The day belongs to four people. Dom Bess took the jammiest five-for you’ll ever see, but it’s still a five-for, and it brings his Test average down from a forgettable 40 to a thrifty 33. Stuart Broad varied his pace to take three for 20 – all three in the top four – and show why England preferred him to Jimmy Anderson, who becomes the first Englishman ever to be left out straight after taking his 600th Test wicket.
Jonny Bairstow, returning from the wilderness, played a mature hand to reach 47 not out, took one catch and created another by taking a blow on the ankle. But the man of the day was Joe Root, who captained England well in the field (the first wicket fell to a strategically placed leg slip) and then found his most fluent form, with no preparation, to ram home the advantage. Back home, a nation woke up to wonder if it was dreaming.
The other star was the ground at Galle, sadly empty but still beautiful, with its photogenic fort and its stirring sea views. “Watching Tests at Galle brings back lovely memories for me,” says Ian Truman. “On our honeymoon, my wife and I were by coincidence staying at the same hotel in Galle as the Australia team who were touring. Whilst years of Ashes hurt wouldn’t allow me to acknowledge the Aussies’ presence, my abiding memory was the moment at breakfast I reached for the last box of cornflakes at the same time as one of their bowling coaches. He stared me in the eye, could see no sign of discernible weakness, and yielded... Who else can say they’ve seen off a fired-up Allan Donald, hey?”
Thanks for your correspondence and your company. And while you wait for our match report …
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Close: England only eight runs behind
41st over: England 127-2 (Bairstow 47, Root 66) Fernando knows where Bairstow’s weakness lies – against the ball coming back in to his off stump. He’s finding some swing, and yelling for LBW, but Bairstow’s eye is in and he’s got bat on it. When Fernando goes full, looking for the yorker, Bairstow clips him crisply for four. And that’s stumps, with England in dreamland. They’ve almost cancelled out Sri Lanka’s meagre total already, and they’ve got Root and Bairstow still there, with Lawrence, Buttler and Curran waiting to cash in. Who says the subcontinent is a tough place to play?
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40th over: England 119-2 (Bairstow 39, Root 66) Embuldeniya, finally tiring, dishes up a full toss, which Root sweeps for two, and another, which he slog-sweeps for four. Root 66! And that’s the hundred partnership. It’s been excellent, patient but positive, and after the Sri Lankan shambles, it’s worth about 200.
39th over: England 113-2 (Bairstow 39, Root 60) Chandimal is so frustrated that he turns back to his seamer, Fernando. Root clips a single and Bairstow sees out five dots. With three overs to go, Dan Lawrence is still padded up, so anyone hoping for a cult cameo from Jack Leach may be disappointed.
38th over: England 112-2 (Bairstow 39, Root 59) Root sweeps Embuldeniya for four, then pushes through the covers for a single. He’s playing with his full fluency now, and the only question is whether he can keep it up for another hour and a half or so and get his first Test hundred since 2019. The state of the game is on his side.
37th over: England 107-2 (Bairstow 39, Root 54) A couple of singles off Perera. Root takes off his helmet, revealing a crew cut rather than the longer locks that were his lockdown look.
“It’s weird following England,” says Bob O’Hara in Trondheim. “We’re 85-2, with SL only getting 135, and because it’s on a spinning pitch I’m still not confident about us getting a decent first-innings lead.”
36th over: England 105-2 (Bairstow 38, Root 53) Embuldeniya’s rest lasted all of three minutes. He comes back from the other end and instantly beats Root, prompting an appeal from the keeper, Dickwella, who doesn’t get any support from his team mates.
35th over: England 103-2 (Bairstow 37, Root 52) Embuldeniya gets a rest, Perera returns, and both batsmen do some milking. England’s hundred comes up, and the second fifty took only 76 balls, whereas the first took 131.
A tweet arrives from someone called Dr Creepen. “Having read the entirety of today’s OBO (of course),” he says, “I’ve not found a single mention of YJB. Has he finally grown up, I wonder?” Ha. No offence, but nicknames sometimes wear a bit thin, don’t they?
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34th over: England 97-2 (Bairstow 33, Root 50) Root sweeps yet again, firmly, for four, off Hasaranga, follows up with a two and a single, and that’s his fifty from 94 balls. It’s been easily the innings of the day. Only three fours, but superb concentration, judgment of length and rotating of the strike – the only blemish came with that reprieve on review.
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33rd over: England 89-2 (Bairstow 32, Root 43) Embuldeniya concedes just a single, to another Root sweep. He has two for 42 off 15 hard-working overs.
32nd over: England 88-2 (Bairstow 32, Root 42) Hasaranga is finding turn with his leg-breaks, but Root is “giving a masterclass in how to play spin,” as Rob Key observes.
On Twitter, Srihari Venugopalan is already gloating about England’s next Test series. “Excellent work by our Lankan neighbours there, making sure Bess plays in India. Going to be fun.”
31st over: England 85-2 (Bairstow 32, Root 39) Root sweeps Embuldeniya for two, then tucks him for two more. Just when he seems to be in command, he edges one, but his hands are soft and his head is over the bat, so the ball trickles away safely.
“Ungulates,” says Duncan Haskell, picking up on the 22nd over. “Having ruminated on Mark Lewis’s question, the two that (klip)spring to mind are the Americamels Cup and the Calcuttapir Cup.” Deer, deer.
