Here’s a full report of the second day’s play. Thanks for your company and emails; please join whichever poor soul is on the 4am shift at 4am tomorrow for day three. Bye!
England trail by 283 runs with eight first-innings wickets remaining
‘Arm-wrestle’ is the phrase of the Test, and it’s a fair description of that second day. It looked like Sri Lanka were starting to wear England down when Lasith Embuldeniya helped himself to a couple of cheap openers, but Jonny Bairstow and a sparkling Joe Root saw England through the close. I’d make Sri Lanka slight favourites on a pitch that is expected to show frightfully poor manners on days four and five. Plenty depends on Root, who batted delightfully to make 67 not out from 77 balls. Bairstow, though less fluent, was focussed and cussed.
England will resume on 98 for two in reply to Sri Lanka’s 381. That included excellent innings today from Niroshan Dickwella (92) and Dilruwan Perera (67), and a preposterous performance from 38-year-old James Anderson: 29-13-40-6.
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30th over: England 98-2 (Bairstow 24, Root 67) Embuldeniya bowls the last over of the day to Bairstow, who defends all six balls watchfully. That’s stumps.
29th over: England 98-2 (Bairstow 24, Root 67)
28th over: England 97-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 67) This is a stunning innings from Joe Root. He hits Embuldeniya for three boundaries in four balls - sweep, reverse sweep, cut - and has now raced to 67 from 76 balls. When he came to the crease, England were five for two in the eighth over.
“Hi Rob,” says Charles Sheldrick. “Not sure I get the three reviews to counter potential bias from non-neutral umpires... surely if they are not neutral then they will be biased towards one side or the other, so why to both sides get an extra review? Surely the side thought to be favoured will not need it? Or, as seems likely to me, are the powers that be worried that the general standard of umpires is lower but are too scared to admit it?”
I think it was more about perception, and as a precaution against an unforeseen fiasco. Or perhaps it was just because England were playing Pakistan, and the ICC Cricket Committee remembered 1982, and 1983-84, and 1987-88, and 1992, and all the rest.
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27th over: England 83-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 53) “They might have had it tough so far,” begins Callum, “but if you’re Dom Bess or Jack Leach, seeing the spin that Sri Lanka have found on this pitch should Embuldeniya for the second innings. I’m here all week... (not for the 4am starts though).”
BAIRSTOW IS NOT OUT! It’s umpire’s call and Bairstow survives. Oof. That was hitting a fair portion of leg stump, and the on-field decision was decisive.
SRI LANKA REVIEW AGAINST BAIRSTOW Perera, who is getting some sharp spin, has another LBW against Root turned down by Kumar Dharmasena. Root missed a sweep and, though he was a long way forward, it looked fairly close. Dinesh Chandimal decides not to review. “Hitting” says Root to Niroshan Dickwella with a mischievous smile. Replays show it brushed the glove, so everything else matters not.
Bairstow then survives a huge LBW appeal after missing a work to leg. This looks really close, as he was a long way back, and Chandimal has gone for the review.
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26th over: England 80-2 (Bairstow 22, Root 51) Embuldeniya returns for a little burst before the close. His first ball is a rare full toss that Root works through midwicket for two. That brings up an effortless fifty, his 50th in Tests, from 65 balls.
“Hi Rob,” says Shreyas Das. “Graeme Swann recently stated that winning against India in India is tougher than winning the Ashes away, and should be held in higher esteem. I am genuinely curious to know what you make of his statements.”
As somebody who has done neither, I wholeheartedly agree with him. It depends on the team and the time, but at the moment I’d say India is a tougher test for England. I still think they’ll be hammered in Australia, but you can at least imagine how they might win there. Not even Walter Mitty thinks England can beat India in India.
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25th over: England 77-2 (Bairstow 22, Root 48) Perera has another unsuccessful LBW against Root; the ball turned appreciably and would have missed leg. Root finds the field with a couple of sweeps, so he switches to the reverse and pings it past short third man for four. This has been another majestic performance - he has a strike rate of 75 yet his innings has felt risk-free.
24th over: England 70-2 (Bairstow 22, Root 41) Fernando reminds Bairstow what time it is with a sharp bouncer. Bairstow snaps his head out of the way. There are 13 overs remaining, though I doubt we’ll get them all because of the light.
23rd over: England 69-2 (Bairstow 22, Root 40) Perera has moved around the wicket to counter the sweeping of Bairstow, who instead wallops him back over his head for four. That’s very good batting, which forces Perera back over the wicket. Bairstow looks so much better for his year out of the Test team; like his old self, in fact. It’s easy to say he was always in England’s best five batsmen, but that wasn’t the case in 2018 and 2019. I’m still not sure where he fits in England’s Ashes team, though on this form I’d want him there.
“Morning Rob,” says Brad McMillan. “That Root appeal was a good example, in my opinion, of why three is at least one too many DRS reviews available to each team. It’s fine if you see DRS as simply a new tactics tool with which to play the game, but surely most people see it, as I do, as a way to try and remove the umpire’s ‘howler’? There’s no way Sri Lanka would have reviewed there were it a lesser batsman, which seems all wrong.”
I agree. I can understand why they increased it from two to three as a precaution in series played without neutral umpires, but the evidence of the last six months is that they could go back to two per side.
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22nd over: England 63-2 (Bairstow 18, Root 40) The debutant Mendis is hooked after two expensive overs, with Fernando replacing him. I’m slightly surprised they didn’t go back to Embuldeniya, though I can understand Dinesh Chandimal wanting a change of pace given how well Root is playing the spinners. He has an optimistic LBW appeal agianst Root turned down, and this time Chandimal decides not to review. It was missing leg stump by a fair way.
“It just occurred to me that all the stats referred to have been around, like, for ages,” says Garry. “And then someone on TMS referred to footwork in response to spin. That sounds valid (pro tennis players take many more steps than amateurs before hitting a ball, for example) Is there scope to apply the kind of analysis that is going from baseball, to football, to cricket? Wotchafink?”
I fink (in the nicest possible way) you’ve been in a coma for a decade. It happens loads. If you want to read all about it, Tim Wigmore is particularly good on the subject.
21st over: England 63-2 (Bairstow 18, Root 40) “Rob,” says John Starbuck. “If we’re spared, we all have a tendency to reminisce about the greats of yesteryear. I well remember me and Dad debating the shocking revelation that Geoffrey Boycott was walking out to bat with Bob Barber and his sleeves were rolled up. This was A Very Big Deal, and innocent in the extreme.”
ROOT IS NOT OUT It was missing off stump by a fair way. Sri Lanka lose a review.
SRI LANKA REVIEW AGAINST ROOT Perera has an unsuccessful LBW appeal against Root, who offered no stroke to a sharply spinning offbreak. Sri Lanka go for the review, probably because it’s Root. I suspect he’ll be okay.
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20th over: England 60-2 (Bairstow 17, Root 38) Root sweeps three more boundaries off Mendis. The first two were orthodox, dragged round the corner, while the third was reverse-swept past short third man. The second brought a big and essentially ludicrous LBW appeal from Mendis and Dickwella; replays confirmed that it came off the bottom of the bat. Root is playing brilliantly, with such purpose and authority, and has reaced to 38 from 46 balls.
