That’s all from here, for now. Join us tomorrow where I’ll be joined by the OBO Don himself, Rob Smyth. Bye!
Before you go, we have some news from Ali Martin:
“Lord’s is being lined up as the host venue for the final of the proposed two-tier World Test Championship, with the International Cricket Council also investigating whether the new competition can begin as early as 2017.”
Read the full story here.
STUMPS
49th over: Sri Lanka 162-1 (Silva 79, Mendis 25)
Woakes has an over at Mendis – the final one of the day, as it happens. With the extra pace and a shot-happy youngster, Cook decides to set a few leg side traps and gets Woakes to come around the wicket. To Mendis’ credit, not only does he get inside the line to push into the covers, but he also gets back for two. He wants to be in the fight. He negotiates the final few balls, punches gloves with Silva and walks off to some hearty applause.
Updated
48th over: Sri Lanka 160-1 (Silva 79, Mendis 23)
Five form the over as Silva and Mendis bring up the fifty partnership. It’s currently 52 from 102 balls.
47th over: Sri Lanka 155-1 (Silva 76, Mendis 1)
Anderson tries to ten-pin-bowl the stumps at the nonstriker’s end and ends up giving away a single. “He was trying to play a bit of silly buggers,” says Shane Warne. I think he won.
Updated
46th over: Sri Lanka 154-1 (Silva 76, Mendis 20)
Moeen rushes through his opening over. A maiden. A minimum of three overs left in the day...
45th over: Sri Lanka 154-1 (Silva 76, Mendis 20)
Woakes extra pace allows Mendis to punch through point for four. “Has the impact of enforcing the follow on twice run-down our bowlers stamina levels so they’re now struggling?” asks Tom van der Gucht. “Jimmy, Broad, Finn and Ali have powered through back to back inning bowling stints twice, whilst their Sri Lankan counterparts have only had to bowl 3 times and each of those had a break in between! Maybe what they all need is an early night with an improving book to recharge their batteries.” I wouldn’t say they’ve been any less intense. This pitch, for now, is very flat: just then, an edge dies on its way through to Joe Root. But you’re right, the bowlers have definitely put in a good shift this series.
44th over: Sri Lanka 150-1 (Silva 76, Mendis 16)
Credit to Broad, he’s trying everything: cutters, slower balls, around the wicket, over the wicker. Thankfully he hasn’t spent most of his career bowling on dull surfaces like this, else he might have thought about trying golf instead. The over ends with a lovely drive from Silva, who gets four through extra cover.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 144-1 (Silva 71, Mendis 15)
“Walking home in the muggy, humid conditions of tropical Lincoln (who knew the East Midlands were so near the Tropics?), I experienced an almost zen like calm, reasoning that conditions must now be much the same at Lord’s and Jimmy would have taken a hatful of wickets by the time I checked the score again. Quite anxious to discover that this is not the case.” Phil Sawyer, I’m willing to step onto that glass with you, now. One run from that Woakes over.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 143-1 (Silva 70, Mendis 15)
Just one run off the over but at least something for Broad as he neats the bat with the final delivery. “Given that it’s all getting rather low-key, shouldn’t we be expecting a bit of reverse swing by now?” asks John Starbuck. “Is there any sign yet?” None at all, despite the fact that it looks like they’ve been taking care of this ball.
41st over: Sri Lanka 142-1 (Silva 69, Mendis 15)
Ooooo, a chance? Probably not. A ball from Finn cuts through Silva and continues to move away down the slope and away from Bairstow for four runs. The umpire keeps his leg untapped. Finn looks on ruefully but it would have been one hell of a catch from JB.
40th over: Sri Lanka 137-1 (Silva 64, Mendis 15)
“I like that they’re thinking outside the box,” says Nasser Hussain. “But they got it wrong”. “It” being the field set for Broad, who has two catching cover for Mendis. And then the ball flies through where a regulation second slip would be. Alastair Cook and Broad are trying to be a little too smart.
39th over: Sri Lanka 133-1 (Silva 64, Mendis 11)
A maiden from Finn, entirely to Silva. You get the impression England want Mendis on strike. He’s going to be more inclined to play his shots.
38th over: Sri Lanka 133-1 (Silva 64, Mendis 11)
Easy as, really. Silva defends Broad, who can’t get anything from the pitch. One of the over.
37th over: Sri Lanka 132-1 (Silva 63, Mendis 11)
A nice drive from Mendis brings three through cover. Moeen Ali’s outstretched palm takes enough out of the ball to prevent it reaching the boundary, but it does mean Stuart Broad – dicky knee and all – has to run to retrieve it. Sri Lanka are winning all the mini not-so-important-but-could-hamfistedly–be-twisted-into-momentum-related-jibberish sessions.
Updated
36th over: Sri Lanka 128-1 (Silva 68, Mendis 8)
The first ball of Stuart Broad’s return spell is almost chopped onto the stumps by Kaushal Silva. It was probably a clever leg/off-cutter or something but, to my untrained eye, it looked slow, wide and rubbish. And it nearly did for Silva. A tempter is mistimed and misplayed just past third slip. Silva gets four for it. Odd, this game of ours.
Updated
35th over: Sri Lanka 123-1 (Silva 59, Mendis 7)
Glorious from Mendis. He’s not the tallest, but he is a fine timer of the ball. Both factors are evident in his square drive off the back foot, which he plays perfectly, on his toes, through cover. Steven Finn, on his backside after delivery, looks up just in time to see the ball skip over the sponsor sponge. Phil White has returned:
“I’ve pondered long about the ‘fixed place in the batting order’. There is absolutely no rational reason for it. And when it comes down to it, it is only one or two ‘star’ batsmen who are allowed to demand their spot - only Root and Cook in the current set-up. If batsmen were told they would go in as and when required they would soon get used to it. After all I’m sure Bairstow did not expect to be batting before lunch on the first day, but he went in and got on with it. And the use of nightwatchmen is common. I’m not saying that you dont have an order at all, but a greater willingness to change it to fit the circumstances of the game would have great benefits.”
