extremely good day’s work from the England seamers, with nine wickets falling for 126 on a flat pitch. England lead by 128, and will bat again after tea, which has been brought forward because of the close of innings. Vish will be with you after tea. Bye!
WICKET! Sri Lanka 288 all out (Eranga c Vince b Woakes 1)
Woakes replaces Broad – and gets a first-ball wicket for the second time today! It was a routine edge and a nice low catch from Vince at third slip.
Updated
95th over: Sri Lanka 288-9 (Eranga 1, Pradeep 0) Jimmy Anderson’s series figures are 20 for 200. “With Cook having an X-ray,” begins Mark Hooper, “this is setting up beautifully for Compton to have a Twenty20 style blast isn’t it?” If he gets a 53-ball hundred, there’s no way they can drop him.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 288-9 (Lakmal c Root b Anderson 0)
This is a lovely low catch from Root at second slip. The batsman stayed around, so they checked with the third umpire, but it was a clean catch. It was a routine edge from Lakmal, pushing outside off stump at a length delivery, and Root plunged to his right to take it beautifully.
Updated
94th over: Sri Lanka 288-8 (Eranga 1, Lakmal 0) Eranga, driving extravagantly, edges Broad a fraction short of Anderson, diving forward at first slip. The forecast isn’t great for tomorrow, so it’s hard to know how much time England will bat in the second innings. They will certainly want to be bowling again by tomorrow night.
Updated
93rd over: Sri Lanka 288-8 (Eranga 1, Lakmal 0)
Updated
WICKET! Sri Lanka 288-8 (Perera c Bairstow b Anderson 42)
The dropped chance doesn’t matter, because Perera has gone. He charged Anderson and launched into a massive yahoo that did not achieved the desired result: the ball took the bottom edge on its way through to Bairstow, who is closing in on the record for dismissals in a three-match series.
Updated
92.2 overs: Sri Lanka 288-7 (Perera 42, Eranga 1) Perera is dropped by Root! It was a very difficult, leaping chance at second slip when Perera gloved a nasty delivery from Anderson. Root got fingertips to it, but he’d have needed a telescopic arm to take the catch. Perera is now receiving treatment to his hand.
Updated
92nd over: Sri Lanka 287-7 (Perera 42, Eranga 0) Perera clunks Broad over extra cover for two and then wallops a superb pull behind square for four. There was a man out but he could not get round to stop the boundary.
91st over: Sri Lanka 281-7 (Perera 36, Eranga 0) Perera punches a full ball from Anderson through backward square for a brilliant and very Jayasuriyish boundary. An affronted Anderson rams a short ball past his chest and another into his thigh via the inside-edge; and then Eranga gropes unsuccessfully at an outswinger.
90th over: Sri Lanka 276-7 (Perera 32, Eranga 0) Eranga, the new batsman, does have a first-class hundred, though he doesn’t look especially competent as he gropes at fresh air second ball. A wicket maiden from Broad.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 276-7 (Herath b Broad 31)
Stuart Broad, the scourge of left-handers in the past 10 months, dismisses another one from around the wicket. The ball cramped Herath for room, and he dragged an attempted cut back onto the stumps.
Updated
89th over: Sri Lanka 276-6 (Perera 32, Herath 31) Hello again. This partnership is starting to irritate England, who probably expected to clean up with the second new ball. Anderson’s first ball hits Perera and goes away for four leg-byes; that’s all in an over comprised mainly of outswingers from over the wicket.
88th over: Sri Lanka 272-6
The partnership moves to 63 with a four that evades the dive of Alex Hales at, hmmmm, first gully? The crowd are keen, but there was little to no chance that Hales was clutching that. Four byes added with a ball down the leg side that swings away Bairstow as it passes the stumps.
That’s all from me for now. Rob Smyth takes over till tea. See you then!
Herath’s two boundaries in that over mean he has scored more than twice as many Test runs than Virat Kohli in England. #ENGvSL
— Charlie Reynolds (@cwjreynolds) June 11, 2016
87th over: Sri Lanka 246-6 (Perera 32, Herath 27)
The people want Herath v Anderson, but the punchy leftie spends the entire over at the other end, as Perera defends in the V to bore the slips.
