Sri Lanka v England: second Test, day two – as it happened

The horns in this are so, so good. Gotta love Mr Fabulous and Blue Lou.

I discussed this with myself earlier, but Willis and Colville reckon it’ll be just Moeen as the spinner in the summer. I guess he’s good in English conditions and can bat, but I’d love to see Rashid in.

Bob Willis notes that Leach doesn’t bowl enough maidens, though he managed five and Moeen and Rashid just two and one respectively. It’s for that reason that Root can’t attack with the fields – they’re too easy to milk.

Apparently the stats say that batting fourth at Kandy ain’t no thing, which is obviously worth paying attention to given it’s not England who’ll be doing it. Still, they’re more than capable of taking it out of the equation by collapsing in the third innings.

Ravi Bopara is on the verdict; I’m pretty sure he could do a job at the top of the order…

The more I think about it, the more this is a match for Joe Root. He looked great in the first innings before getting himself out, and he’s got precisely the kind of supple technique and scoring rhythm that does the necessary on a track like this one. He’s overdue a definitive innings as well.

So what’s a good total for England? I guess they’ll want to set a minimum of 250 – they’ll have to bat well to get there, but they’ve just see Sri Lanka do it. And the Lankan attack is decent in these conditions, but not loads more than that.

Leach doesn’t think he put enough balls in the correct areas, and doesn’t feel more pressure when the wicket turns because it means he’s in the game. He says that the pitch is consistent, but when the ball’s hard some skid and some don’t.

Jack Leach is amused and pleased to have opened for England. Rory Burns said he’d waited a career for that, and he’s looking forward to telling Marcus Trescothick that they’re in the same club. He confesses that England thought they might have a lead, but that Sri Lanka are under pressure because it’ll be them batting last.

Athers disagrees with me – he’s obviously never played the game – saying that there’s enough in the pitch to mind the ball that gets you out. So he reckons England won’t bat time, but will look to attack.

In fact we’re not quite done yet! Athers reckons it made sense to send out Leach, to take losing a front-line batsman out of the equation.

The pitch doesn’t look to be deteriorating, so should play much as it played today – a little slower than yesterday, says my intimate encounter with it from a box-room in north London. I wonder if England will be more circumspect than in the first innings because the pitch is not so vicious as to demand all-out attack; it’s the sort of pitch on which you’d expect a major contribution from Joe Root. We shall see! Join us tomorrow for more of the same! Ta-ra.

Another great one it was, was it, it was. Sri Lanka will claim it as theirs, coming back brilliantly in the second half to establish not only a lead but themselves in the series. England won’t be happy with how they bowled, but you have to credit Roshen and the tail for getting the balance between stick and stickability just right.

1st over: England 0-0 (Leach 0, Burns 0) There’s a party around the bat as Perera leaps in, Leach snapping down the bat just in time to keep out the loosener. He defends the second, leaves the third, and this is intense; can we have a few mores please? No we cannot, as another man comes in close on the offside – that’s four – and Leach blocks nicely, then again, before leaving the final delivery. And that’s a DAY.

Right then, here we go. Leach is coming out with Rory Burns because he’s had an easy day; Jennings is having a little relax. Leach, I imagine, has the honour of facing – lucky man – which makes sense because England can’t be losing a wicket, but if they do, it may as well not be a batsman.

That’s some recovery from 165-6; the pitch, reckon our experts, is a slow turner, and there’s no excuse for acting like it’s anything more. I wonder how Burns and Jennings are sorting out who faces – “You have the honour, I couldn’t possibly….”

So Sri Lanka lead by 46 – they’d have taken that three hours ago – and England must see out an over before the close.

And there it is! Lakmal leaves him the final ball of the over to negotiate, is that really too much to ask of him? Yes it is! He drives straight to mid on, and that’s the end of an absolutely terrific innings, measured, skilful and vital. Only in because of injury to Dinesh Chandimal, I think he might keep his place after this.

102nd over: Sri Lanka 332-9 (Roshen 84, Lakmal 12) Leach returns as, in commentary, they say that the pitch is no different to what you’d expect at Kandy and though you can’t score freely, batsmen who apply themselves will make runs. I wonder if we’ll see unusually high scores in the second innings – not for the track, but relative to what we’ve seen in the first. Maiden.