19th over: England 47-2 (Bairstow 17, Root 25) Bairstow plonks his front foot down and sweeps Perera forcefully through square leg for four. This has been a smart, resourceful and positive partnership - 42 in 11.5 overs.
18th over: England 43-2 (Bairstow 13, Root 25) The debutant offspinner Ramesh Mendis replaces Embuldeniya, who bowled a classy spell of 8-3-16-2. Root has a few sighters and then sweeps round the corner for four, another fine shot. He looks in great nick.
“He was famous for missing his deadlines, Douglas Adams,” says Emma John. “There was a really wonderful radio tribute to him after his death from all the people who’d worked with him, and his producers/editors talked about how he would literally spend months agonising over a single chapter and then somehow, when the deadline hit, rush the entirety of the rest out in a week or something. An example to us all, or at least, very much an inspiration to me right now.”
He was good at killing time on email too. (On that note, this is a bit odd.)
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17th over: England 37-2 (Bairstow 12, Root 20) The offspinner Dilruwan Perera replaces Asitha Fernando, who bowled a short spell of 3-1-11-0. Bairstow starts nervously, missing a cut and then dragging a drive back onto his pads, and Dickwella’s mouth is well and truly open behind the stumps. This is excellent stuff, a serious test of England’s improving Test team.
“Morning Rob,” says Stephen Cottrell. “I have just had an insight into the inherent bias towards Partridgean anachronism in sports commentary. Hearing Sir Ali Cook on TMS citing Michael Clarke as an example of a batsman using his feet against spinners seemed a little quaint and passé - five years down the line if he’s still taking about Clarke, Sehwag and others of his vintage as examples then it’ll sound very UB40/def Leppard, but eventually, 20 years down the line, it sounds distinguished - like Ian Chappell talking about Clive Lloyd and Sunil Gavaskar. I think I can get a thesis out of that, or at least a nice title.”
16th over: England 37-2 (Bairstow 12, Root 20) England should be able to bat time on this pitch, certainly in the first innings, but the pace of scoring could be a problem as it is pretty slow. I think they’re in a peedie bit of trouble. Time for drinks.
“Two pieces of (entirely unsolicited) advice for Emma John,” says Matt Dony. “First, if she’s looking for a twist ending for a cricket book, then maybe wrap it up with ‘The Buttler did it.’ Secondly, a reminder of the great Douglas Adams quote; ‘I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”
I suspect the enjoyment of the whooshing sound was directly related to the fact he was DOUGLAS BLOODY ADAMS.
15th over: England 35-2 (Bairstow 11, Root 19) Root tickles Fernando off the pads for four. It wasn’t far away from Dickwella, who dived low to his left but couldn’t reach it. One advantage of having Jonny Bairstow at No3, since you asked, is that he bats very well with Root. They’ve had six hundred partnerships together in Tests, and - last week notwithstanding - run brilliantly between the wickets.
14th over: England 28-2 (Bairstow 10, Root 13) Root is sweeping merrily, as he did in the first Test. He and Bairstow have restored a bit of order after England’s difficult start.
13th over: England 25-2 (Bairstow 10, Root 10) Bairstow is beaten, pushing at a Fernando awayswinger. Any wickets that fall to the seamers will be a bonus for Sri Lanka, which is a strange thing to say given England’s quick bowlers took all 10. Bairstow gets his second boundary later in the over with a crisp forcing shot past backward point.
12th over: England 21-2 (Bairstow 6, Root 10) An escape for Bairstow, who tries to muscle Embuldeniya to leg and gets a leading edge that flies just wide of the bowler. Root is then hit in the grille when trying to sweep. Embuldeniya is bowling beautifully and looks approximately 427,000 times more threatening than England’s spinners did during Sri Lanka’s innings.
“Morning Rob!” says Felix Wood. “Are we not a teensy bit worried about how reliant England are on the old guard? I get that Bess and Leach are new to Test cricket, but they’ve looked unable to threaten or hold an end. Curran is the Dominic Cork de nos jours. And Root is fairly stand out in the batting. I realise that with Archer and Stokes to come back the side looks a bit better, but I do fear for the bowlers mentioned above in India and Australia, and what that means for the likelihood of the quicks being bowled into the ground as a result.”
I’d cut the spinners a bit of slack – Bess because of his age, Leach because of his rust. I think Leach is a pretty solid bowler, the best we have. Spin bowling is a problem, though. When England won in India in 2012-13 they had Swann and Panesar, a great spinner and an extremely good one. None of today’s spinners are in that class.
11th over: England 18-2 (Bairstow 5, Root 8) Asitha Fernando replaces Lakmal (5-2-10-0). I thought Perera would come on at this end, but maybe Root’s confident start against spin has changed Dinesh Chandimal’s mind. If so, the decision has had the desired short-term effect: Root plays out a maiden.
10th over: England 18-2 (Bairstow 5, Root 8) Root reaches outside off stump to sweep Embuldeniya fiercely through midwicket for four. Superb shot. His batting looks in such good order just now.
“And to think the English spinners hardly created any trouble for the batsmen at all,” says Shreyas Das. “Tough times ahead.”
Define ‘ahead’.
9th over: England 13-2 (Bairstow 5, Root 3) Joe Root has made a busy start. Three singles from seven balls isn’t a lot - it’s three singles from seven balls - but it is the first change of tempo and intent. Bairstow is usually proactive too, and he gets his first boundary by flicking Lakmal through square leg with the minimum of fuss.
“Hello!” says Emma John. “Hope you’re having a nice morning. I have no cricket insights, I just wanted to say hi. Been up since 6.30am working on the last few chapters of my book, it’s deadline day so I have to get it all finished (and actually come up with an ending). Also I have disappointingly run out of yoghurt and bread and so am having a breakfast of bourbon biscuits. PS you see it’s very hard to get on with my work when this is happening.”
I was relieved to see the word ‘biscuits’. At first I thought you’d taken the pressure of deadline day and/or the absence of yoghurt and bread very badly.
8th over: England 8-2 (Bairstow 1, Root 2) In all three innings of this series, Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley have been dismissed in single figures by Embuldeniya. Crawley’s defensive shot did have a bit of curtain rail about it, but it was still a very good bit of bowling from Embuldeniya.
“Poor Sibley has made 4, 2 and 0,” writes OBO maestro Tim de Lisle, “so in his next innings we can be fairly sure he’ll get minus 2.”
And Crawley has made 9, 8 and 5, so I think he’s on for a duck next time. Max Fischer will confirm.
WICKET! England 5-2 (Crawley c Thirimanne b Embuldeniya 5)
Yeah, England are well and truly in the malodorous stuff. Crawley pushes defensively at a fine delivery that straightens sharply to take the edge, and Thirimanne takes a comfortable catch at slip.
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7th over: England 5-1 (Crawley 5, Bairstow 0) Another quiet over from Lakmal, who is bowling almost everything in Geoff Boycott’s corridor. I doubt it will be long before we see Dilruwan Perera at this end.