34th over: Sri Lanka 117-1 (Silva 58, Mendis 2)
One thing Mendis is good at is calling. There’s a lot more purpose in the running – at times in the previous partnership, it looked like Silva and Karunaratne were speaking different languages. Five from the over.
“I know it’s radical but how about going for a wicketkeeper who doesn’t have to learn the job while in the Test team?” Dominic O’Reilly, your sensible thought has no place here or anywhere under the umbrella of English cricket. Away with you.
33rd over: Sri Lanka 112-1 (Silva 54, Mendis 1)
Silva gives Mendis the chance to see what kind of mood Steven Finn is in. Gets one on the ribs that he negotiates well before safely making it to the other end with a single on the off side.
32nd over: Sri Lanka 109-1 (Silva 52, Mendis 0)
Mendis, the most consistent batsman of the tour, “for mine”, nestles in with some tidy straight bat defence.
31st over: Sri Lanka 108-1 (Silva 51)
Are those dismissals unlucky? I don’t think so. They’re annoying if you’re the batsman, sure. But, much like a regulation edge, you probably should have just middled it.
Updated
WICKET! Karunaratne c Bairstow b Finn 50 (Sri Lanka 108-1)
STRANGULATION! Leg side tickle, Bairstow dive, all forgiven (fickle).
Updated
30th over: Sri Lanka 107-0 (Karunaratne 50, Silva 50)
If that over was a Friend’s episode, it would be “The One Where The Gang Get Their Fifties”. Karunaratne, the Monica to Silva’s Rachel, completes an organised half-century from 95 balls. Silva, scattered yet composed, dabs a single for his off 84. Also looks good in a Bob.
Updated
28th over: Sri Lanka 100-0 (Karunaratne 46, Silva 47)
The 100 comes up as four singles are nudged and winked. Good rotation of the strike from Silva and Karunaratne.
27th over: Sri Lanka 96-0 (Karunaratne 44, Silva 45)
Wowser! Karunaratne, possessed temporarily by the spirt of Lara (who, don’t worry, is still with us), larrups over cover, threads (edges) through the slips and then booms across the line for 12 off the first three balls. Some good news for England, though – Broad is back on the field.
26th over: Sri Lanka 84-0 (Karunaratne 32, Silva 45)
Slow spin from Moeen, easily negotiated off the pitch. “What about thinking a bit more long-term,” suggests Chris Drew. “There are some excellent young batting prospects. Hameed up at Lancashire springs to mind, as well as young Nye Donald at Glamorgan. Mason Crane the leggie at Hampshire looks the real deal. Are there others around the circuit who have caught people’s eye for 3-5 years time?” Would love to see Crane on the India tour later this year. One thing that struck me about Crane is how much trust his captains have in him. Wise head on young shoulders, that lad.
Updated
25th over: Sri Lanka 83-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 45)
“Afternoon Vish.” Afternoon, Simon McMahon. “If I change my name to Simon Hoakes, do you think I will be considered for an England place by the selectors?” You’re in, Hoaksy. A maiden for Jimmy.
24th over: Sri Lanka 83-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 45)
Watchful from the openers, with a hint of – “gah, maybe I should have smashed that down the ground” – as Ali’s first over passes with a bit of turn but little discomfort.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 82-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 45)
A single off the Anderson over and it looks like we have a bowling change: Moeen Ali replacing Woakes. “My main problem is that exactly the same ball can be bowled and depending on the umpire it can either be out or not out,” writes Vinod Raghavan on the umpire’s call chat. “Surely we want consistency from use of technology so that the same ball gives a definitive result. If the mathematical margin or error of hawkeye says it could be missing then it should then be given not out, but the visualisation should say so.”
I like Foakes, but he's not ready for England yet. I hear good things about Middlesex's John Simpson, who is no mug with the bat @Vitu_E
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 10, 2016
22nd over: Sri Lanka 81-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 43)
A nice flick off his toes gives Silva four behind square on the leg side. Woakes goes searching for something he can’t quite find.
Updated
21st over: Sri Lanka 76-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 39)
The slips move around a bit, short cover shuffles to his left, but still nothing much happening out there. Just one run from the over.
20th over: Sri Lanka 75-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 38)
A maiden from Woakes, as Broad goes off the field to seek treatment. “If he wants to keep he needs to improve; he gets in on his batting alone right now, and maybe that gives up a place to Buttler too?” I reckon, given how strong England are, it might be the perfect time to blood a young keeper-batsman. I know Joe Clarke doesn’t keep for Worcestershire, but he is very tidy with the gloves and an exceptionally talented batsman. Otherwise, someone like Ben Foakes, who does a lot of work with Bruce French, the ECB’s designated wicket-keeping tzar.
19th over: Sri Lanka 74-2 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 38)
Just a single from the over as Anderson almost catches Silva out with movement into the right hander, coupled with a bit of extra bounce. “Batting skill isn’t the only reason keepers bat at 6 or 7,” starts Mark Gillespie. “While Phil is correct that on many occasions, the keeper will get a break between keeping and batting coming in at say 4, two early wickets would mean that was not the case, especially in a team like England currently, with question marks over both the number 2 and 3 batsmen. Worse, in that situation, it would be even more important that the keeper was mentally rested, given that they’d almost certainly be expected to try and play a longer innings to pull the team back from the early losses. While you could drop them down the order on a case by case basis in the event of early wickets going down, we’ve already discussed the issue batsmen seem to have with not having a fixed place in the lineup, so that doesn’t seem to be the ideal solution either.” Personally, I think you bring in the best keeper to do a job, at this point, given the strength of England’s batting.
60+ partnership by Silva and Karunaratne. 2014 December was the last time these two built a 60+ partnership for the opening wicket! #ENGvSL
— Sakun Sankalana (@Sakun_SD) June 10, 2016
Updated
18th over: Sri Lanka 73-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 37)
“Starting to look a little ominous,” says Phil Sawyer, whose glass isn’t so much half full, but smashed on the floor and currently slicing at the exposed soles of his feet. “Bairstow went on to make 150 after being dropped. Now it’s Karunaratne’s turn. While England are a long way from being declared doomed yet, they’ve let doom out of its cage and are tickling it under the chin. Yes, I did learn my pessimism following the 80s and 90s England teams.” Two close LBW shouts for Chris Woakes, the first of which stirs the “umpire’s call” debate once more: a fine review and also a fine decision as the ball looks to be clipping the top of Karunaratne’s off stump. Fair bit of the ball hitting it, mind. The second, there is little query, having pitched outside leg stump.