30th over: England 80-2 (Bairstow 32, Root 34) Better from Hasaranga, who manages four dots to Root before dropping short again and being cut for a single. He has only one catcher (at slip), which is making it a bit obvious that his captain doesn’t trust him. And you can understand why, but it’s making a vicious circle, when the boss’s job is to make a virtuous one.
“I agree with Mr Withal,” says David Gaskell. “A virtual day out at Galle watching cricket and the odd flash of the splendid ocean. Gentle cricket with a possible war setting to come in Brisbane later on; very pleasant and restorative in troubled times. I am reminded of Ronnie Barker in Porridge comforting Godber on his first night in prison,
‘What do you want to do tonight, do you want to go out? Or shall we just stop in?’ Let’s stop in and watch the cricket, eh?”
29th over: England 77-2 (Bairstow 30, Root 33) Bairstow almost chips a catch back to Embuldeniya, but there’s just enough muscle on it to go past him.
28th over: England 74-2 (Bairstow 28, Root 32) Back comes Hasaranga, to be guided for a delicate four by Bairstow.
“The beginning of a novel,” says Abhijato Sensarma, picking up the gauntlet from the 4th over. “It’s cold in Transylvania, and I’d like to imagine myself in Galle. The roads are more meandering there, but for me, a shift from the monotone is a delight amidst the paperwork and the lockdowns which have engulfed my life over the past year. And thus, I tuned into the screen of my television. This was a Thursday morning, on which I was ordained to witness an England XI collapse on the other side of the world when we least expected them to – again ...” Not a magic realist, then.
27th over: England 68-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 31) Root plays the umpteenth and best sweep if this session, getting right forward to Embuldeniya and smacking it square, with some authority. And then he rocks back to late-cut for a couple and bring up the fifty partnership. It’s the first one since Mathews and Chandimal, nine wickets ago.
26th over: England 62-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 25) Perera has a big appeal for LBW against Bairstow, who escapes because the umpire shakes his head. If Chandimal had reviewed, it would have been umpire’s call.
25th over: England 59-2 (Bairstow 22, Root 23) Bairstow runs Embuldeniya down to third man for two.
“Embuldeniya is bowling a beautiful line and tempted Crawley into making a false shot,” says Colum Fordham. “I hope Joe Root can use his nous and avoid doing likewise but the ball is turning a mile. I think Sri Lanka have found the successor to Herath and this is a real challenge for Root’s batting prowess.” Hear, hear – Herath says the same thing himself.
24th over: England 56-2 (Bairstow 20, Root 22) More singles off Perera, as some dark clouds gather in the background.
“Have I missed something?” asks Ian Wilson in Turkey, “or are the England players wearing black arm bands for the passing of John Edrich?” I haven’t heard but I assume it’s for Edrich, who had a distinguished Test career, and perhaps also Robin Jackman, who should have played more than he did. “I think that we have a long tail,” Ian adds, “so I hope Root, Bairstow, Lawrence and Buttler can get some big runs.” One of them needs to, although this could be the rare Test in which 250 is enough.
23rd over: England 52-2 (Bairstow 18, Root 20) Chandimal, fed up with Hasaranga’s length, turned back to Embuldeniya. Root immediately reverted to the sweep, picking up two, but he was outwitted by the ball that nearly got him.
Not out! Root reprieved
It did pitch in line.. but it was going over middle-and-off. “Saved by the bounce,” Rob Key says. The camera finds Mickey Arthur, the Sri Lankan coach, in the stands, just as he says “Fuck!”.
Wicket? Root given lbw b Embuldeniya 20
Up goes the finger as Root is trapped on the crease by the turning ball, but did it pitch outside leg?
22nd over: England 50-2 (Bairstow 18, Root 18) As these two warm to their task, helped by the heavy humidity, Perera gets nurdled for three singles.
“To echo earlier sentiments,” says Mark Lewis, “it is indeed great to have Test cricket back. It certainly makes WFH at the same desk where I ate my Christmas dinner more palatable.” Sign o’ the times. “And made all the brighter by the ridiculously named Moose Cup being up for grabs. Which makes me wonder: has any other international tournament ever been sponsored by an ungulate?”
21st over: England 47-2 (Bairstow 17, Root 16) Hasaranga is still dropping too short, giving away runs to the cut and the pull. Meanwhile Rob Key spots a sticker on Joe Root’s bat that says Barmy Army. It’s a nice touch, but some of the Barmies will be appalled at this official recognition, and may have to start a splinter group.
“Can’t believe Sri Lanka failed to bat out their 50 overs,” says Steve Pye, “and it now looks like we might do the same.”
20th over: England 41-2 (Bairstow 15, Root 12) At the other end Perera is bowling at the stumps and keeping both batsmen quiet. This over is a maiden to Root, who has already faced 39 balls.
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19th over: England 41-2 (Bairstow 15, Root 12) Those sweep shots have seen off Embuldeniya, who gives way to Hasaranga. He’s a touch short, conceding three singles out to the cover sweeper, but I’d back him to get some wickets here.
18th over: England 38-2 (Bairstow 14, Root 10) A maiden from Perera to Bairstow.
“Happy New Test Series!” says Richard Jansz-Moore. Thanks, and the same to you. “I assume that Dom Bess’s performance was inspired by Vic Marks’ retirement and will be dedicated to him in the post-match interview. Either that or it was a thinly disguised attempt to persuade him to come out of retirement for ‘one last job’ to be able to write about a surprisingly good Somerset performance!” Ha. I can hear Vic’s trademark chuckle, drifting over the sodden hills of south-west England.