“Hurrah!” says John Starbuck. “The Gimp is back (in the second over) but not with his mask. In these times, is that wholly wise?”
You say that, but don’t those masks have mouth holes for t- no, let’s not do this.
6th over: England 4-1 (Crawley 4, Bairstow 0) That’s six runs in three innings for Sibley - and, crucially, he has fallen to the left-arm spin of Embuldeniya on each occasion. There is some good news in that Ravi Jadeja could be out of the upcoming series in India, but his problems with left-arm spin are a worry.
Bairstow almost goes for a duck as well, edging Embuldeniya just short of gully. Scoreboard pressure + Embuldeniya = oh dear.
WICKET! England 4-1 (Sibley LBW b Embuldeniya 0)
Dom Sibley goes for a duck! He went right back to a delivery that skidded on to hit the flap of the pad in front of middle and leg. It was given out on the field and, though Sibley reviewed, replays showed it was hitting the bails. England lose a review, and an opener.
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5th over: England 4-0 (Crawley 4, Sibley 0) Crawley gets off the mark with an elegant, disdainful pull stroke for four off Lakmal. On Sky, Bumble cites the pulling of Michael Vaughan in Australia - the exact point made by Wisden.com alumnus Jonathan Hungin this time last year. Crawley has the perfect game to make runs in Australia.
“It’s probably fantastical,” says Niall Mullen, “but is Murali too far in the distance?”
Well, look, I’d probably need to get a call-up before my 50th birthday, but I have been turning it in the back g- oh, you mean Jimmy Anderson. I’d say it’s almost impossible, though I quite fancy him to overtake Shane Warne.
4th over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) Sibley blocks his way through another over from Embuldeniya. It’s been a (very) slow but sensible start from England.
“Is this the start of some kind of valedictory lap from Anderson, righting the (few) wrongs of his career?” says Matt Dony. “‘Well, I’ve never really monstered a Test in Sri Lanka. Better take a bunch of wickets.’ And, through skill and will, he’s done it. Ridiculous.”
He’s 38 years old. It’s not normal, this. In this series he’s taken six wickets at an average of 6.66. If I could be bothered, I’d tap my nose.
3rd over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) Crawley is beaten by a wide delivery from Lakmal that keeps slightly low. Another maiden, the third in a row, and you know what that means.
2nd over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) Lasith Embuldeniya, who dismissed England’s openers in both innings of the first Test, unsurprisingly shares the new ball. He has a slip and short leg for Sibley. There shouldn’t be much spin at that stage, so the threat is psychological more than anything. Sibley ignores the Chimp, Gimp or whatever you call the voice in your head, and plays out another maiden.
“After THAT set of figures, can we please knock all this ‘Jimmy is past it’ talk on the head,” says Nico Bentley. “The man will be able to come off five paces when he is 58 and still walk into any county side. Line and length, line and length. Long may he continue.”
Was there any such talk? If so, it didn’t reach me –I’ve only really heard excitement at the prospect of him taking Test wickets in his forties.
1st over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) The returning Suranga Lakmal will open the bowling. Chaminda Vaas is the only fast bowler to take more Test wickets for Sri Lanka, so he knows which end to hold the ball. There’s some gentle outswing to Crawley, who watches a couple of deliveries go by and then blocks the straight ones. A maiden.
“Last time England’s seamers got all 10 wickets in Sri Lanka it was a nod to football with a 4-4-2 share,” says Phil Russell. “With it being 6-3-1 this time I’m wondering if it is a specific nod to Steve Bruce?”
Arf. If so, aren’t they a week too late?
“Good morning Rob!” says Jack Green. “I find it strange no one ever mentions having a different balance to the team. The best England team of my lifetime was the Strauss era with Bell @ 6, Prior 7, a spinner and 3 x pace. We will get destroyed by both India & Australia if we don’t get huge runs and that’s very difficult with your keeper @ 6. Scoreboard pressure gets wickets and so whilst with Stokes we can have a fifth bowler that bats in the top 6, when he is not available I would always replace him with a batsmen. With five batsmen we are relying on a miracle innings like Root’s last week but that doesn’t happen often enough to consistently win against the best teams. First Test v India: Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Root, Stokes, Lawrence, Foakes, Ali, Broad, Archer, Anderson.”
The difference with the Strauss team is that Swann was a great spinner. I don’t think you could risk it with any of the current group, even allowing for Root as a fifth bowler. That said, I would be tempted to have five bowlers (inc Stokes) in India. I suspect they’ll go with six in most games though – Broad or Anderson, Mr Speed, Stokes, two spinners and then, depending on conditions, a third spinner or a third seamer.
Teatime reading
Tea
That’s tea. James Anderson leads the England team off, with the ball in his hand and absurd figures of 29-13-40-6 on the scorecard.
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WICKET! Sri Lanka 381 all out (Dilruwan c Leach b Curran 67)
Perera hooks Curran towards deep backward square leg, where Leach takes an excellent running catch. That was a beautifully judged innings by Perera, which has taken Sri Lanka to a really useful score. And for the first time since 7 March 2001, the seamers have taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings in Sri Lanka: Anderson six, Wood three and Curran one.
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139th over: Sri Lanka 377-9 (Dilruwan 63, Fernando 0) This is Wood’s 28th over, which registers highly on the hardyakkometer. Dilruwan sees off another over and steers an easy single off the last delivery to keep strike.
“This is so beautifully poised Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “A flat track, Sri Lanka building a lead they hope could win the game (possibly 50-75 short), England’s pace bowlers weighing in - and for all Jimmy’s beauty I’m so chuffed for Mark Wood - as if to say to our spinners ‘your turn next innings’, then our batsmen having to reckon with a pitch that’ll need big runs before it crumbles. Our opening pair especially will want to make their mark after the first test. All results are still on, and this is the best game in the world.”
It’s Saturday, I’ve been up since 6am, it’s freezing in my office, and you come at me with this… this joie de vivre? Shame on you.
138th over: Sri Lanka 376-9 (Dilruwan 62, Fernando 0) A harmless over from Sam Curran. He had a fine time in Sri Lanka two winters ago, certainly with the bat, but this series has been slightly sobering: no runs, two wickets. The more we see him, the less we know about his Test future.
“Morning, Rob,” says Smylers. “Your potential England lower order for India (133rd over) suffers somewhat from Mark Wood having to bat at nine from his home in Ashington, where he’s returning after this Test match. Maybe Jofra Archer instead?”
Yes, that’s him. Or Stone. THE QUICK ONE, OKAY.
137th over: Sri Lanka 375-9 (Dilruwan 61, Fernando 0) The admirable Wood continues. He has gone into one-day mode too, and hoodwinks Perera with a deliberate slower bouncer. Perera turns down a couple of singles early in the over and then squeezes a wide yorker to third man for four. He’s played jolly well for a No8, and will keep the strike by virture of a single off the last ball.
