Story Sri Lanka's road to 2009 [ICC06] 2nd Test: Sri Lanka win by 287 runs (SRL lead 2-0)

[Hamish]

1st Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Welcome for the 4th day of play in this Test match. Sri Lanka are in search for a couple of wickets to stop England's recovery. Bell is not out on 75, he will surely gain something from this experience.

Day 4: Lunch: Quick wickets lift Sri Lanka and reduce England's hopes...

Bell and Vaughan got England off to a decent start, as they continued ticking the runs over, although in anti-climatic fashion. Vaughan batted as if the match was a 10-day match, however Bell scored in a relatively quicker fashion. The tow took their partnership over 50, and then finally to 61, when England were struck a heavy blow. Vaughan (29 off 91), who played a snail-paced innings, played away from his body at a good length ball from Vaas outside of off and suceeded in only edging the ball to keeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Muralitharan, who had not claimed a wicket so far, took the important wicket off Flintoff. Flintoff came in and played an innings opposite to his explosive style, and managed 18 runs off 29 balls, then flicked a sharp offspinner straight to short leg (Jayawardene). Same story from Matthew Prior, who reached 12, before he mistimed a forward defence which was spooned bact to Muralitharan, caught and bowled. There was finally something for the English crowd to cheer about, when Bell reached his century.

Ashley Giles, came in for the remainder of the session, and faced just 5 nervy deliveries to be not out on 2. Bell, was not out on 107 off 273 deliveries. The score at Lunch on Day 4 is 303/6 off 116 overs, and they are trailing but just 11 runs, but only have 4 wickets in hand.

Images: Bell reached an all important century...

 

[Hamish]

1st Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Day 4: Tea: Bell and Giles continue to defy Sri Lanka...

In one of the biggest statements of this match, England have almost doubled their chances of getting back into the game, after having horrible prospects for the majority of 4 days. Ashley Giles came in just before Lunch, and was the first of a list of tail enders. Ian Bell remained at the crease, but needed support, and Ashley Giles batting skills were put to test.

Giles, who averages a shade over 20, was always needed as a last resort, and began confidently. Under the guidance of Ian Bell, who himself had worked hard to get England into a better position, Ashley Giles played every Sri Lankan bowler with no faults. With his role to stay in with Ian Bell, he did not go for ridiculous shots. Ian Bell's 3rd Test century, continued to blossom, although his strike rate was under 40. Bell played sensibly, and was confident enough with Giles' ability to run the single early in an over, reminiscent of the ways of Steve Waugh.

Both kept the bowlers at bay till Tea, adding a further 79 runs to the Lunch time score, as well as taking their partnership to 84, the 2nd highest after the 110 partnership between Trescothick and Bell. Vaas, Fernando, Malinga and Muralitharan mostly failed to trouble both batsmen.

Bell was 142 not out off 372 balls, and Ashley Giles was not out on 44 off 117, at Tea. The score, at Tea on the 4th Day, is 382/6 off 151 overs, England for the first time leading, by 68 runs.

Images: Ashley Giles avoids a bouncer from Chaminda Vaas, in his vital partnership with Ian Bell...

 

[Hamish]

1st Test: England vs Sri Lanka

End of Day 4: Bell 200 puts match back in the balance...

England resumed their heroic comeback after Tea. Ian Bell did not take long to up the tempo after England took their lead of 75, and it was not long before he reached a magnificent 150. With the support of Giles, Bell cracked boundaries around the park, including a six over long-on that almost flew out of the stadium.

Ashley Giles continued his vital innings, taking his score cautiously to 64 of 188 balls, before Malinga finally did some justice for Sri Lanka, when he hit the top of offstump. Bell, who was already nearing his first Test double century, scrapped the "nervous nineties", by smashing consecutive fours, and then running smart centuries to reach an amazing 200 under the circumstances. Simon Jones came in near the end of the day and scored 8 off 19 balls, to survive till stumps. Ian Bell survived a loud lbw shout on the 3rd ball of the last over of the day.