17th over: England 38-2 (Bairstow 14, Root 10) A change of tack against Embuldeniya, as both batsmen attack him with the sweep. Bairstow picks up a two and a single, Root a four – the first one since Crawley’s flick, several days ago.
16th over: England 31-2 (Bairstow 11, Root 6) A single to each batsman off Perera. They’ve always liked batting together, though Bairstow may be a little sore at the way he’s been pushed to the margins of the Test team.
15th over: England 29-2 (Bairstow 10, Root 5) A maiden to Bairstow from Embuldeniya, who has been superb.
We have the TMS link. Thank you, Robert Barnes. You’re allowed to use it as long as you keep reading this.
14th over: England 29-2 (Bairstow 10, Root 5) Root, still watchful, goes block-block-block before tucking Perera to midwicket for a single. Bairstow blocks out the blocking and just takes the tuck.
“Got to say, I’m loving the Under-12s feel this match has at the moment,” said Peter Salmon, before Crawley was out. “Batting collapses, batsmen run out from the ball being hit back, catches which bounce off other players and Crawley having to dive after a stupid call. I really want Joe Root to come out without his box and have to go back and get it, and then the bigger boy Bairstow to thump 25 and retire.”
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13th over: England 27-2 (Bairstow 9, Root 4) No, it wasn’t a change of ends – Embuldeniya is continuing. Bairstow gets hold of a sweep for the first time, a lap for two, and then he rocks back and cuts for three, playing nice and late. And that’s drinks, with Sri Lanka on top for the half-session and hanging in there overall. They just need one more wicket soon to get down to Dan Lawrence, the debutant who showed some nerves this morning by dropping an easy catch.
12th over: England 21-2 (Bairstow 4, Root 3) Hasaranga is no sooner on than off, perhaps because he’s going to change ends. On comes Dilruwan Perera, who is 15 years his senior. He has a fine record at Galle but these two batsmen, both right-handers, are probably happy to face off-spin rather than leg-breaks and googles.
11th over: England 20-2 (Bairstow 3, Root 3) Root plays his most Rootish stroke, the back-foot glide, and picks up a couple as the ball spins and nutmegs the fielder at backward point.
10th over: England 18-2 (Bairstow 3, Root 1) The new batsman, Joe Root, faces a new bowler, Wanindu Hasaranga, the artist formerly known as PWH de Silva. Root is watchful, leaving a couple of leg-breaks outside off, then square-driving for a single. “He’ll be quite a handful,” says Kumar Sangakkara.
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9th over: England 16-2 (Bairstow 2, Root 0) Emboldened by his wickets, Embuldeniya very nearly bags Bairstow too, edging just short of slip. He has two for seven from five overs. Game on.
Wicket! Crawley c Hasaranga b Embuldeniya 9 (England 17-2)
Gone!! From 267 to single figures. Crawley gives Embuldeniya the charge, aims for long-on, doesn’t get hold of it and chips to mid-off, where Hasaranga runs back and takes a good catch. Cricket does love to be a leveller.
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8th over: England 16-1 (Crawley 9, Bairstow 2) A better shot from Bairstow, dabbing Fernando into the gap at midwicket.
“Zak Crawley’s 267 feels a lifetime ago, but that series against Pakistan was great, wasn’t it?” says Will Lane. “In fact, the West Indies one was too. I can’t remember the last time a Test series involving England wasn’t full of drama, intriguing performances and frustrations in equal doses. I thought it was interesting that you mentioned Crawley being rewarded for his 267 by opening in this Test. I know he has experience opening and the prospect of Bairstow there in Tests seems ludicrous, but I can’t help feeling that anyone else scoring 267 would be kept in the position from which they got that score. He does strike me as unflappable but it seems quite unfair on such a young player to keep moving him around the order when he has been lauded as the answer to England’s number 3 problem.”
7th over: England 15-1 (Crawley 9, Bairstow 1) Bairstow, back in the team because of Burns’s absence, gets off the mark with a sweep that comes off the glove. That’s another victory for Embuldeniya, who has started well with one for six off four overs.
6th over: England 14-1 (Crawley 9, Bairstow 0) Crawley helps himself to the first boundary of the innings, as Fernando strays onto middle-and-leg – a crisp flick that is well timed enough to beat the square-leg fielder. He looks up for the challenge on this tour, which in his case is to become a two-hit wonder.
5th over: England 10-1 (Crawley 5, Bairstow 0) So Sri Lanka are still in the game – although if they stay there, the game could be over tomorrow.
Wicket! Sibley c Thirimanne b Embuldeniya 4 (England 10-1)
Snicko did detect an edge, so Sibley is on his way, suffering for his habit of bringing the bat down from slip to mid-on rather than dead straight. Since Sri Lanka were 81 for three, this game has gone bananas with eight wickets falling for 64. Here’s Jonny Bairstow, looking none the worse for the whack he took on his ankle (which brought a wicket).
Review! By SL against Sibley
Sibley is beaten by a classic left-arm delivery, angled in and spinning away. It’s taken at slip, but the umpire doesn’t detect a nick... Looks close.
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4th over: England 10-0 (Crawley 5, Sibley 4) A single for each batsman off Fernando, and no alarms.
“Hi Tim,” says Andy Hockley. “Don’t suppose anyone has sent in a link for the TMS commentary for overseas listeners, have they? It’s the most difficult to find link on the Internet, and googling helps not an iota. It’s cold in Transylvania, and I’d like to imagine myself in Galle.” That last sentence feels like the beginning of a novel. The request, I’m going to throw out to the readers.
