Report and reaction
Thanks all for your company and comments. We’ll be back tomorrow, with play starting at the slightly earlier time of 4.15am GMT. Our report of today’s play will be along shortly. Ta-ra!
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Anyhow, there we go – day two is in the books, and it was another belter for England. Joe Root is still there on 168 not out – for the first time in a long time, he’s batting like, well, Joe Root – and Dan Lawrence also had a brilliant day, making 73 on debut. And if that wasn’t enough for Sri Lanka, when they return in the morning, they’ve got Jos Buttler to bowl at. Good luck, lads.
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“Intrigued by Declan Keane’s suggestion of the German series Dark,” emails Colum Fordham. “Was also interested to observe your fondness for the Italian series Suburra which my son Simone enjoyed.
I’ve just finished watching The Undoing (though I hated the finale) which seems to be rather apt for the Sri Lankan team’s performance at the moment. The state of Sri Lankan cricket is a shame. Here in Naples, I play with a lot of enthusiastic cricketers from Sri Lanka and we even get to have nets with one or two players who have featured in their national youth team.”
Suburra is one of those where you wonder about the coincidence of every menial conversation taking place in the most cinematic surroundings imaginable. But Spadino and Angelica are two of my favourite characters in recent times. My wife watched the Undoing and didn’t mind it but didn’t love it.
“Italians – or, in my case, Spanish & Venezuelans – it’s the look on their face when you explain ‘No, that’s the short version of the game. The long version involves overseas campaigns longer lasting than some wars’,” says Tom Morgan.
In fairness, I’ve encountered many English people equally bemused.
A couple of members of staff at England’s hotel have tested positive for corona. They’re being looked after, and no protocols have been broken.
Gah! Play suspended for the day!
We’ll start 15 minutes earlier tomorrow, at 4.15am GMT.
“In a discussion of songs about time and cricket, surely the most apposite number is this one from the legendary Booker T and the MGs,” says Phil Sawyer, “who blessed the world with the definitive soundtrack to cricket, Soul Limbo.”
Ah. Cricinfo say the covers are coming back out.
If that’s the case, we’re almost definitely done for the day.
Inspection in five minutes, apparently
Come on cricket.
“This is surely the greatest reflection on tome ever written,” tweets Bob O’Hara.
D Harris Snr would absolutely agree.
“My lockdown reading led me to take on Thomas Pynchon’s Against the Day which features a cricketing scene set in Leeds,” brags Ian Copestake. “The book is a wonder but also features the only known error made by the encyclopaedically knowledgeable author as he keeps referring to an anarchist bowler of bombs disguised as cricket balls known as GBH or the Gentleman Bowler of Headingly [sic!].”
No! I’ve not read any Pynchon, should I address that? In my mind I’ve filed him with Roberto Bolaño, to be saved for sometime in the distant future when I have time to be properly absorbed.
“For Ben Heywood,” says Jamie Baldwin (who has also had the pleasure of turning out for the Montenegro Bokaneers a few years ago, 54 not out he seems to remember). “Tim is indeed cross! You’re a very naughty boy apparently. But like any true captain he hasn’t got the balls to say this himself and has instead bestowed on me – fellow OBO addict who happened to see his friend mentioned – to pass on the news. In his (rather dodgy front-foot) defence he’s currently at the vets and cannot respond in person. Although you may have redeemed yourself Ben in referring to Tim as skipper of an international cricket team...”
“Are you using ‘event television’ as a euphemism for TV shows with raunchy content enjoyed by teenagers?” returns Tom van der Gucht. “My dad was a big fan of Dennis Potter and we watched it as a family. It was a very different beast to other Sunday night TV and was a change of gears from Last of the Summer Wine, Narnia and The Darling Buds of May...”
Hahaha – though in my defence, I assiduously eschewed that particular phrase. Just the other night, my wife and watched Let’s Do It Again, and she was slightly surprised by aspects of its dialogue, given it was a family favourite when she was growing up.
“Just got up after giving an online school examination of four hours - and I feel quite delighted at the prospect of witnessing the highlights package of this Root innings when it does come along,” emails Abhijato Sensarma. “He’s got the chance to make the lead insurmountable, if England haven’t already done that. He’s had two incredible days in a row, though - is the third one where it all goes wrong? Or have all followers of English cricket learnt to be pessimists while touring abroad?”
It’s hard to be pessimistic about this one, even for people who remember the 90s. My pessimism is more about Sri Lankan cricket – I want them to be good again.
“Someone’s forgotten Time by Tom Waits,” chides Matt Dony, “(or even, the Tori Amos cover. Admittedly, though, that’s more of a personal preference based on my specific formative years).
What’s annoying me at the moment is I recently thought of a song about time that I’d forgotten was about time, and now I can’t remember it. What’s the opposite of an earworm?
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Hello! The ground staff are removing the covers! Problem is, by the time the water’s all cleared, we might be out of light.
“As a tangent to the recently mentioned topics of time and Germans,” says Declan Keane, “with no cricket to watch I would like to recommend the German language Netflix series called Dark. Not much in common with cricket other than it feels like nothing much happens but in hindsight something did, and rain is a recurring factor.”
Sounds ideal. If we’re doing recommendations, I absolutely loved Suburra on Netflix – the first two series in particular. And the best film I saw in 2020, by far, was Clemency, and 40-Year-Old Version is also really good. What links the two is Eric Branco, the DP, who is an absolute star.