86th over: Sri Lanka 264-6 (Perera 32, Herath 27)
Herath fires through cover like Lord Gower, before he works Broad from outside off stump to midwicket with the panache of Brian Charles. Joe Root now has two grumpy legends to appease.
Updated
85th over: Sri Lanka 256-6 (Perera 32, Herath 19)
No footwork, but a whole lot of fight from Herath, who plays an extravagant late cut for four, before dabbing a single through midwicket and having a word or two with Anderson.
Incidentally Kusal Perera is the first Sri Lankan number 7 in this series not to get a first innings duck. #ENGvSL
— Charlie Reynolds (@cwjreynolds) June 11, 2016
84th over: Sri Lanka 251-6 (Perera 32, Herath 14)
Front foot out of the way and a sycthe down the ground gives Perera four more. Broad looks unimpressed with this Sanath Jayasuriya tribute act in front of him.
The floodlights are on and there's rain nearby. Fingers crossed ☁️ #LoveLords pic.twitter.com/K1fnr4AcFp
— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 11, 2016
83rd over: Sri Lanka 245-6 (Perera 26, Herath 14)
Looks like Jimmy could go bang-bang-bang, here. Not only is there movement through the air, but the hardness of the new rock/pill/seed means that a few rear up. One pings Herath on his bottom hand, breaking through the protection to draw blood, too. A quick seeing to from the physio and, predictably, almost swings him off his feet next ball. He gets four, though: an edge taking the ball well over the slips. The change-up, a booming inswinger, is sliding down. Doing too much, as was Herath, who hopped and dropped his hands as the ball clattered into his front pad.
Cook gone for precautionary X-ray on his knee #engvsa
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) June 11, 2016
82nd over: Sri Lanka 241-6 (Perera 26, Herath 10)
Just as night follows day, Broad follows Jimmy from the other end. He’s content to stay over the wicket to the left handers and get the ball moving away from them, particularly Kusal Perera, who basically eats his dinner off his pads. But just as Broad thinks he might have drawn him into a false shot outside off stump, Perera’s hands undercut the ball to send it down the ground for four, over Herath’s head.
81st over: Sri Lanka 236-6 (Perera 22, Herath 9)
Anderson is taking the new ball from the Pavilion End. After a couple of a wayward deliveries, he finds his length and some extra lift with the new ball. Satisfied with his rhythm, he moves to over the wicket for Perera and immediately gets a snifter to leave him late.
80th over: Sri Lanka 233-6 (Perera 22, Herath 7)
Herath and Perera sweep easily, so Ali brings his length back a touch, which in turn brings a review. And now, the new ball is taken straightaway.
“Five for 46 in a morning and the egg-chasers have beaten Australia in Australia, which happens even more rarely in rugby than it does in cricket. Rooney to score a hatful tonight for the England hattrick? What a day!” Robin Hazlehurst BELIEVES.
NOT OUT
Definitely pad first – good spot Moeen and Root – but the impact outside off stump (umpire’s call) means it stays with the standing umpire’s decision.
Review...
Moeen Ali, around the wicket to Perera, believes the ball has been pushed back down the wicket after it hit the pad. Given the reviews are replenished next over, it’s a straightforward one to send upstairs
79th over: Sri Lanka 230-6 (Perera 20, Herath 6)
Steven Finn and Rangana Herath are embarking on the sort of tête-à-tête Test cricket thrives on. A few short balls, the follow-up full one which Herath swipes at in vain. Then words and a few grimaces exchanged. Lovely stuff.
78th over: Sri Lanka 229-6 (Perera 20, Herath 5)
There’s a bit of rain in the air: a few umbrellas go up as the light starts to dim in north-west London. Rather than stay put and cross his fingers till he can return to shelter, Perera decides he’s going to play his shots. A failed attempt to skip down the ground is followed by an under-edged sweep that nutmegs Bairstow and goes for two.