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3rd over: England 8-0 (Crawley 4, Sibley 3) The players suddenly remember that this is Test cricket as Sibley, England’s sobersides-in-chief, blocks his way through a maiden from Embuldeniya.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Crawley 4, Sibley 3) There’s seam at the other end, from Asitha Fernando, who immediately thinks he’s got Sibley LBW. It’s a touch high and leg-stumpish, and if the Sri Lankans had realised that, they might have got a run-out instead, as Crawley dashed off from the non-striker’s end and Sibley sent him back, leaving him diving to make his ground – a sprawling Crawley. This whole day is shaping up as a masterclass in how not to play cricket.
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1st over: England 5-0 (Crawley 4, Sibley 0) Last time we saw Zak Crawley, he was batting at No.3 and racking up 267 against Pakistan. His reward is to be asked to open here in place of Rory Burns, who is on paternity leave. He picks up where he left off, facing spin and looking for runs, with a pull for two and a push into the covers for two more.
So, after that classic batting collapse, what have England got? Sri Lanka are going to test them by opening with some spin, Lasith Embuldeniya’s slow left-arm.
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Here’s Phil Withall. “There’s something wonderfully comforting in finishing work for the day,” he reckons, “checking the OBO and finding England in such a strong position. I look forward to following England’s reply accompanied by a large glass of wine (or two)...” You’re not in Taunton, are you?
Until today, Dom Bess was no more than a handy bits-and-pieces player. In ten Tests, he had 19 wickets at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 88 – so he needed nearly 15 overs to take each wicket. Today, in 10.1 overs, he took five for 30 – so a wicket came along every 12 balls. He didn’t bowl any better than Jack Leach, who took one for 55. But he has got something about him – a bit of spark. He’s the guy who was in Ikea when he got the call from England. This series is his chance to become part of the furniture.
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“(Ex-)Somerset spinners taking wickets on Day 1,” says Charles Sheldrick. “ECB pitch inspectors will be on the next plane!”
“Forget about the Byrds,” says Matthew Doherty. “We need Simply the Bess!”
Sri Lanka all out for 135 (Hasaranga b Bess 19)
It’s all over now. Hasaranga plays one shot too many, a reverse sweep, misses, and hands Bess a five-for – the last four wickets in a rush, plus the opener Kusal Perera. Bess will never find it easier. Sri Lanka, even if you allow for their injuries, were awful. “I think abysmal’s being kind.” says Nasser Hussain.
46th over: Sri Lanka 135-9 (Hasaranga 19, Fernando 0) Hasaranga is not going to die wondering. He flashes past slip for two, then slashes to cover, wants two more – and nearly perishes to a run-out that takes the TV umpire some time to adjudicate on.
“Morning Tim,” says Guy Hornsby, “from an absolutely biblical walk to nursery in sunny Manchester. I heartily second David Horn’s views [40th over]. Cricket has been a real ray of sunshine this last year. A gift. Much like England’s great start today, communicated via the beauty of your and Rob’s prose on the OBO and the dulcet tones of TMS are keeping the spirits dry even if my feet are sodden. Speaking of TMS, did you catch any of Ali Mitchell’s chat with Justin Langer at lunch? I like Langer a lot but it really was peak victimhood. Very strange indeed from an Aussie.” I didn’t! Langer was such a calm player, but you wouldn’t know it from the way he talks.
45th over: Sri Lanka 130-9 (Hasaranga 14, Fernando 0) Asitha Fernando restores a smidgen of order by playing out a maiden from Bess.
44th over: Sri Lanka 130-9 (Hasaranga 14, Fernando 0) Before that blow, Hasaranga thwacked Leach over extra-cover for four. He also bowls leg spin, and he looks like a star – but he may be wondering what he’s doing in this team.
Wicket! Embuldeniya run out Leach 0 (SL 130-9)
Another stroke of bad luck for Sri Lanka as Hasaranga plays a lusty straight drive, the bowler gets a fingertip to it and Embuldeniya is run out backing up. It never rains but it pours.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 126-8 (Hasaranga 10, Embuldeniya 0) Bess has three for 13 in this spell. Off three overs!
Wicket! Perera b Bess 0 (SL 126-8)
Perera aims an airy drive at a full flighted delivery, plays inside it and loses his off bail. It was a good ball this time, but Perera is 38, and he’s just let down a guy playing his third Test. Sri Lanka are heading for the lowest total batting first at Galle, breaking their own record of 181.
Slo-mo reveals that it was actually Bairstow’s ankle. Ouch. He’s gone off for treatment. Still, it’ll all seem worth it when he sees it again on A Question of Sport.
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Wicket!? Shanaka c Buttler b Bess 23 (SL 126-7)
Ah this is bad luck. Shanaka sweeps, Bairstow at short leg leaps – and back-heels the ball straight to Buttler, who takes a simple catch. A tale of two wicketkeepers.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 126-6 (Shanaka 23, Hasaranga 10) Shanaka joins in the fun, slog-sweeping Leach for four. Root responds by taking out his short leg, which seems like the move you’d make at 126 for one, not 126 for six.
41st over: Sri Lanka 121-6 (Shanaka 18, Hasaranga 10) Hasaranga, who is playing his third Test, is already looking as if he won’t be down at No.8 for long. He cover-drives Bess for four, then chips him over mid-on for two. After facing nine deliveries, he’s the first batsman today to go at a run a ball.