“When it comes to time and the prospect of a test victory being lost to rain, I always think that this little ditty by The Futureheads is horribly appropriate,” emails Richard O’Hagan. “Ironically, they were the last band I saw live before lockdowns began. If only I had known then that it would be over a year before I saw another gig...”
Like rain on your wedding day. When I ponder the things I’m most missing about the world as we knew it - live music, live sport, the kluhrb, hugging my mates – I’m beginning to think that what I’m really after is the invasion of my personal space by strangers. Maybe a trip on the Tube will sort me aht.
“I sympathise with Max Savochkin,” emails Colum Fordham. “Have vainly tied to explain cricket to Italians but they never seem to pick it up. They’re just flabbergasted by the notion of a sport going on for several days, punctuated by lunch and tea. I once took my Italian wife Roberta to watch a one-day international between England and West Indies at Edgbaston featuring Gordon Greenidge on an usually hot summer day, thinking she might at least appreciate the opportunity to sunbathe. I’ve never seen such a look of disconsolation. Even the excitement of John Major at the stadium was not enough. In fact, I blame it all on him. Let’s hope the rain doesn’t put paid to the match at Galle which has a bay as pretty as that of Naples where I reside.”
It’s not essential, but it’s extremely helpful if cricket is inculcated by a parent so that it just is. But much as I understand why someone might not want to watch on telly, I have no grasp of why they wouldn’t fancy watching live, especially an international. Just admire the contents of your cool bag if the sport doesn’t grab you.
“Ah now, surely if we’re talking about time it’s got to be Pink Floyd?” says Paul Bellington. “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way” sums up many a Test Summer...”
While waiting for the great gig in the sky...
It’s still raining. We’re nowhere near cricket, and increasingly it’s looking like no more till tomorrow.
Why am I in north London?
“Just briefly checking the report of the Australia v India match,” says Simon Thomas. “I see that the Australian AP report, as reproduced in the Guardian, included the phrase ‘India could have been excused for dropping their bundle when Navdeep Saini limped off during his eighth over’. What’s that mean? Am not sure it would have passed the Guardian subs, would it? Couldn’t the powers that be have sent someone to cover the game? Maybe Vic could have gone as his retirement present which would have been a nice touch. Anyway, keep hold of your bundle.”
I love that! As it goes we sub agency copy, but house style is to allow for regional variation from Australia and the US, which I think is great. to drop one’s bundle is to lose the run of one’s self.
“I’ve just spent an hour trying to think of a filthy joke about Lady Chatterley,” admits Pete Salmon. “Something about Lawrence coming between a Root and a Buttler, but I can’t make it land. So I’ll just say yes, the Nas track IS the greatest song about time. And maybe the greatest album ever?”
It’s up there, but this is my personal favourite – also about time, in its way.
Oh dear. We’ve reached the point at which they show us the day’s highlights, never a good sign; it’ll be Headingley 81 followed by the Borg-McEnroe tiebreak next.
“I’m doing an internship in an office in Frankfurt and have spent the morning trying to explain test cricket to several Germans,” relays Max Savochkin. “After several hours the only thing they seem to understand is that we spend five days hitting a ball whilst having regular intervals for sausages, tea and a beer afterwards. They seem to approve.”
I’ll never wrap my swede around why going the cricket doesn’t appeal to everyone. You eat, drink and blather with your mates, what’s not to adore?
More bad news: they’ve covered the whole pitch and put down tyres on top which, Mahela tells us, means they’re expecting winds. Perhaps they’ll blow the clouds away, but cricket is not imminent.
‘Root only needs slightly less than 200, and to finish not out, to get his average back over 50!” reckons David Hindle. “Bad news is, the weather looks dreadful for most of this test. Two of the last three days coming could be entirely washed out. So he’ll not make it because they’ll have to declare. England often seem to be thwarted by lost time in Tests.”
Tangentially, is this the greatest song about time?
“‘You’d’ve took it,” says Bill Hargreaves. “Lol.”
I’m afraid I don’t have proof, but I have semi-proof if you read his lips here.
I’m absolutely loving this Balkans one-upmanship, and here’s Robin Hazlehurst with more: “Hmm, so it turns out the postponement of the match may work in my favour. I was still only 46 last year, but if the match is played this year or next I might actually get that record. Or more or less share it with Marty. I think the initiation is a pint from the captain’s boot, or alternative local beverage, so a glass of fine Montenegrin red with a piquant aftertaste of Kelso’s toe fungus. I shall look forward to sharing it on the sidelines with Ben Heywood.”
Marty did well to find the time.
“Lady Chatterley,” begins Tom van der Gucht. “Is that the Sean Bean version? I remember a scene when he was running ‘tackle out’ through the fields and I recall worrying that he risked some serious lacerations from the brambles... I think I watched it hoping it would be like Sharpe. Although it was nothing like it, the teenage me wasn’t disappointed.”
That’s the one. While it’s great we have so much televisual choice these days, it’s a shame we no longer have shows which grab the attention of the entire country; who’s Sunday night isn’t enhanced by swinging swingers? I seem to recall Dennis Potter’s Lipstick on Your Collar from around the same time.
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Bad news: rain stopped play
I hope that isn’t it for the day but, let’s be real: it’s a possibility.