Made the point yesterday that if VInce had got his pad in the way yesterday he would have got away on umps call. That DRS shows why.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) June 10, 2016
Updated
17th over: Sri Lanka 73-0 (Karunaratne 31, Silva 37)
A relatively negligible over is sprung to life by an apparent injury to Stuart Broad. He’s staying on the field for a moment, but he pulled up just before putting in a laboured dive at midwicket to prevent a single. He seems to be trying to flex his knee. More as and when someone tells us what’s going on...
Updated
16th over: Sri Lanka 71-0 (Karunaratne 30, Silva 36)
Chris Woakes starts off after tea from the Nursery End. Eight runs come off the first two balls – an edge wide of slip and then leg byes beyond Moeen Ali. Phil White, the Oracle, emails in:
“As I said in my comment at 122 overs: ‘Dont be surprised to see a few errors from him [Bairstow].’ Leaving the keeping aside, is he not a top 4 batsman? As regards keeping, number 4 (or possibly 5) is the ideal place to bat because you get a break between batting and keeping. Keepers have traditionally batted around 7 because some batting skill is expected, but not to front-line level. But there is absolutely no reason they should bat that low if they have greater skill.”
Updated
Sri Lanka’s session, just about then. They didn’t let England’s tail get too carried away, then made a very solid start with the bat. They should be a wicket down but for Bairstow dropping Karunaratne, but then England can’t grumble about luck too much given Bairstow himself benefitted to the tune of 156 runs from being dropped yesterday.
Vish is returning after tea to guide you through to stumps. Do join him, email him, tweet him and all that. In the meantime I leave you with some sad news.
Tea
15th over: Sri Lanka 62-0 (Karunaratne 30, Silva 31) This is probably going to be the last over before tea. Finn begins with a long hop that Silva drives nicely, square off the back foot and through cover point for four. Three balls later Finn makes the same mistake and this time Silva carves it past gully for the same reward. Final ball before tea then and Silva knocks it into the on-side and goes through for one more run.
14th over: Sri Lanka 53-0 (Karunaratne 30, Silva 22) Woakes is finding a bit of movement away from the right-hander here, but the batsmen are – perhaps a bit strangely – looking more settled than when they were going after everything at the start of the innings. Woakes squares Silva up but he gets a single anyway, dropped behind square on the off-side.
13th over: Sri Lanka 52-0 (Karunaratne 30, Silva 21) Silva goes after a short one from Finn, looking to heave him through the on-side but doesn’t connect cleanly at all and isn’t too far from dragging it towards his stumps. Relieved that he hasn’t, he dashes off for a single. Decent over once again from Finn.
12th over: Sri Lanka 51-0 (Karunaratne 30, Silva 20) Chris Woakes is coming on for Broad. He was England’s quickest bowler at Durham and I have to say Finn hardly looked express here – hovering around 82-83mph. Karunaratne pushes at the first ball of the over, nicks it and it’s badly dropped by Bairstow! Just a fraction of a wobble in the air and, despite being straight at the keeper it clangs off his fingertips and to the floor. All that goodwill Woakes and JB built up during their partnership with the bat...
A pull out to deep midwicket brings two more and the 50 opening partnership, the second of the series after England’s in the first innings.
It's becoming a pattern: Bairstow bats brilliantly, then puts down a regulation nick. What to do?
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) June 10, 2016
Updated
11th over: Sri Lanka 49-0 (Karunaratne 28, Silva 20) With the run-rate hovering around England ODI Team 2001 levels, we’re getting a change of bowler with Finn replacing Anderson. He has a shout for lbw with a full ball that swings late, back into the left-hander, but is slipping a long way down leg. No dice, just a leg-bye. Silva then pushes and goes for another very sharply stolen single; might it be worth bringing in a short extra cover to prevent that, as it seems to be an easy run for the right-hander?
Our very own Mike Selvey of course played much of his cricket at Lord’s and he reckons Finn should be bowling from the other end.
10th over: Sri Lanka 46-0 (Karunaratne 27, Silva 19) On Sky, Beefy has just revealed that in the eight innings he’s played against England, Silva has been dismissed caught behind in each and every one. Broad, back over the wicket, finds a fair bit of a movement with a full ball that swings sumptuously away from Karunaratne and beats the outside edge. Next ball is too straight though and worked to fine leg for four. This is already Sri Lanka’s best opening partnership of the series, although that’s to be expected in these conditions. He then pushes down the ground for three more.
9th over: Sri Lanka 39-0 (Karunaratne 20, Silva 19) Jimmy comes round the wicket to Karunaratne for the first time. One from the over, dropped into the off-side and scampered through.
8th over: Sri Lanka 38-0 (Karunaratne 19, Silva 19) We have the first “Oooh” of the innings from Jonny Bairstow, with Silva hanging his bat out at a fairly innocuous delivery that beats the outside edge. Broad goes a touch fuller and Silva caresses it tenderly through cover for the sixth boundary of this (perfectly symmetrical at this very moment) dig. Singles from each of the last two balls.
7th over: Sri Lanka 32-0 (Karunaratne 18, Silva 14) Four more for Karunaratne when, after Silva had driven a single, Anderson tried to angle one in and get it to swing away; he sort of got the second part wrong though and the batsman just whipped it round the corner to the fine-leg boundary. England’s total was 150 light, wasn’t it?
6th over: Sri Lanka 27-0 (Karunaratne 14, Silva 13) Broad is coming back round the wicket. He needs to bowl a straighter line than he did last time to Karunaratne, and indeed his does, but the batsman tucks him to wide mid-on for two then knocks him square for one more. There’s a moment of hesitation when Silva goes for a sharp single, but not enough to cause any real consternation among the batsmen.
