England vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test

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Venue
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street

Dates
27th - 31st May 2016

TV Coverage
Live: Sky Sports 2 from 10am Daily
Highlights: Channel 5 19:00 Daily (also Sky Sports on differing channels and at differing times)



Officials

Umpires - Aleem Dar and S Ravi
TV umpire - RJ Tucker
Match referee - AJ Pycroft
Reserve umpire - TBC



Weather
Friday 14C Cloudy
Saturday 15C Cloudy
Sunday 15C Cloudy
Sunday 14C Some Rain
Monday 13C Some Rain



Form

England - LWDWLW
Sri Lanka - LLWWLL



Teams:

England - 1) Alastair Cook (capt), 2) Alex Hales, 3) Nick Compton, 4) Joe Root, 5) James Vince, 6) Jonny Bairstow, 7) Moeen Ali, 8) Chris Woakes, 9) Stuart Broad, 10) Steven Finn, 11) James Anderson

Sri Lanka - 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Kaushal Silva, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Milinda Siriwardana, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10 Nuwan Pradeep 11 Suranga Lakmal



Pending Milestones:

Alastair Cook needs 20 runs to become the 12th player - and first Englishman - to 10,000 in Tests.
Moeen Ali needs 51 runs to reach 1,000 in Tests.
Rangana Herath needs one wicket to become the third Sri Lankan to 300 in Tests.

VTR wrote:Seems a bit harsh to measure the average from the game after a 260!

It was only an observation anyway, and something that surprised me. I actually see it as a positive - despite the perceived poor batting England are still finding a way to win without one of the guys that would usually set them up

Well yeah but you can only measure form in the period its been one thing or the other. Even if you include that and the whole Pakistan series hes not been at his best.
His place isnt vaguely under threat though.

Hales, well I have to say hes proving my doubts wrong. I still feel it was a huge risk to bring him in to tests at all when he was still feeling his way as an ODI batsman.

Compton was perhaps lucky to get a recall at all given "history". Hes ocntinued struggles over a number of tests really have to make his place under scrutiny. The only real argument for retaining him is to protect Root who doenst want to bat at 3. I really wanted him to succeed as he got a raw deal historically but it woudl be better to blood Vince now and get Root used to the idea hes a senior player now and has to shoulder the sh1t stick at 3 ahea dof the more meaningful tests later in the year.


Course if Compton saves the game whith a dashing 60 in the second innings we get stuck in the Ian Bell loop of doing just enough ...

Vince is in the side at number 5 so it would be more a case of recalling Ballance at 3 potentially?

Jesus course he is. Shoot me

Wheres the Roy bandwagon then?

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Vince is in the side at number 5 so it would be more a case of recalling Ballance at 3 potentially?

I'd be more inclined to bring in Sam Robson based on form this year personally HH

Fifty for Hales - good to see him get some hard graft runs. Didn't think he looked out of his depth at this level in SA - just didn't get any scores!

Robson must be close to a recall if we need a top 3 batsman.

Assuming England win this Test I think Compton gets the final Test of the series. So up to 3 innings to save his career. No pressure or anything!

A really dull day of cricket so far.

SL certainly getting through their overs, helped obviously by Herath. Makes a nice change, and shows it can be done

These two have played nicely, Hales was watchful initially but then fluent, and overall looks much more confident now he's got first Test runs under his belt.

Compton likes to pull/hook, we know that, though it does get him into trouble sometimes. No real issues with him playing the shot, but poor execution. Definitely running out of chances now though. Like VTR I expect him to play the third (if England win here) so he will get another chance at least (and up to three more). Unless he gets a score there though he won't play the Pakistan tests.

Outfield is slow, and Sri Lanka have gone defensive so not many boundaries but these two are running well between the wickets rotating the strike

Root has a poor record at this ground, so it's pleasing to see him in fluent form.

That 350+ looks a certainty, but this is England we're talking about. 160/7 is also a possibility!

Its certainly a stanbd isnt it. The only form bat still to come as well.