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“I also had the pleasure of watching Robin Smith’s 167* live,” says Ewan McDonald. “I was off school sick (not as glamorous as your story ) and so put the cricket on even though I had absolutely zero interest in the sport before. I’ve absolutely loved it ever since. Post-2005 I wouldn’t have been able to watch it, and maybe I would never have got into the game. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Gosh, that’s great. It’s been a long week but it’s made me feel emotional – we’re lucky to have access to all these amazing things that help make us who we are.
“Please pass on my commiserations to Robin Hazlehurst for not quite getting the oldest international rugby debutant gong,” responds Ben Heywood. “Montenegro is actually quite fertile ground for ageing amateurs to belatedly get international recognition. The rugby union record in Europe is actually held by my friend Marty, who turned out on the wing for Montenegro at the age of 47. As a career-long flanker, one half was enough for him in a 40-something nil drubbing vs Bulgaria. I made my day-boo last year at 46 vs the aforementioned Estonians, who did actually manage a September 2020 visit. I dropped a catch and made 2, but that was at least double our skipper and opening bat’s contribution. He’ll be cross if I name him. Tim Layton!”
Do Montenegro have a leyning team? I quite fancy some international recognition myself.
Another brilliant session for England, who are dominating this Test to almost embarrassing extent. Joe Root is batting absolutely beautifully, and if he keeps focused, he’s a decent chance of surpassing his best Test score of 254.
94th over: England 320-4 (Root 168, Buttler 7) So how long do England bat here? Even if they go all day tomorrow, they’ll have two days to take 10 wickets on a track that’s already offering help to the twirlers and with three very nifty pace options. Meantime Root clobbers Perera again, this time on the flank, then again on the shoulder! He’s going to look like me when I went snowboarding. Still, at least he’s got the memory of the 0 runs he accumulated yesterday to console him, as he walks off for a sneaky cry. Goodness me, what a Test he’s having. Root sweeps a single, Buttler defends two, and that, my friends, is tea.
93rd over: England 319-4 (Root 167, Buttler 7) Buttler presses two through cover.
REVIEW!
Not out! I’m not sure what Dickwella heard or saw, because he became extremely agitated on the take, but that clearly slid past the face.
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93rd over: England 316-4 (Root 166, Buttler 5) Buttler follows one from Embudeniya, sucked in, and there’s an appeal for an edge; the umpire says no, but Sri Lanka review.
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92nd over: England 316-4 (Root 166, Buttler 5) Did anyone see Bess’ interview yesterday? In it he referred to Leachy, Rooty, Broady, Sammy and Woody; I hope Jonny, Jimmy and Stokesy weren’t offended. Anyhow, back in the middle, Mendis takes yet another zetz when Root sweeps one into his wrist. He accepts some shpritz, but looks perky enough when we resume. One from the over, swept by Root, and Buttler is again beaten by its final delivery, an airy drive getting nowhere near a skiddy one.
“Have to leave you now to cross the Bosphorus in order to teach,” says Rob Lewis. “Mask and shield firmly in place, but actually leaving the flat feels like a holiday. Unlike Wayne Trotman in Izmir (over 71), we have snow here in Istanbul 200 miles to the north, which we can see in the hills from the ferry. Not quite Galle.”
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91st over: England 315-4 (Root 165, Buttler 5) This is a better over from Embuldeniya. Root’s single to point is the only run from it, and with its fifth delivery, he rags one past Buttler’s bat, but receives no reward.
“Having just caught up with the Lawrence/Laurence surname v given name,” emails Like Williams, “may I say that I feel some of your pain? My name is Luke, and as I now live in a French-speaking area, I am continually having to correct the spelling from ‘Luc’. I now introduce myself as, ‘Luke, comme Lucky Luke’ - apparently everyone who speaks French is familiar with the cartoon cowboy! Further confusion is caused in banks and doctors’ surgeries by the fact that Luke is my SECOND given name. I do not know why my parents decided to use it, but I’m quite glad they didn’t do the sensible thing by simply reversing the order of my names. Best regards,Benjamin Luke Williams, thankfully not ‘out for a duck’.”
90th over: England 314-4 (Root 164, Buttler 5) We seem to have lost pictures, as they discuss RA Smith; I can’t recommend his autobiography, done with the OBO’s own RA Smyth, highly enough. I had the privilege of watching his 167 not out live, smoking Dunhill International in the garden when everyone else was at school (because I’d been suspended for setting the floor of the science labs on fire). Since then, he’s been my friend. Three singles off the over.
89th over: England 311-4 (Root 162, Buttler 4) Buttler gets away with a brace of braces, both swept.
“Do you think Broad will be a bit miffed he’s the last batsman?” wonders Mark Hooper.
I think he’ll be a bit miffed he wasn’t invited to open.
88th over: England 307-4 (Root 162, Buttler 0) This is a decent spell from Perera, who cedes just a single then diddles Buttler with his final delivery - it spits and hisses past the bat only to leap over the stumps; they run a bye. The way Lawrence and Root batted shouldn’t obscure to us the turn that’s in this track.
“The only problem I have with D Lawrence’s name is that his parents gave him the middle name William rather than Harry or Henry,” emails Pete Salmon. “Having DH Lawrence at number 5 would be a very good thing.
‘So how does it feel to score a hundred on debut?’
‘This is what I believe: That I am I. That my soul is a dark forest. That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest. That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self, and then go back. That I must have the courage to let them come and go. That I will never let mankind put anything over me, but that I will try always to recognize and submit to the gods in me and the gods in other men and women. There is my creed.’
‘Okey dokey’.”