Since you asked, it’s 20 years since all ten wickets fell to the seamers in a Test innings in Sri Lanka. England were bowling then as well, and even managed a nod to football with a 4-4-2 formation: Darren Gough (4), Andy Caddick (4) and Craig White (2) did the necessary at Kandy in 2000-01. It’s never happened in Galle though.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “So, James Anderson has taken over 100 Test wickets at 20 since turning 35, gets to travel the world doing something he loves, is universally admired by his teammates and the public, and is extremely fit and handsome. But is he happy?”
136th over: Sri Lanka 369-9 (Dilruwan 56, Fernando 0) Bess won’t get to bowl to Fernando, because he’s been replaced by Sam Curran. Fernando is a rank No11, with a Test average of two, but he defends carefully and survives the over.
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135th over: Sri Lanka 369-9 (Dilruwan 56, Fernando 0) Dilruwan has gone into one-day mode. He flicks Wood extravagantly round the corner for four, but Wood does well to deny him a single towards the end of the over. That means Bess will get to bowl at the No11 Fernando.
“Durif is indeed a lesser-known Australian wine,” says Richard Speed, “but it’s not normally called ‘elegant’. It’s a wine often associated with a disturbingly bad next morning, so possibly very similar to the effect of Anderson.”
Surely it should be named after another great English swing bowler, Lord Beefy (see the penultimate paragraph)?
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134th over: Sri Lanka 365-9 (Dilruwan 52, Fernando 0) Dilruwan is dropped by Bess, a sharp return chance between his legs. That’s all she wrote.
“Morning Rob,” says Brian Withington. “An idle thought prompted by discussion of the inevitable deterioration of the wicket - what exactly causes it? Prolonged exposure to sunlight without watering; progressive toll of bouncing leather balls; entropy?! Discuss.”
Funnily enough, we anticipated this question 18 years ago.
133rd over: Sri Lanka 364-9 (Dilruwan 51, Fernando 0) “I believe England may regret not playing Broad with Anderson at the expense of one of the spinners (Root could have bowled 15 overs),” says Ian Wilson. “Anderson could end up with eight wickets and Broad would have been more effective than both Curran and Wood; they can get their rest on the Indian leg of the tour rather than this two-Test jaunt.”
I suspect they’ll need both spinners (and Root) in the second innings. There is an argument for playing Broad and Anderson together in some Tests in the subcontinent - but it’s tricky because, all things being equal, they’ll need two spinners, a fast bowler and a bowler who can bat No7. If Moeen plays in India, which he surely will, they could maybe have a lower order of Buttler/Foakes, Moeen, Leach, Wood, Broad, Anderson. I’m not sure; I’d probably stick to playing one or the other this winter. That said, I have a hunch both will start the Ashes next winter.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 364-9 (Embuldeniya c Root b Wood 7)
A third wicket for Mark Wood. Embuldeniya fishes outside off stump at a sharp delivery, and Root takes a smart catch at first slip. Wood roars with delight, then realises he is too weary to do any more celebrating.
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132nd over: Sri Lanka 363-8 (Dilruwan 50, Embuldeniya 7) Bess replaces Leach and bowls a maiden to Embuldeniya. Well done him.
“It seems to me that Anderson should be treated like a fine red wine who simply gets better with age,” says Colum. “A Barolo, a Burgundy or a Taurasi, which is the local austere red here in Campania, southern Italy. I just googled to see if there was a wine in his honour and came across two Anderson Wineries in the US of A and Australia. The motto of the Anderson Winery in Indiana is ‘where patience, time and quality come together’ which I think is a fitting epithet for our Jimmy, I mean James. The Anderson winery in East Victoria boasts a Storyteller Durif (a lesser-known red) which has a degree of elegance and class (so perhaps Anderson at the outset of his career).”
I’m surprised they didn’t call it the Ljungberg.
131st over: Sri Lanka 363-8 (Dilruwan 50, Embuldeniya 7) A terrific yorker from Wood is well blocked by Dilruwan Perera, who then flicks a boundary round the corner to bring up a superb fifty from 134 balls. Five fours, one six and a whole lotta commonsense.
“Modern medicine,” says Niall Mullen, “has long since dismissed the practice of applying a Leach as a cure for the runs.”
130th over: Sri Lanka 359-8 (Dilruwan 46, Embuldeniya 7) Embuldeniya is fine. In fact I think the ball him him on the shoulder. Leach continues, still looking in vain for his first wicket; he and Dom Bess have combined figures of 62-6-194-0. In one sense that is good news for England, who will hope they can score plenty of first-innings runs off Sri Lanka’s spinners before the pitch goes rogue.
129th over: Sri Lanka 356-8 (Dilruwan 44, Embuldeniya 6) This has been an excellent innings from Dilruwan Perera - not just the runs (44) but also the balls (128), which has allowed the pitch to wear a little more. I don’t think it’s going to age as well as James Anderson. Wood’s over ends with a bouncer that clangs into Embuldeniya’s helmet, so there will be a break in play while he is assessed.
128th over: Sri Lanka 353-8 (Dilruwan 41, Embuldeniya 6) Embuldeniya gets off the mark in style, carting a slog sweep for six off Leach. That takes Sri Lanka past 350, which most observers think is a par score. I think they’re in a really strong position, assuming the pitch deteriorates.
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Meanwhile, this is a brilliant piece from one of the world’s finest cricket writers.
How I learnt to stop worrying and like (this) India (side) https://t.co/HuYSHuFDHZ
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) January 22, 2021
127th over: Sri Lanka 346-8 (Dilruwan 40, Embuldeniya 0) Mark Wood replaces Anderson, who has those despicable figures of 29-13-40-6, and beats a flat-footed Embuldeniya with a lovely delivery that leaves him from round the wicket. A maiden.
“Welcome back,” says John Starbuck. “The longer this goes on, the higher the chances of a draw (which England would’ve taken if asked this morning).”
Nobody knows anything when it comes to pitches, but I don’t think it’ll be a draw - local experts like Mahela Jayawardene expect this pitch to crumble on day four. It could be a 370/410/150/buttock-clenching case of 111 kind of game.
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Thanks Adam, morning everyone. Shall we start with a stat? Since turning 35, the retirement age for fast bowlers, James Anderson has taken 126 Test wickets at an average of 20.47. To be honest, I’m getting a bit sick of him disrespecting the ageing process.
126th over: Sri Lanka 346-8 (Dilruwan 40, Embuldeniya 0) Leach is doing all he can to get himself into the book, in at Dilruwan who he (probably) had out earlier in the session. He’s nice and consistent from around the wicket, really giving it a rip. But the right-hander is up to the task, safely defending his way through a maiden. With that it is both drinks and time for me to hand over to the master of the over-by-over genre, the great Rob Smyth. Have fun. Back with you tomorrow!
125th over: Sri Lanka 346-8 (Dilruwan 40, Embuldeniya 0) The same pattern: Dilruwan is happy enough taking a single from the third ball. Anderson around the wicket at Embuldeniya - it’s a good match-up. But it doesn’t go the way of the Englishman, the left-hander once again swinging and missing at a temper to finish.