77th over: Sri Lanka 226-6 (Perera 18, Herath 4)
Of the things you’d like after a nice lunch – a mint, espresso, a snooze – a gentle full toss is right up there. Steven Finn, over the wicket, gives Perera one which he duly takes for four down the ground.
76th over: Sri Lanka 220-6 (Perera 13, Mendis 3)
Joe Root leading England in the field after Alastair Cook took a blow to the knee while fielding at short cover. His first order of business is to start the session off with Moeen Ali, who gets some good bite past the left-hander’s outside edge.
Updated
Hello everyone – Vish here taking over from Rob, which feels a bit odd: like Springsteen opening up for Olly Murs. Or Murs opening up for Springsteen, if you’re of a different generation/musical palate. Notice how I said “different” rather than “wrong”.
Quite the collapse from Sri Lanka’s top order this morning: five wickets gone for just 56 runs. I had Kaushal Silva nailed on for a hundred. I even thought Mathews might have a dip for the honours board. Alas, it wasn’t to be. The players are making their way back to the middle...
LUNCH
74th over: Sri Lanka 218-6 (Perera 12, Herath 2) Perera, a pocket rocket of a batsman, clatters a short ball from Finn through the covers for four, and then – three balls before lunch – mangles another boundary straight back over the bowler’s head. Two runs off the last ball ensure Sri Lanka will not follow on. A nice way to end a highly entertaining session. Vithushan Ehantharajah will be with you after lunch; bye!
“I really hope Perera does well here,” says Romeo. “He was very poorly treated by the ICC and the Qatar lab who did the analysis, and he hasn’t complained, just been very dignified.”
74th over: Sri Lanka 208-6 (Perera 2, Herath 2) Hello, I’m back, and I’ve missed a wicket – Thirimanne, caught at slip by Root off Finn. What a morning for England, who have taken five for 46. Shane Warne called it before play. It’s almost as if he has one of the great cricket brains of all time.
“You’re not going to let a potential tragedy get in the way of years of OBO tradition, are you, Smyth?” says Mac Millings. “Pick it up, man. It’s called A Mobile Phone & A Shop Window.”
Updated
71st over: Sri Lanka 202-5 (Thirimanne 15, Perera 0) The dashing Kusal Perera, back after his suspension for failing a drug test was overturned, comes in at No7. And the fire alarm has just gone off, so I have to leave the building. Bye!
“Your mention of the forthcoming Finn-less Pakistan series reminds me that I will be attending the Edgbaston match,” says Ian Copestake. “The last time I was at a Test I ‘worked’ as a steward at Headingley and froze when a fellow dole claimant refused Brian Close entry to the members’ stand until he had displayed his ID.”
Updated
WICKET! Sri Lanka 202-5 (Chandimal LBW b Finn 19)
There’s England’s bonus wicket! Chandimal plays around his front pad at a very full delivery from Finn that hits him in front of middle. It looked plumbish, though Chandimal decided to review. Not that it matters, he’s out! It was umpire’s call, hitting plenty of leg stump, and Chandimal – who looked very comfortable until then – has gone.
Updated
70th over: Sri Lanka 202-4 (Thirimanne 15, Chandimal 19) Moeen replaces Anderson, who will be needed for the new ball, and is glided classily for four by Thirimanne. That’s probably the best shot of the morning. Any wickets in the last 25 minutes before lunch would be a bonus for England, who have already had an excellent session: Sri Lanka are 40 for three from 21 overs.
69th over: Sri Lanka 196-4 (Thirimanne 11, Chandimal 19) A good nipbacker from Finn prompts a big LBW shout against Chandimal. It looked too high and was rightly given not out by Sundaram Ravi.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “How about a shout out for Scotland? We’re feeling a bit left out up here. We may not be involved in the football, rugby or cricket, but there’s stock car racing at Cowdenbeath this weekend, and dog agility trials in Forfar. So it’s not all bad.” Sick Boy’s forgotten the cairds though.