5th over: Sri Lanka 23-0 (Karunaratne 11, Silva 12) A shorter one, tighter to off-stump from Jimmy has Silva in a spot of bother as he’s late in an attempted leave and gloves it down towards his stumps. He does leave with quite a flourish, does the right-hander. Another maiden.
4th over: Sri Lanka 23-0 (Karunaratne 11, Silva 12) Anderson pulls off an excellent diving stop to take a bouncing ball high to his right at third slip, saving four. The final ball is a bit of leg-side nonsense, but it’s left alone by Karunaratne and that’s a maiden.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 23-0 (Karunaratne 11, Silva 12) Yet again Silva edges one outside off – he’s been dismissed four times out of four this series by balls in that corridor – but again it drops through the slip cordon and down to fine third man for two. In fact he lays bat on three of the first five balls of the over, each time off a thick outside edge. He’s magnificent against the sixth though, crashing a wider, fuller one through cover for four more.
LATE GATE: We have just 60 tickets available from 3:40pm today, priced at £20 for adults & FREE for under 16s. North Gate, Cash Only.
— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 10, 2016
2nd over: Sri Lanka 17-0 (Karunaratne 11, Silva 6) Blimey, Ravi Jadeja is ranked the sixth best bowler in Test cricket. That must surely undermine this man’s status as No3 just a bit? Anyway, Stuart Broad it is and his first ball comes off a thick outside edge and runs along the turf to the third man boundary. A similar shot, soft hands dropping the ball short and left of third slip, brings him one more. Broad comes round the wicket for the left-handed Karunaratne and a short, wide bit of filth gets cut like a Stark at the Red Wedding, through point for the third boundary in 10 balls. Short and wide again but this time not timed and they get just two. Busy start from Sri Lanka.
1st over: Sri Lanka 6-0 (Karunaratne 5, Silva 1) First ball from Jimmy is loose and well outside Karunaratne’s off-stump and the left-hander guides it serenely through extra cover off the back foot for four. He drops the next into the off-side and, perhaps inspired by Jonny Bairstow earlier, scurries through for a sharp single. Silva does likewise to get off the mark.
“I agree with Ben Hunt regarding selecting 2 keepers,” writes Michael Jones. “It’s frowned upon in village cricket but that’s largely because of the time it takes to make the switch: pads, inners, gloves etc. International test matches are not subjected to the 15+ overs per hour ruling which ensures village games conclude before sunset; They barely fit in 10 overs in 1 hour sometimes.”
Cheers Vish. The players are back out now, Jimmy with the new ball in hand.
And one more thing [/Columbo] Arthur John Burton emails in to clear something up:
“Although maybe you know already know (I didn’t) but they changed hockey rules to stop substitutions at penalty corners some time ago now, so that specialists had to be worth their place in normal play - so as to be on the pitch when the penalty corner was awarded.” Party poopers.
Before I handover to Dan for the start of the Sri Lanka innings, Ben Hunt emails in with a contribution to the Buttler-Bairstow keeping debate:
“I’ve always thought, why can’t Buttler and Bairstow share wicket keeping duties? Or at least lighten the load on the designated keeper but alternating every now and again? Both are good enough fielders for that not to be a reason. It would keep both fresh(er) for batting. This coming from a former wicket keeper that would have loved a break every now and again.”
WICKET! Anderson c Chandimal b Eranga 4 (England 416 all out)
Having negotiated a short ball past the slips for four, Anderson gets a thinner edge through to the keeper to give Shaminda Eranga his first wicket of the match.
128th over: England 411-9 (Bairstow 166, Anderson 0)
It looked like it’d either be wicket or six when Herath was tossing the ball above the Pavilion, getting it to drop down into Finn’s eye line. Wicket it was. James Anderson, last man, defends the final ball of the over.
WICKET! Finn c Lakmal b Herath 7 (England 411-9)
Finn sweeps Herath but the lack of conviction in the shot means he can only top edge the ball around the corner, where Lakmal runs around to take a fine diving catch.
127th over: England 411-8 (Bairstow 166, Finn 7)
Angelo Mathews is a big fan of a one-and-a-half slip. I wonder if he still is now, though, as Bairstow nicks Lakmal through the gap between said slip and keeper for four.
126th over: England 405-8 (Bairstow 161, Finn 6)
Steven Finn brings up the England 400 with a hoik down the ground reminiscent of a slap shot to finish off a penalty corner. Always thought the lad or lass whose sole job was to take penalty corners had one of the cushtiest gigs in sport. See too, NFL kickers.
Updated
125th over: England 398-8 (Bairstow 159, Finn 1)
Solid from Finn, who is given the strike against Lakmal and camps on the front foot for the remainder of the over.
“Isn’t the answer to Phil White’s concern that England should be a bit more flexible as to where to bat their form player?” asks David Hopkins. “So, as Phil says, where England bat first play him higher up to give him some extra rest before donning the gloves. But if they bat second following a long day in the field, drop him down a spot for the same reason?” Hmmm I like the logic with this, but batsmen are such creatures of habit that I think even a change of one position might throw him out of sync. Especially if it’s happening every other Test.
124th over: England 397-8 (Bairstow 158, Finn 1)
Steven Finn gets given out LBW. The ball looks to be hitting middle and leg. The umpire thinks so, too, and raises the finger. Steven Finn reviews. Somehow, the ball is passing leg stump. Steven Finn survives. Could someone switch Phyiscs on and off again?
LBWs given against Numbers 10 and 11 should always be reviewed - umpires seem (perhaps subconsciously) keener to give them @Vitu_E
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 10, 2016
123rd over: England 397-8 (Bairstow 158, Finn 1)
Steven Finn is your new batsman and, dripping with finesse, turns a ball into midwicket for a single. If Viv had ever dropped one into the leg side to get off the mark, he would have done it like that.
@Vitu_E I think Compton should grasp this opportunity to become the first player at Lords to come out to bat naked and covered in bees.
— Edmund King (@dmndkng) June 10, 2016
WICKET! Broad c Mendis b Lakmal 14 (England 396-8)
Broad flashes (hard, of course) and is caught by the slight Kusal Mendis at gully, who did well not be taken away to the boundary with the ball.