“We all know Anderson is a great swing bowler,” writes Dean Kinsella. “But he’s no good away from English conditions.” Even this morning on twitter I was seeing a bit of this from cranks who will never accept any other reality. Bless them all.
124th over: Sri Lanka 345-8 (Dilruwan 39, Embuldeniya 0) Leach’s turn to get three cracks at Embuldeniya, albeit after Dilruwan swept him for four earlier in the over. Now there are men around the bat for him, three of them - two on the legside, coming over the wicket at his fellow left-hander. And he gets through it safely. Back to Anderson, for what presumably will be his sixth and final over of the spell.
123rd over: Sri Lanka 340-8 (Dilruwan 34, Embuldeniya 0) Dilruwan gives the strike away with half an over to go. How will Embuldeniya go against Jimmy, who probably only has nine balls left in this spell? Ooh, beaten on the inside edge to begin - not far away at all, into the pads. Now leaves. “Likes to be called James instead of Jimmy,” says one of the commentators on TV, who has suuuurely been wound up? Anyway, one ball to go and he has a swing and a miss outside off! Close.
“Jimmy Anderson has been playing test cricket for just shy of 18 years yet seems to get better as he ages,” says Phil Withall. “A freak for a fast bowler.” True, that.
And Brian Withington on the same theme: “This is surely turning in to one of the great 5 fers on a wicket offering so little to the seamers. Shame for Dickwella but almost an honour to be prised out by the cunning old dog.” Let’s dream of eight.
122nd over: Sri Lanka 339-8 (Dilruwan 33, Embuldeniya 0) Dilruwan isn’t going to mess around now the tail are with him, dancing at Leach and launching him inside out over extra cover for SIX! He’s been better than the 0/100+ he’s on track to recording, especially since lunch, but that’s the game. But for those of us who like big, fat bags of wickets, he has done his job by leaving two on the shelf for Jimmy.
🌟 FIVE FOR ANDERSON! 🌟
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 23, 2021
A 30th five-wicket haul for the England legend in Test cricket as Dickwella slashes to Leach at wide mid-off to fall for 92 🏏
Sri Lanka 332-7 #SLvENG 🇱🇰🏴
📺 Watch 👉 https://t.co/bT0CP9Q8No
📱 Live blog 👉 https://t.co/thLvSDgcvt pic.twitter.com/N9Gk5hrCCG
WICKET! Lakmal c Crawley b Anderson 0 (Sri Lanka 332-8)
Anderson has six! Two in the over! Lakmal earns a second ball duck after playing with hard hands and no footwork, gifting a catch to Crawley in the gully. Just when Sri Lanka were in a strong position to control the game, they are now staring down the barrel of a below-par score on the flattest possible track. Poor cricket.
121st over: Sri Lanka 332-8 (Dilruwan 26) Double wicket maiden. Anderson: 27-13-38-6
Updated
WICKET! Dickwella c Leach b Anderson 92 (Sri Lanka 332-7)
Goodness me! Why did he do that? Dickwella, eight away from a maiden ton, has a pop at Jimmy’s wide one, on the up, and slaps a catch to Leach at cover. Anderson has his 30th five-wicket bag in Tests. But how did Dickwella fall for that? Oh no.
Updated
120th over: Sri Lanka 332-6 (Dickwella 92, Dilruwan 26) Dickwella laps early and laps well, getting off strike from the first ball of Leach’s fresh set. Back to Dilruwan, who the spinner should have dismissed just moments ago, around the wicket with a slip. Nice flight again here, pitching it up. “He’s found a decent rhythm,” adds Mark Butcher. Of course, after pumping him up, he drops a short ball in at the right-hander, who steers it away with ease behind point for four. That’ll sting.
119th over: Sri Lanka 327-6 (Dickwella 91, Dilruwan 22) Dickwella into the 90s for the first time in Test cricket after passing 50 on 15 occasions before today. “He’ll seldom get a better chance,” says Mark Butcher on TV. “Against a tiring attack on a hot day on an absolute belter.” Oh, and guess what? Dilruwan did glove the Leach delivery in the previous over. Based on Snicko, it would have been overturned!
Dickwella was dismissed to two balls in a similar area in the first Test. In this innings, he has been more watchful, leaving balls in the region that had previously caused him problems. #SLvEng pic.twitter.com/Ne1OZLgOuH
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 23, 2021
118th over: Sri Lanka 324-6 (Dickwella 88, Dilruwan 22) The call is Joe Root’s again: did Dilruwan glove a beauty from Leach? It’s given not out on the field and... they are not throwing it upstairs for a second look. The extent to which that decision was informed by the shocking review in his previous over? That shout looked to have more going for it; I’m sure we’ll get a look at the technology at some stage thanks to the TV broadcasters. Leach has been more dangerous since lunch.
I miss this. Joe Root’s review gesture leaves much to be desired #SLvsENG pic.twitter.com/K2aFXWovZ3
— Anna Forsyth (@aforsyth03) January 23, 2021
117th over: Sri Lanka 323-6 (Dickwella 87, Dilruwan 22) Anderson to Dickwella: an important exchange to determine which team will be best placed to dictate terms as we get deeper into this second day. He gets off strike halfway through the over though, easing behind point with soft hands again; going very nicely. Dilruwan’s turn and he’s savvy enough to only shoulder arms and defend - no risks required.
116th over: Sri Lanka 322-6 (Dickwella 86, Dilruwan 22) I suppose England had all three reviews in their backpocket and Jos Buttler was keen on another look. I can’t wait for this third review to be junked when we’re through these temporary Covid-19 playing conditions. To recap: because of home umpires, an extra review was thrown in to safeguard against misguided suggestions of bias. Having just covered the best Test series in Australia for decades, overseen by three superb home umpires, it would be a travesty if they can’t officiate Tests over here again. The teams definitely don’t need a third review to burn to verify their integrity.
NOT OUT! Yep, that’s a stinker. Pitched outside leg by a long way. Very odd.
HAS LEACH TRAPPED DICKWELLA LBW? It is given not out and looks like it has both pitched outside leg and drifted down leg but... here we go anyway. Stand by.
115th over: Sri Lanka 319-6 (Dickwella 84, Dilruwan 21) Naturally, it’s Jimmy Anderson starting the session from the Fort End. Leach has done his job, so it’s Dickwella - the big wicket - on strike to the champion. Over the wicket, he has a slip and a catching cover. But that’s a lovely shot first up, using the angle to time him behind point just wide of the gully for a boundary. Into the 80s he moves; this is now his highest Test score. The job is far from done though - he has to take it to the next level today and keep England out there until at least the tea break.
114th over: Sri Lanka 314-6 (Dickwella 79, Dilruwan 21) A good start from Leach to Dilruwan after Dickwella takes one to midwicket from the first ball of the session. At the right-hander, he’s drifting it in nicely, bringing him forward. No catching men under the lid though, so he’s able to lunge without risk. Sorry in advance: I will keep going on about this while Leach/Bess are bowling with just a slip.
The players are back on the field. It’s Leach to continue his spell, starting at Dickwella. The partnership he’s put together with Dilruwan is worth 70. PLAY!