Updated
68th over: Sri Lanka 194-4 (Thirimanne 11, Chandimal 17) Anderson doesn’t look happy, and keeps playing around with the footholds. The new ball will be due in 12 overs’ time. If England can get one more wicket before then they will fancy their chances of knifing through the lower order.
Dinesh Chandimal has 2,000 Test runs, and is the fourth quickest Sri Lankan to reach that milestone. pic.twitter.com/ihXbja3BKN
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) June 11, 2016
67th over: Sri Lanka 193-4 (Thirimanne 11, Chandimal 16) Finn tempts Thirimanne with a wide half-volley; Thirimanne drills it for four. Risk y reward.
66th over: Sri Lanka 189-4 (Thirimanne 7, Chandimal 16) Chandimal, fiddling outside off stump, edges Anderson just past the diving Root in the slips and away for four. It was a really difficult chance, low to his right, and he could only get a fingertip on the ball.
Updated
Couscous latest
💪🏻 @robkey612 @DGoughie @BumbleCricket pic.twitter.com/LrSwFL9bLg
— andrew flintoff (@flintoff11) June 10, 2016
Updated
65th over: Sri Lanka 185-4 (Thirimanne 7, Chandimal 12) Finn replaces Woakes, and is now bowling for his place in the Pakistan series. How did it come to this, just a few months after he bowled magnificently in South Africa? Maybe it’ll always be this way with Finn. A quiet first over, just two from it.
Meanwhile, here’s Ian Copestake. “Did Bunny Thirimanne star in Logjammin?” Don’t be fatuous, Ian.
64th over: Sri Lanka 183-4 (Thirimanne 7, Chandimal 11) Anderson to Thirimanne, whose head-to-head average is inching up towards 5. Though not in that over, which is a maiden. He needs three runs off Anderson to reach the magic milestone.
“My loyalties are all over the shop today,” says Matt Dony. “Gutted at the loss to the All Blacks, hoping the Wallabies smack England all over the pitch. But later on, after Wales have ground out a 1-0 victory over Slovakia (Allen, 65), I hope England beat Russia. As far as the cricket goes, though, one hundred percent behind England (of the England and Wales Cricket Board). Those two wickets make a big difference. What the hell, Cymru am byth!”
63rd over: Sri Lanka 183-4 (Thirimanne 7, Chandimal 11) Woakes’ spell continues into a seventh over, which will surely be the last unless he takes a wicket. He doesn’t. Chandimal – who offended a few people on this ground in 2011 – looks really solid, Thirimanne less so.
“Dear, dear Bobbie,” says Mac Millings. “A terrific start to a day that was already ranking among the best evs, once I learned that I share height and birthday with my latest heart-rate accelerator and Le Tissier surrogate, Dimitri Payet. That’s all. Just typing Dimi’s name makes me happy.” And like him, you cry at work, right?
62nd over: Sri Lanka 182-4 (Thirimanne 6, Chandimal 11) Jimmy Anderson – world No1, first change – replaces Stuart Broad. He is bowling to his bunny Thirimanne, who averages 4 (FOUR) against him in Tests. He gets a single, and then Chandimal tucks one fine for four. That’s drinks. It’s been a brilliant hour for England, who have taken three for 20 in 13 overs.
“England seem to be winning everything right now,” says Ian Copestake. “Does this mean that the Rooney fella is also going to bring a non-teargas-induced moisture to the eyes of England fans this evening?” Only those with a sense of humour.
61st over: Sri Lanka 177-4 (Thirimanne 5, Chandimal 7) Woakes continues into a sixth over, so Anderson must wait. Things have quietened down a little after that brilliant start from England, although Sri Lanka’s main ambition remains survival. A maiden from Woakes to Chandimal.
“Hi Rob,” says Patrick Duce. “I’m sat in the Mount Stand enjoying this morning’s session. When I say enjoying, I mean I’m watching a streamed feed of the England Vs Australia rugby game on a friends smart phone, whilst simultaneously listening to a TMS digital radio feed that’s one ball behind. Apparently there’s some football on later too. I’ve managed to miss all three wickets this morning through multitasking multimedia distraction. Do you hate me, or is this just the future of watching “live” sport?”