Gosh, that takes me back to sneakily watching Lady Chatterley’s Lover on ITV sometime at the end of the 80s. Somehow, it disappointed at the same time as blowing my mind.
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87th over: England 305-4 (Root 161, Buttler 0) A quiet over from Embuldeniya, just a single from it – to Root, twizzled into the on side.
86th over: England 304-4 (Root 160, Buttler 0) In commentary, they’ve been talking about KP’s Colombo genius, which got me thinking about Sehwag and Tendulkar in Chennai, when they monstered England in 2008. He told me that there was some kind of pleasure in watching such majesty and I hope Lawrence took that from Root’s innings. Meanwhile, Buttler is out there – just what you need when you’re 169 runs behind.
WICKET! Lawrence c Mendis b Perera 73 (England 304-4)
Perera goes around the wicket and coaxes one to leap at the retreating Lawrence, the ball cracking the glove and dropping to forward short leg, where Mendis snaffles smartly. Decent start to your Test career, 73 and a partnership of 173 with your captain. As Ryan Giggs would say, you’d’ve took it.
85th over: England 303-3 (Root 159, Lawrence 73) A quieter over which is about all Sri Lanka can hope for at the moment, two singkes coming from it.
“Nice to see Estonian cricket getting a mention in the 52nd over,” says Robin Hazlehurst, “even if only the reminder that Estonia lost to Ben Heywood’s Montenegro. Though I believe it was 2019, not last year, for obvious reasons. Last year we were supposed to play Montenegro at rugby and I was set to come on for my first international cap, possibly setting a world record for the oldest international debutant ever. But it didn’t happen, unsurprisingly. Maybe this year, maybe next...”
That sounds great. What’s the initiation?
84th over: England 301-3 (Root 158, Lawrence 72) Lawrence takes a single around the corner, then Root flicks two over his shoulder like he’s tossing salt. There are few batsmen who makes it look easier than him – when he’s on, he combines the effortless strokeplay of Gower with the imperceptible accumulation of Collingwood. Three off the over.
83rd over: England 298-3 (Root 156, Lawrence 71) Root eases a single behind square on the off side and that’s his 150. Athers says he’s rededicated himself to his batting in recent months, and this is the fruit of that – and so is that, that and that. He takes a single then so does Lawrence, bringing him back to milk two to midwicket and four pulled to square leg follow. What a lesson this is for the young pretender.
“Greetings from chilly Tokyo!” says John Butler. “Does the umpire lose a review because he was the one who requested it?”
No, but he does have to endure the other umpire waggling fingers in his face, shouting “Shaaaaaame!” Does that still happen in classrooms?
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82nd over: England 290-3 (Root 149, Lawrence 70) Perera continues so it’s spin from both ends with the new meteor. He bowls a better over than embuldeniya, one from it, but what’s the point of picking a quick if you don’t give him a go at this point?
81st over: England 289-3 (Root 148, Lawrence 70) There were fears of rain roundabout now, but we’re looking good for the next bit as Embuldeniya takes the new globule and Root leans back to crack for four behind point; the single which follows raises the 150 partnership, then after Lawrence adds one too, Root creams fo mo to midwicket via pull. Er, and you know that bit where I said we weren’t getting the rain? Well in metaphorical terms, it’s not just raining for the Lankans because it never does, it’s pouring on them. Root takes one to cover, then Lawrence comes down the track, the spin takes the ball away from his almighty hoik, and Dickwella misses the grab and stumping in one as they run two. When it’s your day it’s your day; when it’s not your day, it’s not your life.
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80th over: England 275-3 (Root 138, Lawrence 67) And that’s the new ball. I’m sure Sri Lanka will take it.
UMPIRE REVIEW FOR A CATCH
Not out. Root hit the ball into the ground.
80th over: England 275-3 (Root 138, Lawrence 67) Perera into the attack, and Lawrence takes single, then Root knocks a no ball and they amble two. He tries to sweep the next one too, to short leg who catches; there’s no appeal, but the umpire reviews...
“I’m waking up and listening to TMS,” emails Tim Batts-Neale. “When Jonathan Agnew says the name ‘Lawrence’, am I the only one who then imagines Brian Johnson wheezingly say ‘...he... hit a four over the wicket keeper’s head and was out for nine’.”
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79th over: England 271-3 (Root 135, Lawrence 66) Embuldeniya returns, and after Lawrence takes one, Root unfurls that sweep again, taking two twos. When he bats like this he looks like an absolute master.
Meanwhile, what a series we’ve got in Australia.
78th over: England 265-3 (Root 131, Lawrence 64) Root uses the break to perform callisthenics - Lizzie Webb will be happy – then shares a laugh with Lawrence while we watch footage of the Sri Lankan holiday we’re not having. In commentary, Sanga says that he’d like to see the quicks come back and also that the spinners are rustling through overs like it’s a T20, when they need to be slowing the play to slow the rate. He’s impressed with England though, who’ve “come prepared”. A single apiece off the over, as Sanga says that when he was chasing a big score, he’s not look at the numbers until he got to about 170, then try and whack a few boundaries to get there quickly. Me too old mate, me too.
77th over: England 263-3 (Root 130, Lawrence 63) Hasaranga sends down a no ball – dearie me – then Lawrence takes a single into the off side and Root stretches down to a full toss, clouting it from outside off through midwicket for four. He’ll be fancying a serious average-booster here, he looks in total control. I wonder if, now the team is quite good – spending less time in the field, with a better top three and giving him less to worry about in general – we’ll see him rediscover the form that had people talking about him in the same group as Kohli, Smith and Williamson, or at least the best that he’s capable of. That’s a pleasant thought, and so is drinks.