40th over: Sri Lanka 113-6 (Shanaka 17, Hasaranga 3) An over with no mishaps: things are looking up for Sri Lanka.
“Morning Tim ...” Morning, David Horn. ”A Smyth/ de Lisle opening partnership is very much the OBO equivalent of Anderson/Broad. I’m old enough to remember Booth/Bull (Harmison/Hoggard?) opening up the OBO in years gone by – another venerable double act. What a treat to have Test cricket back. I wanted the BBC to give the ECB a special award in their December shindig for the work they did last year with their bubble, and it’s not often in the last 35+ years of following cricket that I’ve said that about the sports governing body. I love football as well, but if there was ever a tonic for our times, it’s Test cricket. Fabulous to have it back, and in the capable hands of Smyth/de Lisle. Welcome back.” Thank you! Too kind. And amen to the bit about the bubble – 2020 was such a weird year that we even learned to love the ECB.
39th over: Sri Lanka 110-6 (Shanaka 15, Hasaranga 2) Bess nearly nabs another as Shanaka plays a glance perilously close to the man at leg slip. No alarms for the new batsman, the exciting Hasaranga. He’s just been Player of the Tournament in the Lanka Premier League, so we can be fairly sure he’s got the personality that this situation demands.
Wicket! Dickwella c Sibley b Bess 12 (SL 105-6)
Another one! And it’s a shocker. Bess offers Dickwella a long hop, and Dickwella pops it to backward point, where Sibley just recovers from his amazement in time to scoop it off the turf. Bad ball, bad shot, good catch.
Drinks: SL 105-5
So it’s been England’s hour, and England’s day so far – though Mahela Jayawardene thinks 250 is a decent score here.
That was too kind from Rob. The man is a star – and a team player, which may explain why he took the 4am shift this morning, allowing me to clock on at 8.15.
38th over: Sri Lanka 105-5 (Dickwella 12, Shanaka 12) Leach is starting to find his rhythm. He didn’t bowl badly at the start, but you could tell he was a bit rusty.
Well, that’s it from me. The great Tim de Lisle will be with you for the rest of the day - please email him on tim.delisle.casual@theguardian.com or tweet @TimdeLisle.
37th over: Sri Lanka 102-5 (Dickwella 9, Shanaka 12) Wood beats Shanaka with a terrific bouncer. Shanaka shaped to hook, realised that was a fool’s errand and dropped his hands at the last minute. Wood’s average speed is in excess of 90mph, which is admirable in this humidity.
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36th over: Sri Lanka 97-5 (Dickwella 5, Shanaka 11) Before this game, Jack Leach was something like 6/5 to be England’s leading wickettaker in the series. I couldn’t be bothered to put the mortgage on it but I wish I had; he should outbowl Dom Bess, and I’d be staggered if a seamer takes more wickets than him on these pitches.
Shanaka, who has started positively, sweeps Leach flat and hard for four more. His Test record is modest (avge 14 from five games) but he averages over 40 in first-class cricket so it’s fair to assume he can play.
35th over: Sri Lanka 93-5 (Dickwella 5, Shanaka 7) Dickwella, a compulsively attacking player, tries to ramp Wood and is beaten for pace. Wood offers him another next ball but this time Dickwella sways out of the way.
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34th over: Sri Lanka 93-5 (Dickwella 5, Shanaka 7) Shanaka drags Leach over mid-on for four. Wood leapt optimistically but Shanaka got enough on it to clear him fairly comfortably.
“Hello Rob,” says Paul Smith. “You linked to the Byrds in your intro. I’ve been racking my brains but other than the Simon & Garfunkel classic I can’t think of any songs about Sri Lanka. Can anyone else?”
Erm, Kandy Pop by Bis? I’m quite intrigued by how the subconscious guides you towards certain songs. I’ve had The Rat by the Walkmen in my head for the last 48 hours, particularly the line, “You’ve got a nerve to be asking a favour.” I’m convinced it’s because of all the Galle puns that were used in the various series previews, gall being a synonym of nerve.
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33rd over: Sri Lanka 89-5 (Dickwella 5, Shanaka 3) Mark Wood replaces Broad, whose figures of 9-3-20-3 are quietly outrageous, if that isn’t an oxymoron. After a couple of 87mph looseners - 87mph looseners! - Wood is back over 90mph. The pitch is really slow, though, and Dickwell and Shanaka play him fairly comfortably. Dickwella has enough time to touch the last ball of the over off the pads for four.
32nd over: Sri Lanka 83-5 (Dickwella 0, Shanaka 2)
31st over: Sri Lanka 83-5 (Dickwella 0, Shanaka 2) Dickwella bat-pads Broad into the leg side. There’s no short leg and the ball lands safely. Another maiden from Broad, who looks shattered and will surely take a break.
30th over: Sri Lanka 83-5 (Dickwella 0, Shanaka 2) Sri Lanka have played some really poor shots today. Kusal Mendis is the only batsman who didn’t give his wicket away. As he was out for a fourth consecutive duck, I doubt he’ll be clambering up the moral high ground.
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WICKET! Sri Lanka 81-5 (Chandimal c Curran b Leach 28)
Another one! These are golden wickets for England. Leach tosses one up to Chandimal, who thumps it inside out towards cover. Curran moves to his right and swoops forward to take a fine low catch.
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29th over: Sri Lanka 81-4 (Chandimal 28, Dickwella 0) In conditions that could barely be tougher for quick bowlers, Stuart Broad has figures of 8-2-20-3. The man’s an animal.
