England vs Sri Lanka 1st test debate

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Englands side vs Sri Lanka: 1st test

1) Andrew Strauss (c)
2) Alistair Cook
3) Jonathan Trott
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Ian Bell
6) Eoin Morgan
7) Matt Prior (w-k)
8) Stuart Broad
9) Graeme Swann
10) James Anderson
11) Chris Tremlett


Feel free to discuss the match under this thread

And gone, Jimmy keeps pitching it up and making it swing and eventually Jayawardene gets bat on ball, but it's an edge and Strauss takes a fine catch diving to his right at first slip. SL 133-3, great start by England this morning.

great over from anderson

it was actually an inswinger from Anderson, and Jayawardene was forced to play at the last minute, got caught on the crease and in all sorts of bother

It was MfC. prehaps what is needed

"dry hands" Cook working on the ball, suggests it's reversing; Samaraweera does not look comfortable out there, playing at a couple away from his body... Jimmy in the groove this morning, bowling superbly

there's the inswinger, Samaweera has no idea about it

another fine over from Jimmy, four overs fours maidens and a wicket this morning. Survival is the order of the day so far for SL, the next batsman in is Jayawardene (the keeper) whose test record isn't stellar, and England must really fancy their chances here...

Edged! But doesn't carry to Prior diving in front of Strauss. Anderson still bowling nicely, here's Tremlett replacing Broad.

Tremlett is putting in some good balls but not getting anything with them thus far

pretty good start from Tremmers, Smaraweera lucky to get away with leaving one which just missed his off stump.

Anderson looked a bit tired in that over, time for Swann?

ooo chuckle moment, Para hit in a painful place

Love how they then show hot spot so we can see exactly where the ball hit him

Oooh close, Broad swings one into Para's pads and there's a huge appeal. Doctrove says no and hawk-eye suggests the ball may have been hitting leg stump, but as less than half of it was they'd have stayed with the on-field decision.

Scratch that, Tremlett's got him next ball! Pitched up, outside off and Para can't resist having a drive, but succeeds only on inside-edging back onto his stumps. England delighted and why shouldn't they be?

srilanka in some sort of trouble.paranavitana is out and has opened the door to the long srilankan tail now..........

Come on Stuart Broad !

Ouch! Samaraweera takes a painful blow to the right elbow and that's going to hurt. Physion is on again, he's been busy the SL physio in this game so far...

ach yet another edge through the slips for four, this pair really riding their luck. Time for some Swann now...

Oh for crying out loud, if you're hurt then just retire already!

This guy Samaraweera has come on leaps and bounds over the last 2 and a half years.

He used to be a strokeless wonder, but has developed into Mahela mark 2!

Trott going to have a go, England deciding to try something a bit different. On another day, Jimmy would have had five wickets by now, as yet another perfect outswinger has a SL batsman groping at thin air. Oh well...

and that's lunch, England's first hour, SL's second, the game still pretty nicely poised at the moment, though the draw still looks favourite with the pitch pretty flat still. England will want quick wickets after the interval to get in among them quickly. Sl will want this partnership to keep developing.

at last something goes England's way, Anderson with yet another beautiful outswinger but this time Samaraweera edges straight to Swann at second slip. SL 243-5, can England wrap it up quickly with the new ball?

Anderson really has bowled beautifully today, makes such a difference from the tired and despondent figure we saw for most of the world cup!

Anything below 300's a massive plus for England imo!

wasted review that, never looked out.

gah, bad luck Jimmy, but England have lost both reviews. Thought that looked out, but umpire's call on whether it hit him in line.

and another LBW decision doesn't go England's way, again this wouldn't have been overturned on review as it's umpire's call on height, but that's three calls which could easily have gone the other way, twice in the last two overs...

splendid over from Broad, another close LBW shout, beats the bat a couple of times, but still no wickets for him...

got to listen on TMS, however i love Vaughan on commentary

The story about Blackwell

oh that's unlucky for Maharoof but England have deserved some good fortune, run out backing up too far as Trott (who presumably is bowling because Anderson was off the field for a bit) tips a straight drive onto the stumps with Maharoof stranded.

Just got in, England doing ok but need to take out the tail quicky can't let let Sri Lanka got 400+.

England have bowled well Liam apart from just after lunch, but they've had no luck at all really (the Maharoof run out excepted). Edges through the slips, plays and misses, etc.

anyway tea on day two and the game still pretty even I think, 400 is about par on this pitch.

Sri Lanka lucky again just before.

Would agree 400 is par but with Sri Lanka 6 down England should really bowl them out for less.

so the first over after tea goes:

bottom edged pull which just sneaks past the off stump
two beautiful outswingers beat the outside edge
an inswinger cuts him in half
defensive shot
edge through the slips

Good to see Jimmy's luck is still in

Broad just doesn't seem to be having any luck today.

are England trying to use up all their bad luck for the summer in one innings?

Swann this time having no luck.

Perera leaving it and almost being bowled out.

Perera drives one airily but it drops safe (sigh), he then rather poorly deliberately gets in Swann's way as he tries to field the ball, before straight driving a four, and leaving one which misses off stump by a coat of varnish...

Anderson off the field i've noticed wonder how bad his injury is.

Broad take his 100th test wicket,Sri Lanka 7 down.

and gone, at last Broad has a wicket as Perrera plays a pretty awful shot, lofting one straight to mid on, to end a fairly jammy innings of 25

England in with a brilliant chance of bowling out Sri Lanka for under 400.

herath clearly thinking "well swinging at everything worked for Perrera, why not me?" judging by the way he tried to play the first ball there, awful shot.

dropped, but then Strauss in only fielding at slip because Jimmy's off the field...

Prasanna reaches his hundred,brilliant innings.

well done prasanna

another umpiring decision which doesn't go England's way...

that's never going to be given is it? looks like it carried to me, he has his fingers under it, but the TV replays wil always seem inconclusive... not out is the call, wrong decision IMO

Would agree,another decision going against England.

that's four LBWs which would have stood either way and now that catch which have gone against England. It's a lot of 50-50 decisions to be missing out on.