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76th over: England 257-3 (Root 126, Lawrence 62) Looking at that drop again, it came fast at Mendis, who’s stood close to make sure the ball carries; one fell short early doors last evening, and I’m sure the bowlers would prefer what we’ve seen now to what we saw then. Two singles off the over.
“Lawrence can also be Laurence,” says John Starbuck, “there’s no difference between forename or surname. Just as well you don’t usually let on about it, though, as you’d end up being nicknamed either Lorry or Truck.”
Yup, here’s a Lawrence below. And similarly Laurence can also be surname – just ask everyone’s favourite friar.
75th over: England 255-3 (Root 125, Lawrence 61) Lawrence comes forward and looks to twist to leg but he’s done in the flight and the ball jumps a little, slides across the bat ... and at gully, Mendis tips the catch over the bar! He’s had better Tests, Lawrence has not. Three off the over.
“Cricket sunlight through the literal and figurative gloom this morning,” sings Guy Hornsby. “And if this is Root’s batting coming good after some leaner times, alongside another young talent emerging then that’s the good news we can all hold onto. I wish we were all in Galle to see it.”
In my mind I’m trying to pick England’s best XI, and it’s really not at all easy to do. Even if you ro-tate the bowlers, the batting order is hard to fathom in the best possible way; maybe we I should just enjoy the current behaviour.
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74th over: England 252-3 (Root 123, Lawrence 60) I’m going to let you into a secret: not only do I share first name with England’s debutant, but my middle name is Lawrence – my parents never quite explained why – nor did they why it’s spelt “Lawrence” as though it’s my surname, which is to say that yes, I’ve just scored a fifty and yes I do plan to get my ton. Thank you, thank you. I look a player don’t I? Anyway, actual Daniel Lawrence pushes uppishly at Shanaka’s fourth ball and they run two, while I wonder about how much difference it makes for a player to come into a favourable environment like this. Steve Waugh and Jacques Kallis started their Test careers very slowly, and were given a lot more time than any England batsman of the 90s – I’m certain Mark Ramprakash would’ve had a far better career had he been 10 or 15 years younger, though a poor team was only half his problem – trigger-happy selectors was the other. Lawrence then adds two more to square leg and looks a picture of serenity.
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73rd over: England 248-3 (Root 123, Lawrence 56) Morning everyone and thanks Tim. Ah man it’s good to be back, if a little odd to be back to see England dominating the first Test of a tour. Might it be that ... they’re getting good at this? In the 37 years I’ve been watching them I can’t remember a pool of similar talent, that’s for sure – though there’s a lot of work to be done for them to get to where their best sides have. Anyway, Root gets well down the pitch to sweep Hasaranga’s first ball for four, and two singles follow.
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72nd over: England 242-3 (Root 118, Lawrence 55) Root nurdles Shanaka for two, then Lawrence late-cuts him for four. That was class. If he can get through the new ball, he could be the next Ben Foakes. That’s my stint done, so I’ll hand over to Daniel Harris, the distinguished presenter of United Rewind. Thanks for reading and I’ll be back on Sunday, if the game goes that far.
71st over: England 235-3 (Root 115, Lawrence 51) It’s a double change as Chandimal summons Hasaranga. The timing is another sign that he doesn’t have much faith in him, but I’d back Hasaranga to prove him wrong in the long run. This over includes a no-ball, showing his inexperience, but also a leg-break that turns a yard. If Shane Warne was on commentary, he’d be raving about him.
“Drizzly dull morning here in Izmir, on the west coast of Turkey,” reports Wayne Trotman, hard at work analysing his research data. Ahem! [His words, not mine.] “Many congrats are due to Dan Lawrence on such a fine debut, but could he have wished for a friendlier attack to open his account? I wonder who others on the OBO would least like to face on international debut. Mine would of course be the late, great Malcolm Marshall.” Yes, he might well have messed up your data.
70th over: England 233-3 (Root 114, Lawrence 51) With the new ball not far away, Chandimal decides it’s time to turn to his fifth bowler, the medium-paced allrounder Dasun Shanaka. He shows a bit of intent by (a) bowling a maiden and (b) picking up a straight push from Lawrence and trying to throw down his stumps.
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69th over: England 233-3 (Root 114, Lawrence 51) The milestones keep coming: Lawrence clips for another single and that’s the hundred partnership. It has taken 26.2 overs, which is rapid by Sri Lankan standards, and it’s the second hundred stand in a row. England’s all-time partnership record at Galle is under threat, less than a day after it was set by Root and Bairstow.
Fifty on debut for Lawrence
68th over: England 227-3 (Root 109, Lawrence 50) Lawrence reaches fifty in his first Test innings. He went down the track, didn’t get to the bounce, had to settle for a block, then did better next ball, with a straight push past Perera for a single. He’s been so assured: it’s as if he got all the nerves out of the way yesterday by dropping that dolly. Credit to Root, too, for letting Lawrence have most of the strike.
“So pleased for Joe Root,” says Mike Galvin. “He has stood tall under a lot of pressure. This century will, hopefully, relieve that and he will go on to bag more.”
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67th over: England 223-3 (Root 107, Lawrence 48) Lawrence is beaten outside off stump by Embuldeniya, but he shows a good temperament again by sweeping the next ball for two.