Good morning to those waking up. This feels like the right time for most of our audience to be joining on a Saturday morning, lockdown or otherwise. To bring you up to speed: England had a super start with two wickets inside the first 20 minutes (including Mathews, for 110) but Sri Lanka did nicely from then until the lunch break, with Dickwella 22 runs away from his maiden Test ton. And check out Jimmy’s bowling figures: 23-13-29-4. He’ll be back on straight after lunch, I’m sure.
On This Day in 1999. An international incident of sorts between these nations at Adelaide Oval. But really, it didn’t have anything to do with England and everything to do with the ego of Umpire Ross Emerson. Not a good day.
Truly bad cricket scenes, disgraceful stuff
— Rob Moody (@robelinda2) January 23, 2021
On this day in 1999....Australian cricket umpires continued to cause controversy when Muralitharan was involved.....
Ranatunga taking absolutely no sh*t from Ross Emerson pic.twitter.com/H8uPsvDDjQ
Lunchtime/breakfast listening. Geoff Lemon and I have had a signficant response to our conversation with Marcus Stoinis on The Final Word podcast this week. The Australian all-rounder told us the moving story of his father’s illness and passing.
Geoff and I never anticipated that this would be the topic of our interview with Marcus Stoinis but, as we soon realised, to understand the man and cricketer, the tender story of his dad's long illness and passing informs everything else. https://t.co/ESXGth2sEO pic.twitter.com/P1J5ex3hkn
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) January 20, 2021
Two wickets and 84 runs in the session. Sri Lanka lost wickets in the second and fifth overs this morning, Anderson immediately picking up yesterday’s century maker with nice bit of inswing (and an excellent review). When Wood ended Ramesh Mendis’ debut innings before scoring down the legside, the good work from the hosts yesterday was coming undone. However, Dickwella (78*) was never diverted from his plan to score whenever he had a bit of width with Dilruwan (21*) using his feet nicely to the spinners in support. The pair have put on 70 to date, the wicketkeeper well placed to collect his first Test ton after the lunch break.
LUNCH: Sri Lanka 313-6
113th over: Sri Lanka 313-6 (Dickwella 78, Dilruwan 21) Curran wasn’t far away from Dickwella’s woodwork with final ball of his previous over - how will he play this before lunch? A bouncer to begin, pulled away nicely for one. So, that contest is over for now. Dilruwan’s turn, defending then ducking. Nothing wrong with that. “There’s no time pressure whatsoever,” says Simon Doull on TV and he’s spot on, with Sri Lanka giving themselves the chance to bowl when the pitch is going to suit their spinners best. One last bumper before lunch, ducked again. It’s to the left-armer’s credit that he’s coming to this with a plan, it must be said. And lunch.
Updated
112th over: Sri Lanka 312-6 (Dickwella 77, Dilruwan 21) Nup, it’ll be Leach. With three minutes on the clock, this is likely to be the last before lunch... which means slow it down with players around the bat, right? Hmm, seemingly not - just the slip, field spread, rushing. Nothing much wrong with Leach’s radar or angle at Diulruwan around the cricket but he hasn’t many routes to a wicket other than finding an edge, hitting a pad or going through the gate. A single is on offer around the corner, which is accepted. Dickwella’s turn with one ball to go and 60 seconds left, so they will get another one in, the left-hander keeping the strike after using his feet and driving down to long-on. He’s had a super morning for Sri Lanka.
111th over: Sri Lanka 310-6 (Dickwella 76, Dilruwan 20) It’s always a good scrap when Curran is involved, sending down a skiddy bouncer at Dickwella who takes him on with a hook, getting it fine enough for four. He goes upstairs again straight away again, pulling two more into the gap this time. Wood for one before lunch?
110th over: Sri Lanka 302-6 (Dickwella 68, Dilruwan 20) Leach continues with Bess replaced, the left-armer through with just one single added, Dickwella placing a full ball down the ground for one. Maidens have been a problem for England’s spinner so far, sending down five of them across 52 overs. Not enough.
“Morning Adam.” And to you, Brian Withington. Indeed, good morning to everyone who has woken up over the last little while. The news is that England picked up a couple of wickets in a couple of overs inside the first quarter of an hour but it has been smooth sailing for the hosts thereafter with ten minutes till lunch.
“Good to see you back where you belong. Sorry not to have been rugged enough to be with you from the off today. In my defence, our weekly poker session via Zoom and BetPoker (other platforms available) contained more than the usual heartbreak, including accidentally folding pocket Kings when about to win a monster hand. Not sure of the segue to the cricket action, although I expect someone can find one.” I’m sure they will, my friend. Nice to have you here.
109th over: Sri Lanka 301-6 (Dickwella 67, Dilruwan 20) Right, it will be seam, via Sam Curran, the man who started the day for England. He has a fly flip for Dickwella, a leg gully and a conventional gully - unorthodox. The short ball on the hip won’t be troubling the set left-hander though, pulling an easy single. Dilruwan’s turn, getting in behind the left-armer’s wide of the crease attack.
108th over: Sri Lanka 300-6 (Dickwella 66, Dilruwan 20) Well, there’s the 300 for Sri Lanka, brought up with a Dickwella single to long-on, where there’s a sweeper. This is drifting for England with the spinners in operation. Leach gets one to bite at Dilruwan in this over, beating his edge, but the risk profile for the Sri Lankan batsmen isn’t too high at the with just a slip in close catching. Back to Jimmy?
107th over: Sri Lanka 298-6 (Dickwella 65, Dilruwan 19) The 50 partnership is up from 87 balls, via one to deep point. They needed this - a fine partnership so far. Another single to deep backward square now, Dilruran unable to properly put away a short ball. Dickwella can though! That’s almost a slog-sweep, backing himself against the spin, down on one knee and spanking the off-break through the vacant midwicket region. Great stuff, and not a lot of risk even if he miscues.
Updated
106th over: Sri Lanka 292-6 (Dickwella 60, Dilruwan 18) Tidier from Leach, with plenty of protection around what could be called the one-day fielding circle.
105th over: Sri Lanka 289-6 (Dickwella 59, Dilruwan 16) Top edge... doesn’t go to hand. That’s Dickwella’s first meaningful false strike of the day, taking on Bess but it doesn’t carry to Leach at deep backward square. He’s back along the ground with one to extra cover later in the set, Dilruwan doing the rest in defence. The drone camera on the TV coverage has been getting a right work out in this series so far, delivering one beautiful Galle shot after another at the end of each over.
104th over: Sri Lanka 286-6 (Dickwella 56, Dilruwan 16) Dilruwan dances at Leach again, spanking him straight back over his head for four more! And once again, it’s from the first ball of the left-armer’s over. Attractive batting. He keeps his head too, turning the next one safely into the legside. Dickwella does likewise - an easy single to midwicket after stepping out of his crease. It’s difficult to build pressure without men around the bat - the field feels like Sri Lanka are 480/6 not 280/6.