Updated
122nd over: England 395-7 (Bairstow 158, Broad 14)
Herath tries to tempt, but Bairstow and Broad are well-behaved. You get the sense we’re about to get a bit of a slap and tickle. A couple of emails on allrounder-heavy XIs, starting with Andy Harby:
“A friend and I were trying to come up with a current England all-rounder XI this week. We came up with Root, Ali, Borthwick, Bairstow, Ansari, Stokes, Bresnan, Rashid, Woakes, Willey, Broad. Five spinners, five seam, one keeper. five Yorkies. Basically I’m looking for any excuse to recall Bresnan.”
Phil White is a fan of Matthew Valentine’s side from earlier: “If our best batsmen also bowl or keep wicket, so what? They should still be there, and batting in order of merit, not down at 8. Bairstow being down at 6 or 7 is ridiculous. Especially as after a 6 + hour innings (so far), and the pressures of shepherding the tail, he will then pretty much be going straight out to keep. Dont be surprised to see a few errors from him.”
121st over: England 391-7 (Bairstow 157, Broad 11)
Brilliant work by backward point prevents Broad from snatching a four from the penultimate ball of the over. It was one of those stops that gives cameramen whiplash – quickly rushing to the fence to catch the ball ricocheting off the hoardings. Not that time. Still, a couple of twos and a single give Broad five.
120th over: England 386-7 (Bairstow 157, Broad 6)
“England probably want to be bowling in this session,” says Michael Atherton on commentary. Just two runs off the over – a single each. “I am taking great pleasure in disrupting any and all Euro 16 chatter in my office by bluntly shouting the OBO scores,” writes Mike Jones. “They appear perplexed but I cannot rule out a slither of interest on their part.”
The players are back out in the middle after Sir Garfield Sobers rang the Lord’s bell, in honour of Muhammad Ali.
Images of Muhammad Ali at Lord's in 1966 are being shown on the big screen to mark today's funeral. RIP The Greatest pic.twitter.com/hRwvte8MDN
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 10, 2016
Chris Evans lays down a challenge at Compton’s feet: “Thinking about his second innings. Surely he has to be tempted to muck about? I’d love to see him attempt a switch-leave.”
“Seriously though, is there any legitimate form of dismissal that has not been registered before? There’s chance to make history.”
I’m very keen to explore this avenue. He could quite easily get himself “sent off” by, I don’t know, tripping up the bowler as he runs in. Groping the umpire? Spit on a length? Part of me thinks if he does get out in the second innings, he should just throw the mother of all tantrums and just sit himself down at the crease and refuse to leave.
Meanwhile, Matthew Valentine has gone allrounder heavy in his England XI for the Pakistan series.
A N Cook, A D Hales, J E Root, J M Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler (WK), M M Ali, C R Woakes, Rashid, S C J Broad, J M Anderson
“I’m sure the traditionalists would argue that’s at least a couple of all rounders too many, but it would certainly be entertaining.”
“Shall you be following the example of Dan Lucas and filling the OBO with contributions from your family and their friends?” writes John Starbuck. My brother, who has a passing interest in Test cricket, WhatsApped me yesterday: “Why is Compton so s***?” I backed up Compton: I spoke of his obdurate defence, his ability to blunt the ball and steadily accumulate runs. His reply: “You’ve managed to make him sound s****er.”
Afternoon all – Vish here, revelling in the glory that is Jonny Bairstow. I trust Dan has treated you well. “Not sure if I should send this as I’d hate to jinx the chap,” writes David Young, tentatively. To be honest, David, I think Bairstow is immune to the cosmic forces that affect us mere mortals. He continues: “Bairstow isn’t far off the top score for and English Wicketkeeper...”
Highest Test scores by England keepers. Bairstow three of the top seven. pic.twitter.com/UxLgWP4drv
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) June 10, 2016
Updated
Lunch
England will be delighted with that then. Bairstow has looked utterly untroubled and Chris Woakes offered excellent support with his 66 earlier. England should look to get past 400 sharpish and then kick on from there.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is your man for the first hour or so after lunch. You can email him here. Bye for now!
119th over: England 384-7 (Broad 5, Bairstow 156) From the first ball Bairstow scampers a single to bring up Pradeep’s ignominious century. The bowler responds with a short one from round the wicket that gets up and hits Broad on the arm guard. His batting slump seems to be on the mend recently but Broad still doesn’t look happy against the shorter stuff. He likes medium-paced stuff hung outside his off-stump though and, when given just that, rocks back and punches through cover point for four. And that’s lunch with England having scored an excellent 105 for one from the session.
@DanLucas86 Len Hutton No 8 - was in Brisbane 1950-51 in Eng's 2nd innings to counter the effect of a sticky pitch, D Compton was No 9!
— Chris P Dunn (@crispyfried) June 10, 2016
118th over: England 379-7 (Broad 1, Bairstow 155) If Herath hurries, we could get 30 overs in the session here.
Hugo Varley, who apparently works with my sister, has a decent idea for how England should line up against Pakistan: “A N Cook, A D Hales, J E Root, J M Vince, J M Bairstow, Stokes, M M Ali, C R Woakes, S C J Broad, S T Finn, J M Anderson
“Perhaps it’s a good time for Joe to move up the order as he’s not quite the run machine he once was at 4. Vince hasn’t made his case to bat at 4, but not sure who else could fill that spot – let’s give him a go. JB at 5 is clearly worth a crack. The rest is history. Swap Woakes/Finn for Rashid in India. Job done.”
117th over: England 378-7 (Broad 1, Bairstow 154) Pradeep comes back on for Mathews and from his first ball Broad is off the mark with a pushed single to mid-on. Bairstow happily gives him the strike back, then Broad is cut in half by one that keeps very low and is a whisker away from off-stump.
Graeme Thorn gives us news on when Len Hutton batted at No8: “Len Hutton batted at 8 twice in 1950: the first time (v WI @ Manchester) he was injured batting in the first innings, and the second (v Aus @ Brisbane), he batted at 6 and 8, probably due to a tricky wicket (England declared their first innings closed at 68/7).”
Meanwhile Andy Tyacke says that Denis Compton was 52 at the time of decimilisation.