“Waiting for Leach,” says the subject line from David Reynolds. “I am being distracted in a snowy Prague,” he goes on, “by two Test matches in the early morning – wonderful. But I am not a little frustrated that these two are selfishly denying the people what they really crave: the Taunton Bradman back at the crease in a Test match.”
66th over: England 218-3 (Root 106, Lawrence 44) Several singles off Perera.
“Any chance of link to TMS for overseas listeners?” wonders Richard Turner. “It gets hidden every day.” I’m fairly sure one of our readers will have found it.
65th over: England 214-3 (Root 105, Lawrence 42) And another single to Root off Embuldeniya. England lead by 79.
64th over: England 213-3 (Root 104, Lawrence 42) Just a single to Root off Perera.
63rd over: England 212-3 (Root 103, Lawrence 42) Mickey Arthur is so angry he’s throwing his water bottle to the floor, but I can’t see that he has any grounds for complaint.
Not out!
The ball went from bat to ground to wrist to hand. And the ground is the crucial bit.
Review! Against Root, for a possible catch at short leg
Root, facing Embuldeniya, reverse-sweeps and misses, or does he? The close fielders reckon he’s nicked or gloved it. I’m not so sure...
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62nd over: England 210-3 (Root 102, Lawrence 41) And Root sets off for the next hundred with a sweep for two. I wouldn’t bet against it.
A hundred for Root!
They’re back out there, and second ball after lunch, Root laps a single off Perera to reach an excellent hundred, his first of the 2020s. He takes off his helmet, kisses the badge and smiles even more broadly than usual. “He’s played absolutely beautifully,” says Mike Atherton.
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“Good morning Tim,” says Em Jackson, “from a rather icy West Denton, Newcastle. Just logging on for work and to quote Mister Burns when he was managing the Springfield Nuclear Plant Softball Team, in relation to England’s rejuvenation in the early hours, GMT...”
Hit at least 99 Joe Root.
Sure Skip.
[99 comes up]
I told him to do that.
There’s been something missing from our coverage today – an email from John Starbuck. But here he comes... ”Morning, Tim, from West Yorkshire-under-Snow.” Morning John, glad you could join us. “Mockers alert! Assuming he gets his century, and a big one at that, you’ll have to be hauling the Root-puns suitcase down from the top of the wardrobe. Are you going to have a net for that?” Puns? Us?
Lunch: England on top, Root on 99
61st over: England 206-3 (Root 99, Lawrence 40) Root sweeps Embuldeniya for... three, thanks to a good diving stop at deep square leg. Embuldeniya goes over the wicket into the rough, conjuring memories of Ashley Giles, who is on the ground in his role as England’s boss. But it’s just a ploy for a couple of balls, and when he goes back round, he beats Lawrence outside off. And that is lunch, with Root poised on the brink. He’s gone from Root 66 to Root 99, and more importantly, he’s been big enough to play second fiddle to a debutant. Dan Lawrence has scored a fearless 40 and made up for the early loss of Jonny Bairstow. The morning belongs to England, who are in charge of this Test.
Sri Lanka have one bowler doing a great job – Lasith Embuldeniya, with all three wickets for 80 – while the other three have managed none for 111. Still, they were doing OK themselves this time yesterday. And England, as their faithful supporters know, always have a collapse in them. See you in half an hour.
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One over left before lunch. Can Root get four more?
60th over: England 203-3 (Root 96, Lawrence 40) Root plays a false shot! An inside edge that just eludes short leg’s right hand – but it wouldn’t have been out anyway, as Perera had overstepped. Lawrence shows his legside skills now, going down the track to play a whip for two. He may be Both Sides Billy.
59th over: England 193-3 (Root 94, Lawrence 37) Root sees those sweeps and thinks he’ll play one too, off Embuldeniya, through midwicket, and he’s into the nineties.
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58th over: England 188-3 (Root 89, Lawrence 37) Perera takes over from Hasaranga and Lawrence plays a different kind of sweep – later, finer, not far from the man on the 45 but getting past him to go for four. England’s lead is now 53.
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57th over: England 183-3 (Root 88, Lawrence 33) Embuldeniya is back, and after a few dots Lawrence slog-sweeps him for six. That’s the way to bring up a fifty partnership with your captain on your debut. Lawrence has hogged the strike, facing 58 balls out of 88, but this reflects well on Root rather than badly on him.
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56th over: England 177-3 (Root 88, Lawrence 27) Lawrence bears out Sangakkara’s point by smacking another four through the covers, going forward to Hasaranga and flat-batting with quick hands. Contrary to his reputation, he has barely hit the ball to leg at all. On this evidence, he’s an Offside Olly.
55th over: England 172-3 (Root 88, Lawrence 22) Another tidy over from Fernando, apart from one ball way down the leg side, which is so bad that it costs only a bye. On commentary, Kumar Sangakkara is talking about Dan Lawrence. ”Very assured and very confident... his judgment is excellent.”
54th over: England 170-3 (Root 87, Lawrence 22) Lawrence edges Hasaranga, prodding at a leg-break, but gets away with it because there’s no gully. Unfazed, he sees Hasaranga drop short and cuts for four to ease the pressure. Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, now this guy: England have enough fearless young batsmen to form a queue, in true English fashion.
53rd over: England 161-3 (Root 83, Lawrence 17) Just when his spinners have taken back control, Chandimal switches to swing and seam. It’s a surprising move but Asitha Fernando comes bustling in and keeps the pressure on. He gets close to the stumps, and if he’s allowed to stay there by the umpire, he’ll generate some rough for Hasaranga’s leg-break.