At Stumps on Day 4, England are 479/7, leading by 165 runs, and suddenly the match is in the balance, and any team could win from here on, although Sri Lanka remain the slightest of favourites. Any score bove 175 will be a challenge to chase now. Ian Bell is not out on 210 off 481 balls, and Simon Jones is not out on 8.

Image: Ian Bell scored a magnificent maiden 200 to put England back in the game...

 

[Hamish]

1st Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Day 5: Lunch: Sri Lanka make nervous start, after Simon Jones claims 2 quick wickets...

Sri Lanka's eased their suffering as part-time offspinner Tillakaratne Dilshan triggered a collapse, when he bowled Bell with a sharp offy, Bell gone for a magnificent 211 off 487 balls. Simon Jones was then run out on 15, when he took off for a single, the ball collected by a spectacular dive from Dilshan at cover, which was thrown at the stumps. Harmison was the last wicket, out on 10, when he edged Muralitharan to Jayawardene.

England were allout for 498 off 193.3 overs, leaving Sri Lanka a target of 185 to win.

Sri Lanka had a nerve-rattling 19 overs to face before Lunch, as seamers Harmison, Simon Jones, Hoggard and Flintoff fired all cylinders. Opening bowlers Simon Jones tried to rattle Jayasuriya with short delivers, but he obliged in pulling a ball to 4, and Simon Jones turned to bowling at a fuller length. The change in tactics resulted in the wicket of Jayasuriya (6 off 6 balls) in Simon Jones' 2nd over, when Jaysuriya missed an off stump delivery, playing an aggresive stroke.

Not long after, Upul Tharanga played an indecisive back foot defensive to Simon Jones, resulting in an edge to Pietersen in the slip cordon, out for 6 off 20 deliveries. The challenging victory target of 185 became even more challenging with the score at 15/2. Captain Marvan Attapatu played the defensive game (8 not out off 54 balls) while Jayawardene played his normal game (24 off 34 balls), as the pair saw themselves to Lunch with no more damage done.

Sri Lanka are in a spot of bother at 45/2 off 19 overs, with 140 more runs needed to win.

Image: Simon Jones caused early troubles to put the game on a knife's edge...

 

[James_W]

The game back in the balance, but Srik lanka will do it by 4 wickets I think.

 

[Hamish]

1st Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Day 5: Tea: Jayawardene and Sangakkara take to Sri Lanka to within 42 runs of victory...

England's good start to the defence of a decent target continued well. It was Ashley Giles this time, who struck. Marvan Attapatu, who had found scoring difficult with 14 runs off 68 balls, totally misjudged the flight from the left arm spinner, ending up bowled on 14. Sri Lanka still had a few worries at 62/3, and a good partnership was needed to settle the result.

Then came Jayawardene and Sangakkara. In the 1st innings, these 2 put on 211 runs, and this time, they had their eyes on the victory. Neither went into defensive mode, as both played their regular shots to score much needed runs. Jayawardene made his way past 50, after making 127 in the 1st innings.

At Tea on the 5th day, the Sri Lankan score is 143/3 off 51 overs, Jayawardene not out on 70 and Sangakkara not out on 44. They only need 42 runs to win, and the match has gone from close back to Sri Lanka as favourites.

Image: Jayawardene and Sangakkara again rose to the occasion...

 

[Hamish]

1st Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Jayawardene and Sangakkara power Sri Lanka to 7 wicket win...

It started off as one-sided match, reached a wonderful climax with the result uncertain, and then came the anti-climax, when Jayawardene and Sangakkara stepped out after Tea to chase down the remaining 42 runs.

Not one chance was given, as the English bowlers finished off poorly, especially the likes of Harmison, who sprayed the ball all around the wicket. The chase only lasted for a further 15 overs after Tea, as the pair nudged their way to victory. Sangakkara passed his 50, and Jayawardene played support. Harmison's last ball of his 13th over saw Sangakkara blast the ball past square leg for four, the required runs at that stage.