116th over: England 376-7 (Broad 0, Bairstow 153) A bit of turn for Herath now in this maiden.
My dad has emailed in to point out that Nick Compton is full of it: “I love the accent. I didn’t realise his grandad played for the army post UK decimalisation (businessman offered him £0.50)! Denis Compton must have been about 70 then!”
115th over: England 376-7 (Broad 0, Bairstow 153) Scoring off Mathews isn’t easy despite his lack of pace and movement: he’s coming in from wide on the crease but bowling at the stumps and not giving Bairstow any room to attack. Bowling dry, England used to call it, although no sooner have I written that he strays on to Bairstow’s pads and JB turns him round the corner for four. That’s Bairstow’s 150 up, his highest score in Tests and the highest score by an England No6 at Lord’s.
Great spot here from Ed B.: “Following Gary Naylor’s link to the batting stats of England number 8s (we’re a dynamic bunch round here, eh?) I spotted that in the last few overs, Chris Woakes has now moved above one ‘Len Hutton’, in terms of runs scored from number 8. It seems Hutton played two matches at 8 in 1950, at an average of 107 - giving him, perhaps unsurprisingly, the all time best batting average of an England number 8. What was he doing there? Anyone know the story behind this?”
I’ll have a look over lunch if no one has an answer before then.
114th over: England 371-7 (Broad 0, Bairstow 148) Shot from Bairstow, getting to the pitch against Herath and piercing the field with glorious placement between extra cover and mid-off. A single brings Woakes on strike and there will be no maiden ton for the all-rounder, who is eventually worn down by the Sri Lankan spinner. Time for some fun for Stuart Broad? You would think England want to give themselves plenty of time to bowl Sri Lanka out twice on this flat deck.
Wicket! Woakes c&b Herath 66 Eng 371-7
A breakthrough! Woakes gets fed up and goes after Herath’s darts but can only chip it back to the bowler, who takes a simple return catch.
Updated
113th over: England 366-6 (Woakes 66, Bairstow 143) Three singles means a pleasing number of sixes in the scorecard. Let’s all watch Nick Compton’s other showreel, because his mock Indian accent is something else.
112th over: England 363-6 (Woakes 65, Bairstow 141) Über negative from Herath now, tossing it down the leg-side and finding no turn even out of the rough. A maiden, which I guess is as close as Sri Lanka got to a success this morning.
111th over: England 363-6 (Woakes 65, Bairstow 141) Bowling change time: Mathews replaces the innocuous Eranga. His first ball is tight to the stumps but Bairstow still manages to guide it down into a gap at third man for two, then the second is off the hip for a couple of leg-byes. A single that follows for Bairstow, who has gone past Les Ames for the highest score by an England wicketkeeper at Lord’s.
“Interesting points by Ian Truman,” writes Toby Sims. “Bloody mindedness can be a good thing (see Cook), but I’d like to give Cook some more props for not nicking off quite as much recently - stepping back from 1 day cricket definitely helped, IMHO. I’ve always admired Ballance’s ‘tekkers’ and it would be great to see him properly succeed, but I do think he got properly found out.
“On a side note (inspired by Compo’s alleged fate), I’ve always though Carberry didn’t get enough of a crack at it.”
110th over: England 357-6 (Woakes 64, Bairstow 138) Woakes uses his feet and charges Herath, driving back to the bowler. Poor old Herath takes a tumble to his right in stopping it and England steal a run that must be crushing for the fielding side. The longer this goes on, of course – and there is nothing to suggest that it won’t go on until the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves – the more miserable the batsmen are going to be.
109th over: England 354-6 (Woakes 63, Bairstow 136) This is beautiful from Bairstow: a fraction short, a fraction wide from Eranga and he deftly drops the bat on it, guiding the ball down to vacant third-man for four. Bairstow mk I would have probably smashed that into the ground and on to his stumps, but this man appears to have gone to the plastic surgeon and said “Give me VVS Laxman’s wrists.”
108th over: England 348-6 (Woakes 62, Bairstow 131) Couple of singles then Angelo Mathews opts to try something a bit new, putting in two close catchers on the leg-side with Herath bowling left-arm over to the right-handed Bairstow. He does strike the batsman on the pad when Woakes leaves, but it pitched outside leg. Couple more singles.
Nicholas Butler is appealing to the Northants fan in me: “How about Riki Wessels at no. 5 for England (I think he has now qualified). Worth a punt? Not English enough? Only suitable for white ball stuff?” I haven’t actually seen any of him this season. How’s he doing?
107th over: England 344-6 (Woakes 60, Bairstow 129) We’re in one of those awkward situations where Sky and Cricinfo can’t agree on Bairstow’s score. I’m inclined to agree with the former on 128, as I think Cricinfo have attributed that last leg-bye to the Yorkshireman. Thrilling stuff, I know. After an exchange of singles, Bairstow is forced to dive to complete the second run off the last ball. Actually he was comfortably safe.
Updated
106th over: England 340-6 (Woakes 57, Bairstow 128) Has Herath lost his rhythm here? Over the wicket to the right-handed Woakes he forgets to release it and the ball lands right by his feet. Two singles from the over?
It’s not just OBOers who can do commentator’s curses:
Were I obsessive about Number 8s, I'd be watching this page https://t.co/HvRbo1YudB more than the cricket @DanLucas86. But I'm er... not.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 10, 2016
105th over: England 338-6 (Woakes 56, Bairstow 127) Eranga half considers an appeal for lbw against Bairstow, before considering that the batsman was up off the ground and it hit him on the waist about six inches wide of leg-stump. He would have looked silly had he gone through with it. They take a leg-bye then Woakes shows James Vince how it’s done and plays a Vaughan-esque front-foot pull through midwicket for four. That takes the partnership to 111, an England record for the seventh wicket against Sri Lanka.
Ian Truman asks: “I’d be interested in your thoughts on the relative merits of Ballance vs Vince, one seemingly scores loads of runs in spite of an obviously flawed technique, the other looks beautifully correct, whilst to date producing little in the way of runs scored… Which is the Lucas preference?”
Ian Bell. Always.