103rd over: Sri Lanka 280-6 (Dickwella 55, Dilruwan 11) Dickwella busts out a powerful sweep for the first time today, thumping Bess in front of square for a boundary. Lovely stuff. A reminder than the 27-year-old has made it to 50 now 16 times in Test cricket but has never reached three figures, with a highest score of 83.
102nd over: Sri Lanka 274-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 10) Leach is into his groove now at Dilruwan around the wicket. Seems a touch defensive to me that he only has a slip but maybe that’s the way my brain is currently hardwired after watching Australila and India go at it for a month with close-in catchers used throughout.
101st over: Sri Lanka 274-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 10) Bess is a fraction short to Dilruwan - able to get back and use the crease to defend more often than not- but his line is good until one turns from middle stump, helped away for one.
100th over: Sri Lanka 273-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 9) Leach into the attack for the first time today and Dilruwan wants a piece of him, dancing and lofting over long-on for a once-bounce four. That’s what they call intent. There’s a couple more on offer with a late cut then a single in the same direction to finish. Sri Lanka have made it through 100 overs and this pair have put on 30 in 49 overs. Good batting.
Dickwella passes 50
99th over: Sri Lanka 266-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 2) First ball after drinks, Dickwella gets to raise his bat with a single down the ground off Dom Bess. He’s looked very tidy this morning, the milestone coming from his 95th delivery in the middle. Dilruwan does the rest in defence before pushing a single to finish.
Abhijato Sensarma is all over it with my request. “When you want a definitive list of cricketing quirks, Mr Collins, there’s no better place to look than in the Bible of cricket itself! A handy guide to the ways in which grounds in the UK have been utilised - from zebra exhibitions to holy preaching.” That was too easy!
98th over: Sri Lanka 264-6 (Dickwella 49, Dilruwan 1) Dickwella is doing a job here, pulling a couple to begin off Wood then playing with control and getting under the two bouncers as they come one after another. They need this to be the day when he cracks on for an important ton. Wood now oversteps, identified by the third umpire, and it is Dickwella taking on the next delivery, getting into position early enough to turn the ball fine for four. He then keeps the strike with a controlled pull shot for one. Drinks it is. England’s hour with the two wickets.
97th over: Sri Lanka 256-6 (Dickwella 42, Dilruwan 1) Bess, wicketless yesterday, gets his chance replacing Jimmy from the Fort End. Dickwella gives the strike straight to Dilruwan, who gets off the mark with a single behind square. Bowling with just one catching man at the left-hander - a slip. How about a short leg?
96th over: Sri Lanka 253-6 (Dickwella 40, Dilruwan 0) Wood is working on Dilruwan both full and short at pace - i.e. precisely what he is on this tour for.
Martin Coxhead is back to explain how you win a bull-riding competition. “Well, to win you seemingly have to stay on top of one and a half tonnes of angry beef on the bone for eight seconds, with both the rider and bull getting points for style and performance, like a meat-heavy Strictly Come Dancing. And one of the current riders is called Ryan Dirteater. Honestly.”
Come to think of it, this used to be part of the offering at Coffs Harbour cricket ground, where England’s women played two Ashes ODIs against Australia in 2017. Not quite Bramall Lane’s dual-purpose, but still impressive. Let’s try this on for size: what is the most bizarre alternative use a Test ground has enjoyed? Hit me.
95th over: Sri Lanka 253-6 (Dickwella 40, Dilruwan 0) Great point from Simon Doull on the telly, noting that Dom Bess’ athletic dive in the first over of the day on the point boundary didn’t only save a run but meant that Anderson got a chance at the start of the day to Mathews, which resulted in him taking his wicket within an over of the resumption at the Fort End. Back to Dickwella, who strokes his third boundary of the morning, a compact cover drive after getting to the pitch. Nice.
94th over: Sri Lanka 249-6 (Dickwella 36, Dilruwan 0) Shot. Dickwella driving again, through cover off Wood this time. But Root won’t mind that, nice and full bringing the stumps into play more often than not early in this spell. He’s hitting the radar up towards 90mph too - no mean feat in this part of the world.
93rd over: Sri Lanka 244-6 (Dickwella 31, Dilruwan 0) A rare run off Anderson, Dickwella tucking a single. He’s straight back on the mark to the new man Dilruwan, who has no choice but to defend then leave close to his off-stump.
BIG WICKET - ANDERSON AGAIN! 💥
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 23, 2021
Jimmy Anderson has his fourth, removing centurion Angelo Mathews after an inspired review!
SL 232-5 #SLvENG🇱🇰🏴
📺 Watch 👉 https://t.co/bT0CP9Q8No
📱 Live blog 👉 https://t.co/thLvSDgcvt pic.twitter.com/M0i0a7SRjM
WICKET! R Mendis c Buttler b Wood 0 (Sri Lanka 243-6)
What a catch by Buttler! Down the legside, the man on debut gets inside the line and clips Wood but too fine, the England ‘keeper leaping away to his left to to drag in a beauty. He new man bags a duck and England have two wickets in two overs.
92nd over: Sri Lanka 243-6 (Dickwella 30) It ended an otherwise handy over for the hosts, Dickwella on-driving the England quick for four. But they’re in strife now.
Updated
91st over: Sri Lanka 238-5 (Dickwella 25, R Mendis 0) Anderson to Ramesh Mendis, facing his first ball in Test cricket, and the 25-year-old gets bat on ball with a confident defensive stroke. He plays cautiously, leaving both full and short, allowing Jimmy to lodge another maiden. His figures are absurd: 21-12-24-4.
90th over: Sri Lanka 238-5 (Dickwella 25, R Mendis 0) Just to back over that dismissal, it was the perfect review for Root in many respects because had it not kissed the inside edge, there was a decent chance of it being given out leg before. The third umpire, it must be said, was a real chance of botching it. At one point, he told Kumar Dharmasena that he could “stay with his decision” despite having worked out that there was an edge on snicko. Anyway, he’s going to be a busy boy later in the Test Match, so let’s hope he improves from these early nerves. Back to Curran, who gives Dickwella the chance to cut a short ball to finish and he does so with ease, carving him behind point for the first boundary of the second morning.
“What a start,” writes Jonathan Kelly. “Was even worth the rum punch I’ve spilled all over my shorts and flip flops when I leaped for joy!” That’s commitment.
WICKET! Mathews c Buttler b Anderson 110 (Sri Lanka 232-5)
Outstanding from Anderson, beating Mathews three times in his first over with the inswinger, the third clipping the inside edge and deflecting off the front pad into the gloves of Buttler behind the wicket. The third umpire is having a dreadful time applying the technology but the correct decision is arrived at after Root reviews. Jimmy gets his fourth and it’s a huge one, Sri Lanka’s best player gone for 110.
89th over: Sri Lanka 232-5 (Dickwella 19)
Updated
88th over: Sri Lanka 232-4 (Mathews 110, Dickwella 19) Mathews defends the first few balls of the day; not a lot of venom as the left-armer works into it. The century-maker unfurls his arms to the next offering, a wider ball driven square towards the point rope, dragged back in at the last by Bess - three runs added for the hosts.