Well, the two needn’t be mutually exclusive... It really is time to put the internet back in its box. It’s the worst thing that’s happened to society since Archduke Franz Ferdinand took one in the jugular vein.
60th over: Sri Lanka 177-4 (Thirimanne 5, Chandimal 7) One from Broad’s over. I have to be honest, I was daydreaming about this and that. But you didn’t miss anything of note.
59th over: Sri Lanka 175-4 (Thirimanne 4, Chandimal 6) “Morning Rob, and what a morning it is so far,” says Guy Hornsby. “A sea change in the bowling, with Woakes to the fore, a man I’ve oft chided for not being up to the Test mark. But this is wonderful, and – like Stokes, Root and Bairstow before him – there’s something life-affirming about a player finally starting to click in the long form, like waking up to surprisingly discover you’ve still got all your possessions after a spicy Friday night session (me, in Leeds last night).”
58th over: Sri Lanka 173-4 (Thirimanne 4, Chandimal 4) Thirimanne bat-pads Broad through the vacant short-leg area, and then saves himself with a late inside-edge onto the pad. The intensity, purpose and intelligence of England’s bowling this morning has been outstanding. Sri Lanka are 11 for three from nine overs.
“Hi Rob,” says Pete Salmon. “Remiss surely to mention Bix Beiderbacke on OBO without listening to The Age of Revolution by The Duckworth Lewis Method, which samples Beiderbecke’s hit Rhythm King throughout...”
It’s high time the DL Method wrote a song called ‘You Can’t Bowl There To Carlisle Best’.
57th over: Sri Lanka 173-4 (Thirimanne 4, Chandimal 4) Chandimal almost goes first ball, inside-edging a fuller delivery from Woakes just wide of leg stump for four. Woakes has taken two for eight this morning, and all those runs came off the edge.
Excellent 'picks' from selectors ...Bairstow n Woakes ...there were some on here .....................the get em in , get em out brigade....
— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) June 11, 2016
WICKET! Sri Lanka 169-4 (Mathews c Root b Woakes 3)
Chris Woakes: an apology. This is another terrific piece of bowling to get rid of Angelo Mathews. It kicked from a length to hit high on the bat, and Root held a comfortable catch at second slip.
Updated
56th over: Sri Lanka 169-3 (Thirimanne 4, Mathews 3) Broad is bowling around the wicket to Thirimanne, with a snifter of inswing. There was a terrific piece of analysis from Sky/CricViz yesterday about how he has improved against left-handers by going around the wicket. Thirimanne plays out a maiden, though not entirely comfortably.
“Having tried to follow the basketball earlier in word form, I was left floundering by the jargon and so gave up,” says Ian Copestake. “I then imagined the Yank version of me reading the following, and it made me feel smug again: ‘England have a funky field, with three men in a staggered cordon, very close to the bat, and a kind of silly cover. A maiden.’”
Imagine offering that sentence to a hungover Francis Begbie. They’ve got three men in a staggered cordon, Franco!
55th over: Sri Lanka 169-3 (Thirimanne 4, Mathews 3) Another challenging maiden from Woakes. Sri Lanka have solidified their batting, with Kusal Perera at No7, but England will still feel they can chip away throughout the day, especially with the new ball due just after lunch.
54th over: Sri Lanka 169-3 (Thirimanne 4, Mathews 3) My colleague Dan Lucas points out that Silva has been caught behind in all nine of his Test innings against England. That’s a bona fide statgasm. Nine times.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 166-3 (Silva c Bairstow b Broad 79)
Another one gone! This is brilliant stuff from England. Silva has been caught behind for the fifth innings in a row Broad’s line and length were excellent, just close enough to the stumps to make Silva think he needed to play. He pushed tentatively outside off stump - the corridor of certain death for him - and thin-edged through to Bairstow.