100th over: Sri Lanka 332-9 (Roshen 84, Lakmal 12) A full over of Roshen facing Rashid – perhaps he wants to keep him away from Lakmal, perhaps he trusts Lakmal. A googly clipping the pad earns two byes, then a carve to backward point earns two more. England look out of of ideas, but Ben Stokes still hasn’t had a shy with the new ball. I don’t quite get that, because he’s just one of those kids to whom things happen.

99th over: Sri Lanka 328-9 (Roshen 82, Lakmal 12) Lakmal has been solid so far, and when Moeen serves him one on the pads, he cracks it to square leg where Currance dives in installments, allowing it under his body like he’s Bobby Mimms. These are the only runs off the over – that’s 100 overs in the day – and I was incorrect in saying that we were done when they’d been completed. There’s more!

98th over: Sri Lanka 324-9 (Roshen 82, Lakmal 8) What! Rashid drops short but gets lots of grip and spin, while Roshen chucks the spirit of his ancestors and their suitcases at it – his good fortune is that he misses everything with everything and plays out a maiden. Lakmal has strike for the final over.

97th over: Sri Lanka 324-9 (Roshen 82, Lakmal 8) Moeen is finding plenty of turn but Roshen is cool with it, taking a single off his first ball to long off. Lakmal then takes one to leg, sprinting to make sure, before Silva leaves him one delivery to negotiate with another one – England haven’t bowled well with the new igneous, but Sri Lanka have batted very well, calm and decisive in their shot selection. Lakmal sees away the dot, and the day is nearly done.

96th over: Sri Lanka 321-9 (Roshen 80, Lakmal 7) Here he is: Rashid to have a go. He’s not bowled well today, but has taken two wickets with deliveries beyond any other English spinner. Roshen takes a single with two balls of the over to go, and Lakmal handles the rest very nicely thanks you. Three overs left in the day.

95th over: Sri Lanka 320-9 (Roshen 79, Lakmal 7) I wonder if Rashid is still out of the attack because runs are at a premium; Moeen continues and is milked, Lakmal looking assured in contributing a single and Roshen adding a two and two ones, easily walking down to drive to the final ball to long on and retain the strike.

94th over: Sri Lanka 315-9 (Roshen 75, Lakmal 6) Anderson will fancy getting shot of Sri Lanka’s paceman and captain, but he gets down the other end with a single backward of square on the off side. Roshen then tucks one to midwicket, and Lakmal bottom edges a pull for four, behind the stumps; naturally, Anderson congratulates him on his good fortune before falling about clutching himself with laughter.

93rd over: Sri Lanka 309-9 (Roshen 74, Lakmal 1) Huge turn for Moeen first up to Lakmal, and he hits the pad – but there’s no way that wasn’t going down if it pitched in line. I wonder if Roshen will go now – he’s seeing it well, and Lakmal is surely not long for this innings.

An excellent innings comes to an end. Moeen coaxes one to straighten and Danajaya plays for turn, wearing it on the kneeroll. He knows.

93rd over: Sri Lanka 307-8 (Roshen 73, Dananjaya 31) Dananjaya cuts and Roshen sets off, but Burns, at cover point, dives superbly to field and shy – so quickly that Anderson can’t get behind the stumps. Burns misses – perhaps he had longer than he thought to aim – and the chance goes. Maiden.

92nd over: Sri Lanka 307-8 (Roshen 73, Dananjaya 31) Moeen replaces Curran, and Roshen inside-edges him for one; England are ticking out there now, and Dananjaya adds one more to cover. But HAVE A LOOK! Roshen sidesteps down and absolutely hammers Moeen over his head for six! Drinks!

“Will it be Rashid?
Graham Onions swings?
We’ll have to wait and see”, sings Mark Hooper.

If Test cricket has taught us one thing, it’s that it’s never Graham Onions swings.

91st over: Sri Lanka 299-8 (Roshen 66, Dananjaya 30) Root and Stokes chat before Anderson continues – I’d not be averse to seeing him from one end and spin from the other. Anyway, Dananjaya edges four, then clatters a drive and Buttler, at cover, dives Ramprakash 1991-style … but can’t hang on. England try and change the ball.

90th over: Sri Lanka 294-8 (Roshen 65, Dananjaya 26) Curran almost does something, swing suddenly materialising when Dananjaya is halfway through his shot and taking the ball straight, eliciting a leading edge that drops at extra cover. That was a very unusual delivery and a beaut, but it yields a run and Sri Lanka have the lead; without the pyrotechnics we saw from England, this is another useful late-order effort, and Dananjaya underlines that with two more to fine leg. At what point do England’s openers want to keep them out there to avoid having to bat tonight?