“The cricketing world at large surely hasn’t escaped from the clutches of the miracle at the Gabba,” says Abhijato Sensarma, plugging his blog in the process. We’ll allow it. “But a Sri Lanka v England match-up, that too in conditions which support both teams equally, has all the potential for being a blockbuster. The first few days of Test cricket are always a slow burn, with the stage being set for a tight finish or a tepid one. With both sides having admittedly fragile line-ups and the same quality of bowlers, we should theoretically be in for another rollicking day at the cricket!” Well said, young man. Let’s hope so.
The players are on the field. Mathews (107) and Dickwella (19) are ready to roll for the hosts with Slammin’ Sammy Curran to bowl the first over of the day. PLAY!
Jimmy is on TV. “When you have a bit of time off you always wonder if you can get straight back into things and I was really happy with my rhythm from ball one. When you come to Sri Lanka you don’t expect to bowl 19 overs but I was really happy with that. It is tiring being out there in this heat but that’s what we train for. So today is about putting that behind us and trying to get some breakthroughs in the morning. We kept ourselves in the game by keeping the run rate down so if we get a couple of early breakthroughs we’re definitely in the game.”
Russell Arnold is looking at the pitch on the coverage. He says identified a fair bit of rough but believes it is “very, very good” where the ball will mainly be pitching.
“Morning Adam.” Hello, Martin Coxhead. “First time I’ve been called a rugged individualist before. Currently watching Pro Bull Riding on the box before the cricket. Interestingly for such a ‘all-American’ sport the current champions all seem to be Brazilian.” Blimey, a fair contrast there! How do you... win?
John Parkinson is here with an important email. “I would like to apologise to all four of the other expats who may have been eagerly anticipating a full days uninterrupted TMS coverage apropos of the link sent yesterday. Nevertheless I do hope that the entire 30 minutes (or 7 overs in real money) of coverage that it did provide more than made up for any subsequent feelings of rage, anger and existential angst. It is in that spirit that I am pleased to provide today’s link with no guarantee that it will stretch beyond the first five overs.”
Well played, John. In Australia, the rights to this series are held by a sports betting agency. You couldn’t make it up. Welcome to the future - it’s a grim place.
Dialing in from Timor-Leste, it’s Robert Hammond. “Like you, it’s not such a struggle to be following England today from the first ball. It’s 1pm here, and I’m having to quarantine after moving for work, but following the cricket from my balcony with a beach-view makes up for it! It’s the rainy season, so even more humid (80%) than Galle, but I’d bet that Jimmy would still get top order wickets here.” A country I deeply regret not having visited as yet. Best of luck up there.
Now over to Sweden:
“Greetings Adam from a mildly nippy Stockholm suburb where the combination of a rattling headache and a cranky toddler have usurped my alarm clock,” writes Matthew Collins. “The sprog is back snoozing, the kettle is on and I’m looking forward to some more attritional cricket today. Jimmy’s eternal grace is as enticing as ever, each gliding delivery etched with a hint of melancholy for me, surely he can’t go on much longer and when he’s gone the game will be lesser for it. Mind you I’ve been thinking this for 5 years or so now. Is he man or android?!”
I’m certain he’s going to be in Australia in November. I’m also convinced he will be playing into his 40s if his body allows it. He’s craving more. Good on him!
And a theme is emerging here with the baby wake-ups...
“Our baby Dylan (not a nod to the great Bob Willis) has been having a bad night of sleep so I have selflessly stepped up to the plate and plonked us in front of the TV waiting for the day’s play to start,” reports Darrien Bold. “England unbeaten in 3 tests since he was born, but I would say that record is under threat here.”
Congratulations! What a streak. My baby girl (11.5 months) is having her afternoon nap in the room next to me. So, predicably, she’ll he kicking off the very moment the first ball is bowled and I need to sharpen my concentration.
Jonathan Kelly is with us. “I’m currently trapped in quarantine in Barbados (yes there are many worse places to be trapped). But I can’t leave my hotel room at all, my balcony is too hot to enjoy being outside so staying up late with the cricket with the sounds of the ocean is a glorious way to spend my time. As I’m travelling on my own and there’s no local coverage I’ll be following your coverage with eager anticipation.”
Great to have you here. Having logged 15 nights in Perth’s Hotel Quarantine back in December, I know the drill well. The key to it all: a rigid routine. If you can plug into a Test Match for five days, then you’re laughing. Good luck with it.
Philip Vial has bypassed tea, “expresso machine has done its job” instead - he’s considering a bacon sarnie. “I wasn’t going to get up, but I had to get up for a wee, and the dogs nabbed my side of the bed as soon as I did.” That’s the OBO spirit!
“It’s getting on for five in the afternoon here in Auckland,” writes Steve Perrin to get my inbox off the mark, “so I’m cracking a beer rather than putting the kettle on. Looking forward to the commentary. Go Jimmy.”
Delicious. In Melbourne, where I am at the moment, there isn’t a cloud in the sky as I look out over Collingwood with the door of the Birmingham Hotel no more than 50 metres away. Perfect afternoon pub weather. I considered taking the OBO to the front bar but that might be stretching the friendship with those locked down in the United Kingdom - where we return to in a couple of weeks, for the record.
Speaking of...
There are a few pubs at Galle Fort. One guy told me, last time England were here, the beer sale alone topped Rs. 1 million daily. That was the case with all other pubs apparently. This time, from auto driver to pineapple vendor to hoteliers all are feeling the pinch.
— Rex Clementine (@RexClementine) January 23, 2021
To catch up on yesterday, he’s Andy Bull on Jimmy’s performance so far - his fifth tour of Sri Lanka and 19th year in Test cricket. What a remarkable cricketer.
Preamble
How much do you want it? Enough to be with me for the preamble at about half past three on a cold British morning? Has it been enough to set an early alarm, safe in the knowledge that it’ll be Jimmy Anderson up against Angelo Mathews when play does resume, two titans of their respective cricketing nations? I hope so.
Good morning to every rugged individualist with me today. Where I am at the moment after the conclusion of the Australia/India epic, some 10,000 miles away, it is a sunny Saturday afternoon. But I couldn’t be more excited about returning to the OBO tools with Sri Lanka four down after batting conservatively after winning an important toss at Galle. They did as they must in a situation like that, putting overs into the legs of the visiting bowlers, in contrast to the first innings last week.
For England’s part, they return knowing that, due to the slow scoring rate, they are only a few wickets away from opening up the Test in their favour. To think that Jimmy - with 19-10-24-3; an absurd set of numbers - can still put in performances like this at age 38 is proof again that it’s foolish to believe he’s giving it away any time soon. It’ll be a tad concerning for Root that both of his finger spinners went wicketless, but they have time on their side to make amends through the week.
Mathews, meanwhile - what a guy. How long has been carrying this team around on his broad shoulders? For too long, probably. He’ll start again with 107 to his name from 228 deliveries, the punchy Niroshan Dickwella with him on 19.
As always, I’m looking forward to your company throughout the first half of the day. Have you sprung out of bed and popped the kettle on? Let me know.