Here’s Brian Withington. “Hovering around zero degrees here in Dorridge, so casting envious eyes at Galle. Sad to see not-so-YJB dismissed early but a treat to welcome YDL, son of Chingford, to the crease. The young man has got something, including the ideal batting partner for a debut innings. And being reared on the raging Bunsen that is Chelmsfordabad can’t hurt when batting in Galle ...”
52nd over: England 160-3 (Root 82, Lawrence 17) Now Hasaranga bowls a maiden too, as he finds his groove and ties Lawrence down. Two good contests.
“Morning Tim!” Morning, Ben Heywood. “It’s a positively balmy -5C here in Virpazar, Montenegro, and as it’s dry for the first time in weeks I’m pulling no.1 son out of his last day of virtual school and we’re bunking off to go snowboarding.” Proper parenting. “We’re also taking a plastic bat and a bright orange practice ball to celebrate the fact that Montenegro are – after two victories against Estonia late last year – now ranking above Christmas Island in the ICC rankings! I’m hoping to add to my solitary cap, so do put any weird nations in touch who’d like to come and lose to the Montenegro Bokaneers when travel opens up again. And let’s have a century from Root, please.” Just one international talking about another.
51st over: England 160-3 (Root 82, Lawrence 17) Lawrence spots a rare bad ball from Embuldeniya, rocks back and cuts for four. That was commanding, but then he cuts again, less certainly, and gets away with it as the ball drops short of the man at backward point. This is a good contest.
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50th over: England 155-3 (Root 82, Lawrence 12) Perera goes off after a disappointing spell and gives way to Wanindu Hasaranga, the exciting young leggie with the fast arm action. He bowled too short last night, but he’s on the spot now with his googly, surprising Lawrence and rapping him on the splice.
49th over: England 153-3 (Root 81, Lawrence 11) There is a maiden! And an even better over from Embuldeniya, who beat Lawrence with one that turned and bounced and dislodged a bit of the surface. The pitch is coming to the party.
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48th over: England 153-3 (Root 81, Lawrence 11) Four singles off Perera, Lawrence is into double figures, and Sri Lanka haven’t managed a maiden for 28 overs, which isn’t like them.
Meanwhile, in Brisbane, Marnus Labuschagne has got his hundred, but India have got him out. “Working from home in Kuala Lumpur,” Joel Eley wrote a few minutes ago, “and have a batting masterclass onscreen from Labu at the Gabba. Hope Root can push on and I will just imagine his sumptuous cover drives as you report on the OBO. Bit worried about the Aussie batting line-up for the next Ashes – Warner?, Pucovski, Labu, Smith and Green.” Yes, the Aussies are looking reassuringly shaky, although they’re still narrow favourites to win this Test and the series.
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47th over: England 149-3 (Root 79, Lawrence 9) Lawrence has been looking to play every delivery, but now he watches one from Embuldeniya very carefully, sees that it’s not the arm ball, and lets it pass close by his off stump. This feels so good, he does it again next ball. Is it too early to say that he’s got the temperament?
46th over: England 148-3 (Root 78, Lawrence 9) A single to Lawrence, a single to Root, two to Lawrence: the guy has nine from eight balls. He won’t always find it this easy.
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45th over: England 144-3 (Root 77, Lawrence 6) Root’s a dancer too, not going down the track but back, on his toes, to glide Embuldeniya square for two. And I’ve just realised that that first fine careless boundary from Lawrence took England into the lead.
44th over: England 142-3 (Root 75, Lawrence 6) After taking a single off his first ball, what is Lawrence going to do with his second? Stroke it through the covers for four, which it fully deserves, as it’s a full toss. By the time he gets to his fourth ball, he’s dancing down the track to take a single to long-on. Root does his best to keep up with a two and a single of his own.
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43rd over: England 134-3 (Root 72, Lawrence 1) Dan Lawrence has had quite a wait to face his first ball in international cricket, but when it comes he plays it confidently off the back foot and takes a quick single into the covers. Legside Larry? Not so far. Root gets two more from a pull, but that’s a fine start by Lasith Embuldeniya, who is on course for a ten-for. The ball to Bairstow gripped and turned and suggested that today will be a lot more testing than yesterday.
Wicket! Bairstow c Mendis b Embuldeniya 47 (England 131-3)
No reprieve this time! Bairstow props forward, gets a nick to gully, and the only doubt is whether the ball carried. It did, and Sri Lanka have broken the big partnership already. The ball is turning more than yesterday.
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42nd over: England 131-2 (Root 70, Bairstow 47) There’s nothing like an alarm to wake you up. Root bounces back with a punchy off-drive for four.
Not out!
Oooh. No edge, and it was hitting the stumps, but Root was struck just outside the line of off. Sri Lanka keep their review, and Root smiles that boyish smile of his.
Review! Against Root, for LBW
Root sweeps and misses, or edges, a full ball. He could be in trouble here if he hasn’t got a nick.
The players are in the middle
It looks as if the first over will be bowled by Dilruwan Perera, who wasn’t at his wily best yesterday.
“Hovering around zero here in Piedmont,” says Finbar Anslow. “Still under a foot of snow that fell on Christmas Day. Re the SCG crowd abuse, I was wondering whether there’s any literature on crowd sledging? My memory goes back to a delightful moment at Hove when the future prime minister of Pakistan was offered ‘a glass of scrump’ (declined with a smile). I hope that’s the kind of comment he remembers.” Ha. Whether there’s literature, I’m not sure. There’s certainly plenty of folklore, enough to make a good book. You could call it Declined with a Smile.