Oh Hales, played so well for that 83, but that really is a super catch. Again, happy for Hales to play that shot, ball was there for it, just span a bit more. Really really fine catch.

That's an outrageous catch

Oh, Alex. The 80's again!

England looking to attach the 5th bowler - no issues with that. Unfortunate Hales didn't quite execute the shot properly but a fine knock again from him nonetheless

Vince solid enough so far. And Root has been very smooth today ; keeping the score going fairly well despite the slow outfield.

Pity Hales couldn't get the hundred (again) - but he has done himself no harm with successive good innings.

England will hope to move things along after tea, as I understand the weather looks iffy for days 4 and 5 , and Sri Lanka may not collapse so quickly this time. 200/3 is a reasonable tea score against some tidy bowling. And the Sri Lankan catching has been superb.

Good start by England. One batsman needs to go on and make a gargantuan score of 150+ so that the hosts make an imposing total - Root looks the most likely.

Sri Lanka may get stuck into a lull of waiting for the new ball, still 19 overs away, and not really attacking until that point, so England may be able to capitalise.

Onwards!

Root unexpectedly departs with a mistimed shot. 219/4.

The champion of Headingley marches to the crease.

Starting to get very frustrated with Root's inability to convert these numerous 50's into big scores, they look good for his average but suggests a lack of concentration.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Starting to get very frustrated with Root's inability to convert these numerous 50's into big scores, they look good for his average but suggests a lack of concentration.

Yes he does seem to lose concentration in these situations - almost like he gets bored and then gets out. He seems to do much better when something is really on the line like his century in SA and those in the Ashes

Vince out now to the part-timer. England have been really sloppy today but will probably get away with it when they bowl SL out for under 200 in cloudy skies tomorrow

Hopefully Moeen will try to build and innings, seeing as he has the form player in the country at the other end

Another sharp catch, and Vince departs after a promising start.

219/3 becomes 227/5, and the complexion has altered quite alarmingly.

Even in those series he had a habit of getting past 50 without any problems then getting out inexplicably, until he starts converting you can't really place him in the same company as Williamson, De Villiers, Amla and Khan.

Fair point HH - just seen a stat that 1 out of his last 8 fifties have become hundreds - he has the talent to have made all 8 of those hundred

Root is easily amongst that company, just because he's got out a few times between 50-100 (not exactly the worst thing I'd suggest...) doesn't change that. They all do it too (Amla was on a horrible run pre/England series last winter)

Anyways there's a bit of variable bounce now creeping into this pitch - suspect anything north of 300 will be too much for Sri Lanka to keep up with

Sri Lanka imo have been far too passive and defensive here - allowing England to pickup singles, the odd two at will. Some very good catches and the bowlers have generally bowled well, but feel they could be doing better

Shame that Bairstow couldn't kick on after an impressive start - another Englishman making a contribution but not carrying on!

310/6 at stumps. Good score, and Moeen/Woakes/Broad can hopefully bash it up to near 400 tomorrow, which would be a very imposing score for a brittle Sri Lankan line-up to face up to.

Sri Lanka have, once again, been slightly too negative with their bowling, and most of the wickets have come about through sloppy stroke-play, rather than brilliant bowling or inspired captaincy.

In spite of the good score, I still think Cook should have bowled first and backed his bowlers to annihilate whatever meagre hopes the tourists had.

Saw very little today but my gut reaction was that Hales was being pretty optimistic in talking in the post play interview about a 450 total.

Pretty good day for England really, they'll be a bit disappointed none of the set batsmen managed to kick on, but overall they'll be happy with the position. Some signs of uneven bounce suggest that Cook made the right call at the toss, and I tend to agree with Olly and Duty that SL were once again too passive at times, particularly when they had England 227/5. Moeen came in to bat, in poor form, and immediately had four deep fielders to the spinner. Him and Bairstow were allowed to rescue a position that, while not precarious, was a bit dicey, with too much ease IMO.

guildford, Hales's comments were in response to a suggestion from the interviewer IIRC who asked "what will you be looking at from here? 450?" to which he was hardly going to respond "woah that sounds way too optimistic!", but I do agree with your assesment. I suspect that England will be very happy with 400 from here, SL will want to keep them below 375 or so.