104th over: England 333-6 (Woakes 52, Bairstow 127) Herath is milked for three singles. When Herath is looking as threatening as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Sri Lanka know they’re in trouble.
103rd over: England 330-6 (Woakes 51, Bairstow 125) Chris Woakes moves to a half-century, his first in Test cricket, with a streaky drive that teases, then beats the diving Perera at backward point. That also brings up the hundred partnership from 172 balls. Another leg-bye via Woakes’ pads, then Bairstow gets yet another very sharp single. 400 is on for England here; the last time they lost having scored 400 in a home Test was, according to Athers, against Sri Lanka at the Oval in 1998.
102nd over: England 324-6 (Woakes 47, Bairstow 124) Herath is back, from the Pavilion End, with Woakes on strike and four runs away from a maiden Test 50. He creeps one closer, nurdling a single into the on-side.
The Ballance debate rages on and is far more interesting than DRS tedium.
“I’d like to back up Tony Rowlinson,” begins Ian Truman. “Cook for example has a technical flaw that involves him nicking off more than your average batsman. Australia and New Zealand have equally found this flaw out (check out his averages against both) – but Cook has proved time and time again he can cash in when he’s in form, so I wouldn’t be adverse to Ballance being given the opportunity to prove the same.”
I think the difference is that Cook at least recognises his flaw and has worked to improve, whereas Ballance is simply being bloody minded. Plus, as Phil Sawyer points out:
“I don’t understand those calling for Ballance to get back in the team. As well as his reported unwillingness to address his technical issues, he’s scored one half-century in his last 11 first class innings (looking at the list of most recent matches here). Not exactly figures that scream ‘pick me’. The fact that he’s chosen to be an honorary Yorkist has absolutely no bearing on my willingness to point all of this out.”
101st over: England 323-6 (Woakes 46, Bairstow 124) And after 10 runs from that last over and the century stand creeping into view, it’s a much-needed bowling change: Eranga coming on looking for his second wicket of the series. He tries the old “get the batsman to go after some slow wide rubbish” trick, only to see Woakes thwack it to the extra cover fence. That’s Woakes’ highest score in Tests; well played him. He pushes the final ball out to long on for three more and we’re going for an early drinks break as one of the umpires needs the loo.
@DanLucas86 Shoddy treatment of a professional by the ECB. Compton has every right to down tools and throw away his wicket in disgus...
— Harry (@FactDeJour) June 10, 2016
Oh.
100th over: England 316-6 (Woakes 39, Bairstow 124) Lovely shot from Woakes: Pradeep gets his attempted yorker wrong, offering up a leg-stump half-volley instead and gets driven through mid-on for four. Is there a harder shot to play well than the drive through mid-on? A single takes him to his joint-highest Test score, before Bairstow cuts four more elegantly through backward point.
99th over: England 306-6 (Woakes 34, Bairstow 119) Lakmal continues and Bairstow drives him for another single. It looks to be brightening up a bit at Lord’s and England can take the singles where they like. Woakes pulls one and Bairstow cuts another.
A couple of you have been asking what exactly was let slip about Compton and I’m aware the story doesn’t make that entirely clear. The talk among cricket folk on Twitter last night though was that the selectors, barring an unlikely miracle from the Compdog, had pretty well made up their minds. It’s hearsay, obviously, but no smoke without fire and all that, even with an organisation as notoriously leak-free and secretive as the ECB.
“I don’t know about Haikus either,” writes Phil Russell, getting me on side, “but here’s a poem for Nick Compton in the style of Baldrick:
“Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot,
Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot,
Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot,
Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot Out.”
98th over: England 303-6 (Woakes 33, Bairstow 117) It’s a bit worrying for Sri Lanka how innocuous their attack is looking already, fresh from a night’s rest and with a ball that’s still not that old.
“Can someone explain to me why Balance isn’t being considered?” asks Tony Rowlinson. “He averages 47.76 in tests and 49.38 in First Class. I know there are concerns with his technique and potential unwillingness to change it but with that technique he averages near 50, surely it’s got something going for it?”
I’m speculating here, but I would imagine it’s that unwillingness to change that’s keeping him from selection. He clearly has a problem but what can the coaches do if he’s unable to recognise it? He started quite brilliantly in Test cricket but was badly found out by New Zealand and Australia.
97th over: England 302-6 (Woakes 33, Bairstow 116) Bairstow looks to go hard, smearing Lakmal out to the cover twice in succession but only picking out the fielder on each occasion. He brings up the England 300 with a skewed drive that runs down to Perera at backward point for three.
Many thanks to every letting me know what a haiku is. I’m afraid poetry is more boring than Sigur Ros and I didn’t actually care. Sorry.
Chris Bull writes: “There appears to be a level of misunderstanding about DRS amongst OBO followers and leaders. The system was introduced to eliminate the ‘howler’, not the close decision. Hence close decisions are not overturned. That’s why we have ‘umpire’s call’. It has nothing to do with the accuracy of DRS or the historical or predictive nature of a DRS decision. Close decisions are meant to stay with the umpire. In the words of Rob Smyth ‘deal with it’.”
If it was meant only to eliminate the howler they wouldn’t use ball-tracking and infrared technology, neither of which the umpire has on account of him not being Predator.
96th over: England 299-6 (Woakes 33, Bairstow 113) Four leg-byes from the first ball, by way of Chris Woakes’ butt cheek. Bairstow wore one flush on the buttock too yesterday. Woakes gets one off the bat this time, pulling a harmless short one firmly to deep midwicket. Bairstow drives to cover for a single, then Woakes flicks to fine-leg for double that.
This is slightly reminiscent of England circa 2011-12, when their lower middle order would routinely bail out the batsmen who had failed further up and belligerently batter them up to a big score.
95th over: England 291-6 (Woakes 30, Bairstow 112) Woakes nudges to point to move on to 30. He’s been very useful foil for Bairstow in this partnership, which is now worth 64. Jonny B misses out on a short, wide one, mistiming his wafty cut into the ground.