Updated
53rd over: Sri Lanka 166-2 (Silva 79, Thirimanne 4) Thirimanne, driving expansively, edges Woakes along the ground for four; those are the first runs of the day. There’s some terrific commentary from Nasser and Shane Warne at the moment, talking about the balance between attack and defence at different points in the day. As good as Sky’s football coverage has become, their cricket is still the benchmark. It’s exceptional.
52nd over: Sri Lanka 162-2 (Silva 79, Thirimanne 0) This has been an excellent start from England, really purposeful, and Silva is beaten by a legcutter from Broad. At the moment England are making them work for every dot ball, never mind every run. There haven’t been any runs, in fact.
51st over: Sri Lanka 162-2 (Silva 79, Thirimanne 0) Lahiru Thirimanne has come in at No4, as he did in the second innings at Durham. That’s interesting, as is the decision to start with Woakes rather than Anderson. Chris Woakes might shut a lot of people up in the next few years.
“With Stuart Broad becoming a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, does that give him the right to graze his sheep on the outfield?” asks Gary Naylor. “And, with Alastair Cook becoming a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, can he demand that one of the Lankans pick up his dry cleaning later?”
On that note, the warmest congratulations to Anna Kessel MBE, who is much missed on these pages.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 162-2 (Mendis LBW b Woakes 25)
Chris Woakes should have had a wicket with his first ball yesterday – but today he has got one. He’s trapped Mendis in front with a superb delivery: full and nipping back to hit the pads as Mendis whipped across the line. That was plumb. Terrific bowling from Woakes.
Updated
50th over: Sri Lanka 162-1 (Silva 79, Mendis 25) Stuart Broad hops on the spot, preparing to bowl the first ball of the day. Shane Warne reckons it feels like a good bowling day, and that it might swing. There’s no sign of that in the first over, with Broad attacking a fifth-stump line to Silva, who squirts a drive that is well fielded by Hales at backward point. England have a funky field, with three men in a staggered cordon, very close to the bat, and a kind of silly cover. A maiden.
“Morning Rob,” says Kieron Shaw. “If memory serves, Trevor Chaplin in The Beiderbecke Affair was apt to say of Bix Beiderbecke that ‘his cornet playing sounded like bullets shot from a Bell’. Poor Nick Compton must feel something similar about Ian Ronald’s knocks of 73 and 60 this week for Warwickshire. Boom! (Or possibly clang!)”
Pre-play viewing
England’s last win over Sri Lanka at Lord’s was in 1991, when Aravinda de Silva played the most charming Friday-evening cameo.
“Morning Rob,” says Chris Drew. “It’s Saturday morning, so like Trevor Chaplin in ‘The Beiderbecke Affair’, I’m listening to jazz (some cool Bix) eating my morning croissant and looking forward to everyone waxing lyrical about this new belle-époque in English cricket. Oh, and there’s some rugby at Eden Park!”
That email is almost too jaunty to function. And on a Saturday morning too! I’ll have whatever breakfast he’s having.
Morning folks
Five days is a long time, and not only if you spend them at the feet of The Man being horsewhipped for the minimum wage. Five days is enough time to watch the entire series of the Sopranos and develop a rewarding obsession with Richie Aprile; it’s enough time to listen to around a quarter of The Fall’s output (or, better still, to listen to this masterpiece on loop); and it’s certainly enough time to take 20 wickets and win a Test match.
There is a widespread perception that, after Sri Lanka’s excellent batting performance yesterday, this match is going to be a bore draw. That might be the case, but there are enough precedents – not least the Lord’s Test a year ago – to remind us of the danger of such assumptions. Never assume; if you do, somebody will banterously tell you why you should never assume, and you’ll want to punch them.
Although Lord’s is usually a flat pitch, only two of the last 15 Tests here have been drawn. A few of those 15 Tests have ended in the final session of the final day; if the weather holds, this one could join them.
Updated
Rob will be here shortly. While you wait, have a read of Vic Marks’s blog on the polarising fortunes of Jonny Bairstow.