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“Another gorgeous day here in Georgetown (Penang),” says Spencer Robinson. “Last week I revived my long-lost cricket career with my first net in 30 years at the fabulous Penang Sports Club. Despite plenty of aches and bruises, I’ve survived to tell the tale and have been looking forward to a masterclass today from Messrs Root and Bairstow in the art of playing spin bowling. Please stop the rain in Galle!” I’m on it. The covers are off, and the sky is showing some flecks of blue amid the grey.
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Rain stops!
Rumours from Galle suggest that the rain has relented and play will resume at 11.10am local time, which is 5.40 in the UK – ten minutes’ time.
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“A very good afternoon to you from Singapore,” says Matthew Ayre. “It’s been a miserable start to the year with freakishly high rainfall (even for monsoon season) that started on the 31st and has run nearly incessantly since. Then, a sensational start from England’s bowlers and today – the sun’s out! Glory be, and may it please please continue.” Good to know there’s light at the end of somebody’s tunnel.
“Disappointing no play yet.” Paul Hand is speaking for us all. “Here in Almaty, Kazakhstan (GMT+6) at minus 10, I was rather looking forward to a full day of cricket to follow. Stay safe everyone at this uncertain and difficult time.” Amen to that.
Almaty! Very classy. If anyone else is thinking of sending an email, do say where you are. And give us a flavour of the weather, especially if it’s even worse than it is in Galle.
It’s still raining in Galle, but there’s another Test going on right now – the big showdown in Brisbane between Australia and India, tied on 1-1 with just this game to go. The Indians have so many injuries that they’ve picked a bowling attack with four Test caps between them. And they still managed to get rid of David Warner for hardly any – he’s not just Stuart Broad’s bunny now – and Steve Smith for 36. At tea, Australia are 154 for three, with Marnus Labuschagne, the mini-Smith, looking ominous on 73. Join Emma Kemp for the Guardian OBO here.
Joe Root had the day of his dreams yesterday, and Abhijato Sensarma has been thinking about him overnight. “The numbers of the (relatively) young English skipper suggest he’s no longer the prolific batsman everyone assumed he would be at the start of his career.” True, though I would argue with “young” – he’s just turned 30. “But the returns from his captaincy decisions have been growing for a long time even now.” Go on... “Backing Buttler, rotating his seamers, yesterday’s innovative captaincy – he’s slowly on the rise of this gig’s learning curve. There remain a few off-putting moments, like his handling of Archer, but I feel the time shall soon come when he compensates for his diminishing numbers with excellent tactical fortitude. Ah, the India tour is either going to be majestic or an absolute disaster, isn’t it?” Ha.
Because he’s so boyish, Root tends to be treated as if he has just taken over. In fact he’s England’s fifth longest-serving captain, on 45 Tests, level with Nasser Hussain. He has got better as a tactician, from a low base. But he has got worse as a batsman, as England captains usually do, and I’m still not convinced that those missing runs are a price worth paying for middling leadership. He has it in him to be England’s best batsman for 50 years: I wish he would just get on and do that. But if he has a few more days like yesterday, and has them in India and Australia, and handles Archer as well as Eoin Morgan does, I’ll be delighted to be proved wrong.
If you’re in Britain and up early, you’re not alone. “Good morning Tim.” Good morning, George Browne. “For years I have been cursed to miss the start of play on overseas tours, but I am pleased to say that this is now a thing of the past. One year and ten days ago I became father to beautiful twins, Otis and Cassie (doesn’t Otis Browne sound like a Windies fast bowler?). These two now ensure that I am awake at ungodly hours to witness these key early overs. Hurrah for fatherhood... I think. Keep up the good work.” You too! But as this is The Guardian, can I just suggest that Cassie Browne also sounds like a Windies fast bowler?
Rain delays start
It’s raining. Not the forecast thunder, but a steady drizzle, just to make England feel at home.
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Preamble: two simple tasks
Morning everyone. The pandemic has done funny things to us all. Some have grown their hair, others have applied to join the Stasi, and others still have become vulnerable to modest off-breaks purveyed by bouncy young Englishmen. After winning the toss on a turning pitch beneath Galle’s famous fort, the Sri Lankans collapsed like a sandcastle and handed Dom Bess a sensational five for 30, which even he admitted that he didn’t deserve. Stuart Broad’s three for 20 was, by common consent, a much better performance.
England wobbled too, but only briefly, before Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow showed how it’s done with an unbroken partnership of 110. For Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain, the task is simple: get rid of them both early on, and stop England’s lead reaching three figures. For Root, it’s even simpler: find 34 more runs to score a Test hundred for the first time in the 2020s. And then add some more, to pile up a lead of 200 and have a fair chance of an innings victory. It would not be unlike England to stage a collapse of their own. They can’t just carry on serenely from the whitewash of 2018, can they?
The weather forecast is mixed – steamy with a chance of thunder after tea. Play starts at 10am local time, 4.30am in the UK.
@TimdeLisle I believe I have perfected the ‘putting the eyes into deliberate unfocused state’ in order to go back to the start of obo so as not to ruin the suspense when catching up at work and England playing unsociable hours.
— Tom Wellman (@pauliewalnuts2) January 14, 2021
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