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WICKET! Sri Lanka 81-4 (Mathews c Root b Broad 27)
That’s a huge wicket! Mathews slashes loosely at a shortish delivery outside off stump, and Root takes a brilliant catch to his right at slip. Stuart Broad, the remarkable Stuart Broad, has three wickets.
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28.5 overs: Sri Lanka 81-3 (Mathews 27, Chandimal 28) Chandimal hooks Broad for a single. The outfield is very slow, which is another reason why Sri Lanka’s score is probably better than it looks. We’re only a session into the match but it’s already beautifully poised.
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28th over: Sri Lanka 80-3 (Mathews 27, Chandimal 27) Sri Lanka are inching towards a decent position. This was always going to be such an important partnership, and I’d imagine Dan Lawrence is struggling to put that dropped catch before lunch out of his mind.
27th over: Sri Lanka 79-3 (Mathews 27, Chandimal 26) We’re having a few technical problems I’m afraid, though you haven’t missed much.
26th over: Sri Lanka 78-3 (Mathews 27, Chandimal 25) Hello! Out of nothing, Mathews chips Leach straight back over his head for six. That shot also brings up a calm, authoritative fifty partnership with Chandimal.
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25th over: Sri Lanka 69-3 (Mathews 21, Chandimal 22) Stuart Broad, who took two early wickets, returns after lunch in place of Dom Bess. Angelo Mathews thick edges a cutter to third man for four, which takes him to 6,000 Test runs. He’s only the fifth Sri Lanka to reach that milestone after Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva.
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Lunchtime reading
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That was a decent morning for England. Stuart Broad took two wickets in a smart new-ball spell, and then Kusal Perera gave Dom Bess a wicket with an ill-conceived reverse sweep. Sri Lanka were in big trouble at 25 for three, but Angelo Mathews and the stand-in-captain Dinesh Chandimal calmly restored order. For the most part they played really well, though Chandimal was dropped by Dan Lawrence in the covers just before lunch.
Lunch
24th over: Sri Lanka 65-3 (Mathews 17, Chandimal 22) Leach bowls the last over before lunch and beats Chandimal with another jaffa that curves in and then rips past the outside edge. That’s lunch.
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23rd over: Sri Lanka 62-3 (Mathews 14, Chandimal 22)
22nd over: Sri Lanka 61-3 (Mathews 13, Chandimal 22) Chandimal slaps Leach towards cover, where the debutant Lawrence drops a sitter. Eesh, that’s not a great way to start your Test career, and could be costly in what is likely to be a low-scoring game.
“Hello Rob, I appreciate your real emotional connection to the game, and your deep knowledge…” says Zaph. “However. I recently plugged into the OBO of the Aussie v India games and there’s loads more detail, e.g. the field settings, notes on variations on all balls of the over, field changes; whereas you only give the ‘highlights’ of these things. Can you not be bothered? And no, I’m not writing to Mr. correctness Ingle, just wondering what your thoughts are, do you read those OBOs?”
No, I can’t be bothered.
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21st over: Sri Lanka 61-3 (Mathews 13, Chandimal 22) A couple of deliveries from the spinner have already gone through the top, which suggests this pitch will crumble long before day five. Bess and Leach have experience of bowling on surfaces like that at Somerset, though so far they haven’t been at their best. That’s understandable - Bess is bowling in a Test in Asia for the first time, Leach is bowling in a Test for the first time since 2019.
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20th over: Sri Lanka 56-3 (Mathews 12, Chandimal 18) Mathews and Chandimal have played almost 150 Tests between them and know exactly what they are doing. They’re just accumulating sensibly - no fuss, no frills and hopefully no fourth wicket before lunch for England.
19th over: Sri Lanka 52-3 (Mathews 11, Chandimal 17) It’s hard to know what a good score is on this pitch, but I suspect Sri Lanka would be content with 250, especially as England have to bat last. At the moment batting looks relatively comfortable. But in Galle, there is usually one with your name on it.
18th over: Sri Lanka 50-3 (Mathews 10, Chandimal 16) “Morning Rob,” says Andy Bradshaw. “It’s a minor quibble considering he’s wanging it down at 90mph and making the batsmen play at it, but I do wish Wood slip a yorker in more often, considering how fast he is in the air and how slow the pitch is, why not take the pitch out of the equation?”
Always with the equations.
17th over: Sri Lanka 49-3 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 16) Chandimal walks down the track to clatter a full toss from Bess through the vacant mid-off area for four. He looks in good touch. Kumar Sangakkara, talking on Sky Sports, thinks the pitch will be fine for batting for first couple of days. After that, all bets are off.
16th over: Sri Lanka 43-3 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 10) Leach has changed ends to replace Wood, who bowled a vigorous spell of 3-0-10-0. I think that’s already the sixth bowling change; all hail the high priest of funk, Joseph Edward Root. Leach’s second over is a quiet affair.
15th over: Sri Lanka 40-3 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 7) After one over from Bess, then one from Leach, Bess is back into the attack. That’s a bit strange. We’ve seen quick bowlers bowl one-over spells in extreme heat, most notably Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose at the Waca in 1996-97, but I’ve never heard of spinners doing so. Perhaps, as Mike Atherton suggests, Bess briefly left the field after his first over.
Anyway, Chandimal skids back to thump a couple of runs through the covers. He and Mathews, two high-class players, are quietly restoring order after Sri Lanka’s poor start.