Tom van der Gucht writes on Nick Compton: “That’s a bit harsh on Compton: finding out though the press that someone else has been given your spot. It’s a bit like checking your special lady friend’s Facebook feed only to discover they’ve announced that they’ve started dating a new chap - and that new chap isn’t you! And everyone is commenting on how good they look and that they’re an improvement on the last one. Heartbreaking stuff, not that it’s ever happened to me.”
@DanLucas86 The Aus selectors dropped players mid-match in the 70s. John Benaud splendidly hit 142 after the axe fell.
— Tony Bennett (@obadiah99) June 10, 2016
94th over: England 290-6 (Woakes 29, Bairstow 112) I should have said, Lakmal bowled that last over, so Herath was only on to allow Pradeep to change ends. He tries to bounce Woakes with two catchers out on the hook but the ball barely gets up above the ducking batsman. Just one from the over, clipped to deep midwicket.
Steve Hudson emails with a Nick Compton haiku: “Compton batting, slow. Eyelids droop, run rate crawling. Just one more knock, Nick.”
I’m going to be honest up front: I don’t really know what a haiku is.
Updated
93rd over: England 289-6 (Woakes 28, Bairstow 112) Another two to Bairstow, hustled to Mathews at wide-ish mid-on and very well run. I ran into Andy Zaltzman on my way in this morning and he mentioned how poor Sri Lanka were in the field yesterday, on the ground as well as with the dropped catch, although Perera makes a mockery of that next ball, running round from point to cover, sliding and reeling Bairstow’s drive in to save a couple.
92nd over: England 285-6 (Woakes 28, Bairstow 108) Straight away we have spin from the other end and Herath finds a bit of turn away from the right-hander from the get-go. Five dots but then the final ball is short, a touch wide and cut hard by Woakes behind point for the first boundary of the day.
“I think England already have a decent total,” reckons Dean Kinsella. “The Lankans have shown they cannot cope with the English attack.” That’s pretty unfair. They were excellent in the second innings at Durham and it’s going to be easier to bat here.
91st over: England 281-6 (Woakes 24, Bairstow 108) Nuwan Pradeep is going to get us going today. He took two for 79 in his 20 overs yesterday and bowled at decent pace – this ball’s only 10 overs old too so there should be something in it for him. Bairstow has the strike first up and he gets the first run of the day with a wristy flick to midwicket. Given how horribly hard his hands were when he came into the team, Bairstow’s wrist work is quite brilliant these days. Woakes gets a single of his own to long leg.
@DanLucas86 Christ that's pretty crap treatment for Compton.What's the point in him even going out to bat in the second innings then really?
— Jack (@sven945) June 10, 2016
A crueller man than I would ask what the point in him going out to bat in any innings this series was. But yeah it’s pretty shoddy of the ECB to let that one slip mid-Test.
We’re about to begin. Anyone fancy a decent total for England? If they can get to 400 from here they’ll be delighted I reckon.
Updated
It looks like there might be a bit more for the bowlers today. It’s a touch cooler than it was on day one and there’s a decent amount of cloud cover. Jimmy will be pleased with that.
To be honest this is more like it. When I got back to Manchester on Monday the weather was nearly identical to Barcelona*, which was disconcerting.
*Sorry.
“I can’t abide jokes about the Northern Ireland football team,” writes Chris Brock. “I understand that they are a multi-talented side – in fact they’ll let Enniskillen.”
@DanLucas86 Why is there umpires call in referred LBWs? Surely any margin of error has already been taken care of by Hawkeye.
— Vinod Raghavan (@vinnyr) June 10, 2016
It’s simply because Hawkeye’s predictive element isn’t accurate enough to take care of that. Although that there’s umpire’s call on the impact – something that has already happened and thus has no predictive element – is farcical.
“Dear Dan,” begins Robert Wilson. “I need jokes about Northern Irish football. Urgently! I’m doing my third such article in three days for the football-hating French press and the well has run dry. No unkind remarks about one-trick ponies (at least they have a trick). I’ll take anything. Debatable and off-colour remarks welcome.”
I’ve forwarded this one on to my colleague Paul Campbell to my left. OBO readers, please keep them publishable. Meanwhile a haiku from Tom van der Gucht:
“His fiery red hairs, Blaze like rusting iron spikes, Hail, Johnny Bairstow!”
The umpires didn’t have a great day yesterday, a rare blip in an otherwise excellent tournament. Quite how Joe Root (overturned on review) and Jonny Bairstow (not overturned showing the ludicrousness of the umpire’s call, er, call) were given not out is a mystery.
Still, reckon you could do better? Here y’are.
The first email of the day comes from the OBO’s poet laureate, Gary Naylor.
We may not always love you
But long as there’s Compo above you
You never need to doubt it
We’ll make you so sure about it
God only knows where we’d be sans Jonny
If you should ever leave us
Though Root would still go on believe us
Straussy could show nothing to me
So what good would Buttler do me
God only knows where we’d be without you
God only knows where we’d be without you
That’s utterly beautiful Gary. I can see it being a surefire hit.
Further reading for you. Vic Marks on Alastair Cook, who looked so serene before getting out, seemingly apropos of nothing.
Some news for you. Poor old Nick Compton, Compo, the Compdog, has already been dropped mid-Test. Scott Borthwick is getting called up for the Pakistan series. He’s a handy enough leg-spinner is the Durham man, but its the weight of runs he’s scored this season that will see him bat at three.
This means I finally have a chance to post this: Nick Compton, in Compton, describing Compton as “the birthplace of drive-by shootings” and rapping. He made this before he’d even played a Test!
Preamble
Morning, folks. Welcome then to day two of a Test match that is, already, more intriguing than the two that have preceded it in this series. Sri Lanka, abject until they finally put together a decent batting performance in the third knock at Durham, will feel that if they can knock off the remaining four English wickets for another 30-40 runs then a first-innings lead is within their grasp.
Standing between them and English embarrassment is Jonny Bairstow. The Yorkshireman is unbeaten on 107 overnight and, with his partner Chris Woakes the last vestige of an English batsman in the lineup, he may look to go on the attack and push this total into the “intimidating” echelons.
England are 279 for six. Is that good or not? I’d suggest below par but I’m guessing. Play begins at 11am but in the meantime, enjoy some summery music. Try not to cry.
Updated
