Sri Lanka v England 2nd Test Match Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Not too early for this is it? After their 'heroic' defeat last Thursday, England will need a win to tie the series and preserve their no.1 ranking while Sri Lanka need a win or tie to win the series.

England's preparations haven't been helped by the fact that Broad will miss out due to injury while Sri Lanka's have been boosted by the news that Mathews will return from injury. Cricinfo predicts the following line-ups with two changes for each team:

Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Lahiru Thirimanne, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jaywardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene, 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dhammila Prasad, 11 Suranga Lakmal.

England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Samit Patel, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steve Finn.

The pressure is really on Andrew Strauss, for his batting (justified) and his captaincy (unjustified). England's batsmen will also be feeling the heat as well - they haven't made over 400 so far this winter!

Keep an eye out for the rain, some is predicted on the first day. Game starts at 5:30 BST. Come on England!

[alfie]

Swannnnneeee !!!!!!!!

[mystiroakey]

now we are favs for the win again- the draw was becoming favourite for a while!!

[mystiroakey]

night watchman worked there lol

[msp83]

Wow!!. Swanny has done it again!!!. Yet another first over wicket in a new spel!!. How many times has he done it?????!!. May be England should now use him in 10 one over spels!!. Don't forget he'd have done it in the morning also, had Prior completed a not very dificult stumping!!!!.

[eirebilly]

I guess i am greedy but i would like to see one more wicket toay

[eirebilly]

Ha haaa, Swann bowls him

[ShahenshahG]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Dont forget theres still the all rounder and batsman keeper to come, Sri Lanka still have a strong chance of a draw.

[alfie]

Rather a timely wicket ... And now another one !

How it changes ...

[eirebilly]

One more over now. Can England get just one more today?

[msp83]

The crawl in the last hour is coming back to hit Lanka here,, They of course batted out the day, but not without much of a lead to talk about!!.

[dyrewolfe]

YES! Looks like my reverse jinx worked...for once...

[trebellbobaggins]

Jaya is still out there though. How do you remove him?

[alfie]

Dont forget theres still the all rounder and batsman keeper to come, Sri Lanka still have a strong chance of a draw.

Well yes , PSB , but those two and Mahela will have to bat at least half a day between them.

Could do it , but they would really have earned that draw

[msp83]

Can Anderson do it? One more?

[trebellbobaggins]

isn't The Angel Matthew pretty good too?

He plays like a saint. you won't get him out on this of all days.

[dyrewolfe]

Jaya is still out there though. How do you remove him?

You don't need to as long as you knock over the other 4.

[mystiroakey]

sweet !! happy now!

[alfie]

So : Sri Lanka finish at 33/6 with a day to play.

Not over , but I know who my money is on ...

[msp83]

So Sri Lanka leads by 33 with 4 2nd innings wickets remaining to go into the last day!.
Its very clearly advantage England, although Mathews and Mahela are still out there, and Prasanna is to come in next. a couple of early morning wickets, this should be all over for Sri Lanka pretty soon.
However if Mahela and Angelo can manage to see through the first hour or even the first session, then there is far greater chance of a draw.
Of England did collapse for 71 against Pakistan early this year, but I don't really see it happening again. So either an England win, or a hardfought draw for Sri Lanka that would give them the series.

[mystiroakey]

yep msp- sri lanka dont need to look past any game plan of getting a win- they have the series win with a draw!

all they will look to do is hang about!

[mystiroakey]

obviously still a very big ask!

[Barney92]

Ugh that was a poor end to the day . Hopefully Sri Lanka can bat out the first session tomorrow and a fair bit of the second. Jayawardene is definitely good enough to do it but I wonder about the others.

[msp83]

There would be people demanding dropping KP for not picking up a wicket the whole day today and for leaking runs big time,! but for the sensible, the day's play yet again highlights the value of his fantastic knock. Before he entered the stage, the England innings was just moving along at a pedestrian pace, KP in just over a session and a bit took them far away from the Lankan total, thereby providing the much needed time for the bowling unit to get into the Lankans on a track that is uneven, but not exactly a mindfield for the batters.