As a neutral viewer....stage is set for another scary test match...

Scary...because from here I see Eng score definitely 350+ ....

and then very very likely risk Lanka will fall for less than 150.......and leading to two scenarios....

1) Enforce follow on.....
2) Bat on and pile a target of 500+

Both farcical...
~imagine enforcing follow-on scoring barely 360 run & knowing you will win by an innings margin
~imagine setting a target of 500+ for a side every one knows won't cross 200.

that's why it's scary.... exactly the advertisement that test cricket DOES NOT NEED"......just like the one sided 4-0 white-wash of SA in India all games finishing in round about 3 days.

for it's survival amidst majority viewers.....test matches have to be more competitive.

Duty281 wrote: ...

In spite of the good score, I still think Cook should have bowled first and backed his bowlers to annihilate whatever meagre hopes the tourists had.

Duty - I've tried hard to resist there but can't hold out any longer. Particularly having just read that since the start of 2013 England have lost just two Tests when batting first (five draws and as many as ten wins). Also, although I saw very little of yesterday's play, I assume batting conditions were good to very good all day.

Putting first innings runs on the board is always a decent way to start the job of getting 20 wickets.

Sri Lanka have started the day with 1 slip and a man at deep point...poor poor captaincy...

Ali dropped in the gully off the impressive Pradeep

Pradeep has been good. Deserved his three wickets (didn't see the last hour yesterday but I reckon he actually bowled better than his figures showed up to then )

I cannot agree with Duty about the toss : think batting first was absolutely correct here. This pitch will get tricky later in the match ; and sending a team in just because you rolled them last time sometimes proves to be a gamble born of overconfidence : remember the last Ashes ? You need a better reason to insert an opponent. And with England poised for 400 here I reckon they've made the right decision.

Now that Moeen has got to a much need fifty he needs to start going through the gears a bit, would expect similar from Woakes.

Moeen really making the most of that early chance today - but Woakes departs to an edge (caught this time by the keeper ) for 39 ; might feel he has missed out a bit ? Handy partnership of 92

Moeen needs 23 more : stand fast you bowlers !

I agree with you Alfie that it was sensible to go in first. Bit of a wobble now but if you've put yourself in on a tricky pitch and made 400 then you've made a sensible decision.

Great session for England. Hopefully Moeen can get a ton, then Anderson/Broad can get stuck in.

Duty281 wrote:Great session for England. Hopefully Moeen can get a ton, then Anderson/Broad can get stuck in.

Indeed. They won't want to waste too much time so I'd expect some frisky hitting , and/or a declaration once he passes 100.

On 98...

Moeen to 100. Suspect Sri Lanka won't be out much longer

...and reaches his century in style with a lofted drive

Well played Moeen ...now let us see some aggression...

And he gets there.

Well played Mooen, showing how good he can be if he just gives himself a bit of time to get in.

GSC wrote:Moeen to 100. Suspect Sri Lanka won't be out much longer

Yes you'd think they want to be bowling now. Might still want that 450 though ?

Classy innings from Ali, has controlled the strike perfectly since lunch.

Helped a bit by some drops from SL today but still a very decent team effort by England to post in excess of 450. Pleasantly surprised they've got so many, thought talk last night of 450 was pretty optimistic.

Meanwhile, Finn performing his sidekick role intelligently. That allied to Moeen's increasing dominance gives a chance of 500 being on the cards ....

Very good, getting anywhere near 500 might just be a "bat once" decision here. We shall see.

Sri Lanka went from catching everything yesterday to total duffers today ; and Moeen has really made them pay.
How many do England want ? Might be on for 500 as the bowling looks totally non threatening now , and the run rate is going up...on the theory of "make your runs in the first innings" I suppose they won't be in a hurry to call them in...

What is this , great minds all posting at once ?