Sri Lanka reached the required 185/3, off 66 overs, with Jayawardene (83no) and Sangakkara (68no) unbeaten. Sri Lanka won the 1st Test by 7 wickets, in a match that took various twists after the 3rd Day. In the end, a good win for Sri Lanka, and well fought by England.

Kumar Sangakkara received Man of the Match after scores of 192 and 68no, but Ian Bell and Mahela Jayawardene came close to claiming the honours.

Sri Lanka lead the Test Series 1-0. The 2nd Test Match starts on the 25th of May, following a 3day warmup against Sussex (we will provide the final score). Till then, goodbye from the Sky Sports Team.

Images: Sangakkara hits the winning runs in style, as Trescothick watches...

 

[kookaburra69]

a great way to start off the series,good win

 

[Hamish]

Moody praises Sangakkara and Jayawardene, but unhappy with team effort...

After Sri Lanka's win over England in the 1st Test Match, Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody first praised the batting duo of Jayawardene and Sangakkara, but was concerned with how the team as a whole dealt with situations.

"First, I would like to say Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene performed exceptionally. The reason we won was partly because of their resilience. On the other hand, I'm slightly unhappy with the way the team performed over the course of play. There was no spirit, apart from the time we bowled England out for 175.

Too much responsibilty were put on seniors such as Murali to deliver the goods, and that is why we struggled to bowl out England a 2nd time. After getting a good lead, the side noticeably slackened, and thought that the win would just come to them. This is a Test Match, all 5 days must be used well. Ian Bell performed well, and had the other English batsmen done well, the match would have gone the other way.


In the end, a pleasing result, but against a side ranked 2, and visibly strong with quality of players, a much better performance will be needed as there are still 2 more Test Matches."

Next: The 2nd Test begins...

 

[Hamish]

2nd Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Welcome to the 2nd Test at Edgbaston, between England and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka are currently up 1-0 after a hard fought match. The pitch is similiar to the one at Lords, a hard surface, which will offer help for spinner later on. Sri Lanka have made two changes, replacing out of form opener Upul Tharanga with debutant Chamara Kapugedera and pace bowler Lasith Malinga makes way for Nuwan Zoysa. England have replaced Ashley Giles with debutant paceman Anthony Davies.

England: 1. M Trescothick 2. A Strauss 3. K Pietersen 4. I Bell 5. M Vaughan (c) 6. A Flintoff 7. M Prior (wk) 8. S Jones 9. A Davies 10. S Harmison 11. M Hoggard

Sri Lanka: 1. S Jayasuriya 2. C Kapugedera 3. M Attapatu (c) 4. M Jayawardene 5. K Sangakkara (wk) 6. T Samaraweera 7. T Dilshan 8. C Vaas 9. CD Fernando 10. M Muralitharan 11. N Zoysa

Sri Lanka's Marvan Attapatu won the toss and elected to bat...

Day 1: Lunch: Sri Lanka make quick progress despite loss of 3 wickets...

Sanath Jayasuriya and Chamara Kapugedera opened the innings for Sri Lanka, the latter out to make his debut and become the answer to Sri Lanka's 2nd opener. Jayasuriya got himself off the mark with a cut shot for 4, but managed just 4 more runs, edging Simon Jones to Andrew Flintoff when he tried to play another cut shot. Kapugedera, at the other end, made an explosive start to his Test career in the time he was at the crease. he faced just 14 balls to get to 22, smashing four 4s in a Hoggard over. Hoggard struck back with a perfect yorker one over later, a good 22 to start the young opener.

Jayawardene came in with much applause, but a seaming delivery from debutant Anthony Davies saw Jayawardene becoming his maiden Test wicket, when the Sri Lankan edged Davies to Prior on 11. Sri Lanka were in trouble at 54/3, after making a rapid start.