[Guest]

Well Swan's last over has swung the momentum strongly in Englands favour. I am not sure what Patel has brought to this match, his position must be up for review (no wickets).

[alfie]

You could say Patel has done a fifth bowlers job of keeping it tight for the strike bowlers to do the damage.

Monty would probably have been a little more likely to take a wicket I suppose , but he maybe wouldn't have added 29 runs when batting...

I don't expect either to play in the home Tests in the summer.

[msp83]

Although Samit Patel hasn't done anything special so far in the 2 tess, I think he has done enough to get at least a couple more opportunities. He picked up 2 very important wickets in the firt test when both of England's regular sppinners couldn't do much damage, and he scored a half-decent 29 here besides being pretty economical with the ball consistently. Don't think someone like Bopara could have been trusted with 15-20 overs the way it could be done with Patel.

[alfie]

I agree , msp

Patel has done enough here to justify his selection. It will keep him in the squad , but I do not think he will be selected over Taylor for the number six spot in England. Not at first anyway ...

[msp83]

Can James Taylor chip in with a few overs as well?
After all that I've heard about the young man, I am really waiting to see him in test action in the near future. But I think Samit Patel should get a few more games before a judgement is made on him. Afterall, the guy averages over 40 in county cricket, mostly in the first division, for a strong side that doesn't play their home matches on a flat road.
May be England should have given him more batting responsibility by putting him in at 6 above Matt Prior.

[Mike Selig]

Another intriguing day's cricket: this pitch doesn't seem to have deteriorated half as much as everyone thought it would. The odd ball turning but really no more than that. Not sure Panesar would have been much more of a threat than Patel TBH.

Those last 2 wickets are a huge bonus for England: don't forget Randiv hang around for a long time in the first innings.

On the other hand Sri Lanka still have 2 batsmen at the crease and another waiting. If they can get through the first hour without damage they're very much on for a draw.

Swann's bowled well, probably better than his figures suggest he's looked dangerous throughout. In fact all the England bowlers have bowled well, Anderson in particular has had no luck.

Credit must go to Sri Lanka for the fightback today, particularly Jayawardene who seems as good at home as he is hopeless away. Samawaweera will be disappointed with his dismissal (far too close to force through the off-side even before the turn) and wasting another start.

[mystiroakey]

Another intriguing day's cricket: this pitch doesn't seem to have deteriorated half as much as everyone thought it would. The odd ball turning but really no more than that. Not sure Panesar would have been much more of a threat than Patel TBH.

Those last 2 wickets are a huge bonus for England: don't forget Randiv hang around for a long time in the first innings.

On the other hand Sri Lanka still have 2 batsmen at the crease and another waiting. If they can get through the first hour without damage they're very much on for a draw.

Swann's bowled well, probably better than his figures suggest he's looked dangerous throughout. In fact all the England bowlers have bowled well, Anderson in particular has had no luck.

Credit must go to Sri Lanka for the fightback today, particularly Jayawardene who seems as good at home as he is hopeless away. Samawaweera will be disappointed with his dismissal (far too close to force through the off-side even before the turn) and wasting another start.

cough cough- you sure about that Mike?

I have to admit i feel abit cocky at the moment- i called this test match from the start..

[Duty281]

So Day 4 was a day of attrition, a day of true Test Cricket. It was tough and absorbing, a never ending battle between England's bowlers and the Sri Lankan top order.

It was an even first session but with England taking 2 wickets and having a lead of 101 at lunch the game was firmly theirs. Then another 2 wickets in the afternoon session and the lead was down to 46, you thought that England were gradually winning the war by wearing down the top order.

Then Samaraweera and Jayawardene batted and batted. They gave a lesson to England in how to bat in the subcontinent, taking things slow and tiring England out. Jayawardene has been fantastic all series and it's nailed on that he'll get man of the series. The two men got Sri Lanka into the lead and saw off 9 overs of Anderson and Finn with the new ball. Job done you thought and watch tomorrow as they take Sri Lanka over the horizon and to a series victory.