89th over: Sri Lanka 290-8 (Roshen 64, Dananjaya 23) Thanks to those who’ve reminded me that Buttler can’t top score in the match because Curran has already outscored him; I was distracted by the country falling apart! Anderson to continue, and his first ball greets Roshen’s thigh, but high and leg side. Silva then takes two to leg, and levels the scores with two more via long leg and sprinting. The Lankans are now spieling with house money – another 50+ and we’re talking, as Anderson spirits another one past Roshen’s outside edge.

88th over: Sri Lanka 286-8 (Roshen 60, Dananjaya 23) The new ball hasn’t been well utilised so far, so Curran has a go and Dananjaya finds swing but offers enough width to go through the covers … then goes straight enough to be twizzled to fine leg fo fo mo. Two more arrive via pads, and that’s not a good over from the man who can do no wrong – I’m sure he did it on purpose for reasons currently outside of our comprehension, or is that Brexit?

87th over: Sri Lanka 276-8 (Roshen 60, Dananjaya 13) The standard of concentration demanded of an umpire is something, never mind the quantity of standing still. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? I don’t suppose I can go beyond being a trainee lawyer, though I did once do schlepping for a travel agent moving office, who shouted at me a lot. And on one notable occasion, sent me out to get breakfast: “Get the money from my pocket, I know how much is there, don’t steal any, get something for yourself; then, when I returned: “You didn’t want that chocolate croissant did you?” Worst of all, the job wasn’t mine, I was sitting in for a mate who was away, so never got to educate him as to himself. Maiden.

86th over: Sri Lanka 276-8 (Roshen 60, Dananjaya 13) Leach goes short and Roshen cuts posthumously … they run a single and then the umpires meet for a yachne, appearing first to signal dead ball, then deduct the run for absent-minded non-grounding of the bat by Roshen. Well, that’s a bit of excitement! Roshen quickly restores his score, then Dananjaya drives two square on the off side. Ah … England have been awarded five penalty runs.

85th over: Sri Lanka 273-8 (Roshen 59, Dananjaya 11) Anderson comes from over this time, and his third ball is a dish, banged in, slanted across, and Dananjaya is desperate to edge but it’s just too pretty for him. Two singles follow, and what an innings this is from Roshen. I wondered yesterday if Buttler’s score would be the highest of the match, but that looks exceedingly unlikely now.

84th over: Sri Lanka 271-8 (Roshen 58, Dananjaya 10) Oh it’s Leach, it’s Leach, oh we ope it’s Leach, it’s Leach. Single to Dananjaya, then Roshen leaves a goodun and cuts hard at the next … Stokes parries what was a twentieth of a chance, a tenth to him. Anyway, isn’t it nice to have this cricket to absorb ourselves with, lucky there’s nothing else going on in the world.

83rd over: Sri Lanka 270-8 (Roshen 58, Dananjaya 9) Anderson starts from around to the left-handed Dananjaya, who gets down the other end thanks to a leg bye. The next delivery is well outside off, but the third is a beaut, moving away off middle and almost taking the edge with it. Roshen then turns two into the leg side, a dot follows, and who will be given the spheroid from the other end. Me, I’d like to see Rashid, but more likely it’s Leach.

82nd over: Sri Lanka 267-8 (Roshen 56, Dananjaya 9) Leach to continue, with a leg slip and a short leg, so Dananjaya goes down the ground for two. Two balls later, though, prodigious turn beats him all ends up, an inside edge squirting past those two fielders and earning him one. Two more singles follow, and now we have our fresh meteorite. Here’s Jimmy!

81st over: Sri Lanka 262-8 (Roshen 55, Dananjaya 5) Er, actually that’s not the new ball; Moeen will have a twiddle with the old one. And he starts with a loose one, offering width and and time – Dananjaya cuts for three, allowing Roshen to reverse for four despite Stokes anticipating the shot from slip. Moeen improves thereafter, beating the bat with better length and more turn, but two singles make this an expensive over, nine from it.

80th over: Sri Lanka 253-8 (Roshen 50, Dananjaya 1) Ok, it was hitting leg stump dead one, two thirds of the way up. Dananjaya sends his first ball to square leg for one and that’s the new ball; will Root see if the new man can move his feet and use spin from both ends?

Leach sends one straight on with the arm, Perera misses his flick, and off he pops! Looking at it again, it was closer to going down leg than it seemed, but I can see why the batsmen didn’t review.