Skipper Marvan Attapatu started off nervously, but saw his way to lunch, along with Kumar Sangakkara, who reached 50 in quick time. At Lunch on Day 1, Sri Lanka are 136/3 off 31 overs, with Attapatu (28no off 71) and Sangakkara (52no off 70) not out.

Images: Kapugedera blazed away to get Sri Lanka off to a start that is usually seen in ODIs...

 

[Hamish]

2nd Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Day 1: Tea: Atapattu plays a captain's innings after Sangakkara departs...

Sangakkara, who scored 52 off 70 balls before Lunch, struggled afterwards as he made just 8 runs off the next 30. When on 60, it took a brilliant reverse swinging ball from Simon Jones to find the edge of Sangakkara's bat, which flew straight to Pietersen.

At the fall of the wicket, Marvan Atapattu surprisingly began scoring quicker, in the prescence of new batsman Thilan Samaraweera. Atapattu struck brilliant cover drives to take himself to 50. The English bowlers only got one chance, with a lbw appeal against Samaraweera. The fielding from the home team was horrible as misfields so the ball race away for 4s. Atapattu and Samaraweera took their partnership to an unbeaten 80 runs.

At Tea on Day 1, Sri Lanka are 235/4 off 62 overs, with Atapattu not out on 77 from 160 balls, and Samaraweera not out on 36 from 71 balls.

Images: Marvan Attapatu returned to form after a poor start in the England tour...

 

[Hamish]

More replies would be appreciated, otherwise it just feels like I'm writing this story with no one being interested.

2nd Test: England vs Sri Lanka

End of Day 1: Dilshan impresses after fall of two wickets...

Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu did not last long after Tea, facing 2 more balls to score 3 runs, when he defended a ball from Simon Jones that pitched outside off, and would have been better left alone, but Atapattu ended up edging to Prior on 80. This ended an 87 run partnership between Atapattu and Samaraweera. Samaraweera lasted a bit longer than his partner, making his way slowly past 50, and finally was dismissed on 57, bowled by a well disguised Harmison slower ball.

With these two wickets, the Sri Lankan tail was exposed and the English players were confident of wrapping up the tail. But one batsman remained, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and with the poor form he was in, he needed to make a big statement. First ball he faced, he drove the ball to long on for 4. Chaminda Vaas, at the other end, held up the other end with strong defensive shots. Dilshan reached his 50 in just 63 balls, and played out the rest of the day cautiously.

At Stumps on Day 1, Sri Lanka are 342/6 off 93 overs, with Dilshan not out on 59 off 98 balls, and Vaas not out on 13 off 44 balls.

Images: Dilshan's little cameo temporarily silenced his critics...

 

[Hamish]

2nd Test: England vs Sri Lanka

Day 2: Lunch: English openers make strong start after Sri Lanka is cleaned up...

The Sri Lankan innings did not take long to finish. Dilshan faced just 13 balls on Day 2, and could not add to his overnight score of 59, when he was bowled by Simon Jones. Chaminda Vaas struck 2 excellent fours as the rest of the tail collapsed. Fernando was bowled by Hoggard for 2, Muralitharan made just 1 when he was bowled by Simon Jones, and Vaas edged Jones to Flintoff on 24. Nuwan Zoysa remained not out on 4.

The Sri Lankan innings ended with 360 allout off 102 overs.

The English openers, especially Marcus Trescothick, made a strong start. They managed to survive till Lunch on Day 2, with Trescothick cracking 5 boundaries.

Strauss played a sedate innings to remain on 10 not out off 42 balls, and Trescothick was not out on 35 off 62. The score at Lunch on Day 2 was 47/0 off 17 overs.

Image: Trescothick gave England a good start to their reply to the Sri Lankan score...

 

[langerrox]

great presentation!! simple and effiective keep it up!

 

[James_W]

Yeah, still loving the story.