But then Captain Strauss threw the ball to Swann and with his first ball he turned a slightly short ball from outside off and spun it to outside leg stump. Samaraweera panicked - for the first time - and hurriedly slashed at it only to see his bail get knocked over. Out came the nightwatchman Randiv who watched his second ball spin right through the gate cause Swanny had done it again! Day, match, series and the rankings turned on their head.

The Barmy Army sang 'Swann will tear you apart again' and it was very apt. Effectively the score is 33/6 and if England chase anything less than 120 I will back them to go on to win. 120-150 and it could be sticky while 150+ equals a Sri Lanka win.

Personally, I feel England will have around 75 to chase.

[mystiroakey]

"The Barmy Army sang 'Swann will tear you apart again' and it was very
apt. Effectively the score is 33/6 and if England chase anything less
than 120 I will back them to go on to win. 120-150 and it could be
sticky while 150+ equals a draw and a SL series win."

fixed for you

[Guest]

6 wickets in the day, decent effort, well bowled by swanny, jawayrdene key wicket tomorrow, get him the rest should fold....hopefully not chasing anymore than 100......

should still be no1 IMO after tomorrow!

[guildfordbat]

England stuck at it on the fourth day and pretty much got what they deserved with Swann's late brace.

I agree with others that it's not in the bag but, with the same approach and application, there's a good chance we could be celebrating victory before tea.

[alfie]

Morning all

Interesting first half hour - two dropped chances , one lbw overturned on review and some other near things ... Does this mean a wicket is imminent or is it a sign this is to be Sri Lanka's day?

Good Test match anyway ... Pity there isn't a third ...

[alfie]

Well that answers the question

Swann gets Jayawardene with a brute of a ball ! Nothing he could do to keep that down.

Great bowling this morning from Swann , and he has the Big One.

[Mike Selig]

Gooddddiiiiimmmmmm

England have bowled well this morning, Swann especially and that kicks up at Jayawardene (2 balls after one kept low from a similar area), takes the glove and Cook grabs that one easily.

Big wicket.

[alfie]

Really just need to break this pair now I think ...

Mind you , given the way a couple of balls from Swann just behaved , England won't want to chasing more than 100

[alfie]

Six for Swann !

Fat lady warming up ...

[Mike Selig]

Another one. Jayawardene manages to follow up a poor shot with 2 other poor shots. First a slog sweep which just evades Patel then gets far too far accross the stumps playing a sweep, Swann reads him perfectly and slides the quicker one past his legs to hit leg-stump. Great bowling, not so great batting and England on top. Still need the last couple. How will Herath play?

[alfie]

Reckon they might both throw the bat now and try for another quick thirty or so to give themselves a rough chance ...

Doubt they'll fancy their chances of batting into the second session now.

[alfie]

Where is everybody ?

Patel gets the ninth

Anderson safe hands at slip.

[Mike Selig]

Think Herath would have been better off throwing the bat a bit. Strange tactics twice taking the singly off the last ball of the day.

It is early morning on Saturday alfie...

[alfie]

Saturday morning in France too isn't it though Mike ?

Expected a few more up early for the Test match ...

[alfie]

Sri Lanka now have a lead of 75...

Would have been enough in Abu Dhabi

[Mike Selig]

Bit of a frustrating partnership this. Seems to happen when you only attack from one end.

[alfie]

Must say I've been impressed with the way Matthews has battled it out in both innings. You couldn't say he has ever looked comfortable ( indeed he looked very chancey early on both times) but he just hasn't been willing to let his wicket go without a real fight.

I like him as a cricketer , and hope he can get back to bowling as well.

Although Patel has a wicket , I'd be inclined to bring back Anderson , or maybe Finn , to have a go at the last man now...

[alfie]

Now more than twenty added for this last wicket. Becoming annoying.

Seriously , enough Patel ... Try some pace.

[msp83]

Good move from Strauss, Finn's back. They have to get this last wicket soon, Lanka's lead has already reached 93.

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