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14th over: Sri Lanka 37-3 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 4) Wood knows that, all things being equal, his spells will be no longer than four overs. That allows him to throw everything at the batsmen, and every delivery in his third over is in excess of 90mph. Mathews and Chandimal deal with them comfortably, but it’s good to see that Wood has again found his rhythm.
“Is it just me,” says Abhijato Sensarma, “or have England been unusually rapid with their bowling changes?”
They have. Joe Root has had a terrific morning; he’s been impressively proactive in both his field settings and bowling changes. He has definitely become a more creative captain in the last year or so.
13th over: Sri Lanka 35-3 (Mathews 8, Chandimal 3) Dom Bess started with a wicket maiden - and he’s been taken out of the attack. Jack Leach replaces him, presumably because there are now two right-handers at the crease. He barely bowled in 2020, for a number of reasons, and Mike Atherton makes the point that he will probably be more nervous than usual because of that. Leach does, at least, have good memories of Sri Lanka: he took 18 wickets at 21 when England won here in 2018-19.
His first over ends with a vicious delivery that dips in and spits past Mathews’ outside edge. This is Galle.
12th over: Sri Lanka 30-3 (Mathews 6, Chandimal 0) A fuller ball from Wood allows Mathews to move tentatively onto the front foot and time a nice drive for three. Wood looks sharp, and the speedgun supports the naked eye: the fifth delivery of the over is timed at 93mph.
11th over: Sri Lanka 25-3 (Mathews 1, Chandimal 0) The new batsman is the stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal. It’s been a perfect start for England - but this is the big partnership. In the absence of Karunaratne, these two are surely Sri Lanka’s best players.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 25-3 (K Perera c Root b Bess 20)
Dom Bess strikes second ball! Kusal Perera has gloved a reverse sweep straight to Root at slip to end a feisty, foolhardy innings of 20 from 28 balls. That’s not the greatest shot in the history of Test cricket. I can understand Sri Lanka wanting to target Bess, but a reverse sweep second ball is probably pushing it.
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10th over: Sri Lanka 25-2 (K Perera 20, Mathews 1) England want Wood to rough up Angelo Mathews, and he has a success of sorts when he breaks Mathews’ bat. The next ball cracks Mathews on the arm guard as he turns his back. That’s a good, hostile start from Mark Wood.
9.1 overs: Sri Lanka 23-2 (K Perera 19, Mathews 0) Mark Wood replaces Sam Curran. He played only one Test last summer, which was a little odd given his Tysonesque performances in South Africa the previous winter. There’s another delay after his first delivery, so the umpires call for drinks.
9th over: Sri Lanka 22-2 (K Perera 18, Mathews 0) The extreme humidity means this will be Broad’s last over, and Angelo Mathews knows it. He ignores everything outside off stump and defends the straight balls. That was a fine, intelligent opening spell from Broad: 5-2-14-2.
8th over: Sri Lanka 22-2 (K Perera 18, Mathews 0) Perera smears Curran back over his hand, a disgusting shot that plugs and gets him a couple of runs. He plays a better shot later in the over, timing two more through the covers.
According to world-leading statistician Nasser Hussain on Sky, the last top-order batsman to get four consecutive Test ducks was Mark Waugh in the Audi years.
7th over: Sri Lanka 16-2 (K Perera 12, Mathews 0) Angelo Mathews strolls to the crease. Incidentally, since he was dropped last summer, Stuart Broad has taken 31 wickets at an average of 13.00.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 16-2 (Mendis c Buttler b Broad 0)
The new batsman is Kusal Mendis, who made three consecutive ducks in South Africa recently. He’s better than that, but not today: he’s gone for another duck! Mendis felt nervously for a clever full-length cutter from Broad that moved just enough to shave the edge, and Buttler did the necessary.
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WICKET! Sri Lanka 16-1 (Thirimanne c Bairstow b Broad 4)
Excellent cricket from England. Thirimanne flicks Broad round the corner, as he has all morning, and Bairstow takes a smart catch at leg gully. That’s a triumph for Joe Root, who didn’t waste any time before setting some funky fields.
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6th over: Sri Lanka 15-0 (Thirimanne 4, K Perera 11) A second maiden from Sam Curran. This looks like very hard yakka for England’s seamers, so it might not be long before we see one of the spinners - presumably Dom Bess, as there are two left-handers at the crease.
“Good morning Rob,” says Finbar Anslow. “It snowed on Christmas day here in Piedmont and thereafter froze, so we’re still in a winter wonderland. What’s the temperature like in Galle?”
28 degrees, it says here.
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5th over: Sri Lanka 15-0 (Thirimanne 4, K Perera 11) Perera drives Broad not far short of Curran at mid-off. He’s throwing his hands at anything pitched up outside off stump, and later in the over he times a lovely drive through extra cover for four. The next ball is dug in, tempting Perera into a loose pull that goes miles in the air towards Leach at long leg. But he loses sight of the ball and ends up running the wrong way. By the time he changes direction it’s too late and the ball plops a few yards in front of him.
“Last time England lost in Australia they vowed to nurture proper fast bowlers (Saqib, Stone etc., they can’t be said to have nurtured Archer) and high-class wrist spin (Crane or Parkinson),” says Digvijay Yadav. “They are playing medium pacers and finger spinners here. They will play the same in England. Does that mean they’ll drop the pacers and wrist spinners straight into the cauldron in November?”
Archer’s being rested, which is fair enough, though I agree he’s been poorly handled so far. I’d say the only bankers for the Gabba, if fit, are Stokes and Archer. The spinner is the biggest problem, I think.
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4th over: Sri Lanka 9-0 (Thirimanne 4, K Perera 5) In a surprising development, there appears to be the square root of bugger all in the pitch for England’s seamers.
“Morning Rob,” says Brian Withington. “Great to see YDL on debut in Galle - looks like a seamer’s paradise from the air - but, as they say, appearances can be deceptive. Game on.”
Andrew Fidel Fernando, Cricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent, thinks the pitch will turn a fair bit in this game, and a helluva lot in the second.
There’s a bit of a delay because of a problem with the sightscreen. Let’s play Richard Osman’s House of Games, the Backwards Round: phrase favourite Lloyd’s David is what?
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3rd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Thirimanne 2, K Perera 5) Thirimanne gets the first run of the day, rolling his wrists to work Broad round the corner for a single. Perera does likewise, and then Thirimanne does it a third time. Perera ends the over by dumping Broad straight back over his head for four. It’s the third over of a Test match, man.
We’ve just seen a replay off that Curran LBW appeal - it was hitting leg, a decent portion of it, but it was Umpire’s Call so the decision wouldn’t have been overturned had England reviewed.
“Good morning Rob,” says John Starbuck. “Can we expect a tirade from Jimmy Anderson at lunchtime?”
Ha. I think even Jimmy and Broad can accept being rotated in these conditions.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 0-0 (Thirimanne 0, K Perera 0) Sam Curran shares the new ball with Stuart Broad. He’s bowling to Kusal Perera, the man who made that astounding 153 not out in South Africa a couple of years ago. He has struggled a little since then, though he did make a pair of rumbustious sixties in South Africa over Christmas. He’s a dangerous player, especially in what might be a low-scoring game.
Curran almost gets rid of him quicksmart, but Perera survives a huge shout for LBW after pushing around his front pad at the fifth ball of the over. Joe Root decides against a review, thinking it was sliding past leg stump. It looked really close; I suspect it was umpire’s call.
1st over: Sri Lanka 0-0 (Thirimanne 0, K Perera 0) Stuart Broad bowls England’s first over of 2017, and it’s maiden. There’s a hint of a run-out chance second ball, when Thirimanne is sent back by Kusal Perera. It was the right decision - the throw thundered into the stumps, and though Thirimanne was back in time, Perera would have been in big trouble had he taken the single.
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Here come the openers, Lahiru Thirimanne and Kusal Perera. Thirimanne has a desperate record against England - nine Tests, 167 runs at 11.13 - although it’s usually Jimmy Anderson who torments him.
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The weather forecast for today isn’t great, with heavy showers expected later in the day. But it’s dry at the moment, so we’re going to start on time.
It's happening 👀
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 14, 2021
Cap number 697, @DanLawrence288 😍 pic.twitter.com/MGJDxwupm6
Pre-match reading
The teams
Dan Lawrence makes his England debut, as expected. Stuart Broad is preferred to Jimmy Anderson, and England have decided to go in with only two frontline spinners plus Joe Root and Lawrence. There are suggestions that Root will bat at No3, though I’ve put Bairstow there for now because I don’t trust the internet.
Sri Lanka Thirimanne, K Perera, Chandimal (c), Mendia, Mathews, Dickwell (wk), Shanaka, Hasaranga, D Perera, Embuldeniya, Fernando.
England Sibley, Crawley, Bairstow, Root (c), Lawrence, Buttler (wk), Curran, Bess, Broad, Leach, Wood.
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Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bat first
That’s a good toss to win on a pitch that should turn more and more as the match progresses.
Early drama department The Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne is out of the match - and presumably the series - with a fractured thumb. It’s the latest, and most damaging, in a grotesque injury list. Dinesh Chandimal will take over.
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Preamble
Shouldn’t you be asleep? I’m glad you’re not; it’s nice to have the company. Now, pay attention. All being well, England will play 17 Tests this year. That’s not great news for Jimmy Anderson’s rectus femoris, or any of his other muscles, or any of the other fast bowlers’ muscles, but it is good news for locked-down sports fans. Even at 3.29am, Test cricket is a vaccine for the soul.
Yep, England are about to start their two-Test series in Sri Lanka, the one originally scheduled for last March, a more innocent time when we thought awkward elbow bumps might keep Covid at bay. Both games will be played at Galle, so for the next 10 days you should have only one Byrds song in your subconscious. Galle is the most spin-friendly pitch in world cricket, the scene of a many a low-scoring dogfight down the years, and local experts expect more of the same.
England won in Galle 18 months ago en route to a 3-0 series victory, a terrific result for which they deserved more credit. That was then and this is now. For a variety of reasons, many of the stars of that series - Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Keaton Jennings, Adil Rashid - won’t be playing this time. Rory Burns and Jofra Archer are also missing.
But England have improved in the last 12 months, and Joe Root’s exciting young side are aiming for a fourth consecutive series win. The last England team to do that were Andrew Strauss’s world-beaters a decade ago.
There are so many variables that all results are possible, from 2-0 Sri Lanka to 2-0 England. I was going to say I can’t wait to find out the result, but that’s not really true. Test cricket is the sport with the lowest GI, one that gives us time to enjoy the subtle momentum shifts, consider the many subplots and occasionally shout OH FFS! a little too loudly at 4.24am when England lose their third wicket.
See, the mind is racing and they haven’t even bowled a ball. Test cricket is back. Life feels a peedie bit better already.
The match starts at 10am local time, 4.30am GMT.
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