England v Sri Lanka: first men’s cricket Test match, day two – live | Cricket

thirty seventh over: England 176-4 (Brook 53, Smith 22) Only a single from Vishwa Fernando’s over, and it’s time for tea. Sri Lanka had been on high because the right-armed Fernando, Asitha, diminished England to 67-3 and so they had been delighted to dismiss Joe Root for 42 to make it 125-4. However that was the second once they wanted yet another wicket, to get all the way down to England’s longish tail, and so they couldn’t handle it. Harry Brook has been majestic, bar one failed ramp shot, and Jamie Smith has continued his assured begin to his Check profession. For England, the long run has already begun.

thirty sixth over: England 175-4 (Brook 53, Smith 21) Jayasuriya tries going over the wicket. It really works when it comes to sixes (no extra as but), however not when it comes to singles (two to every batter). The fourth one brings up the fifty partnership, off 10.3 overs – nearly sedate by England’s requirements.

thirty fifth over: England 171-4 (Brook 51, Smith 19) Vishwa continues and Brook, nonetheless flowing, strokes a canopy drive that deserves 4, solely will get three, however brings him to yet one more fifty. It’s his 14th in solely 16 Exams, and 5 of these have been over 100. His common inches as much as 62, the best by any Englishman ever with 1000 Check runs.

thirty fourth over: England 168-4 (Brook 48, Smith 19) Jamie Smith is excellent too. That maiden a couple of minutes in the past was simply his approach of getting the measure of Jayasuriya, whom he now swings for a straight six. That’s attractive – although Mike Atherton factors out that it was a six from Smith within the final sequence that helped West Indies’ bowlers to seek out some reverse swing, because the ball took a battering. And the Sri Lankan seamers have already discovered a little bit of reverse by themselves…

thirty third over: England 160-4 (Brook 47, Smith 12) Brook is simply so fluent. Dealing with Vishwa, he performs one other straight drive for 4, a tuck for 2, and a dab for 2 extra. It didn’t really feel like a nasty over, but it’s gone for eight.

thirty second over: England 152-4 (Brook 39, Smith 12) Three extra singles from this over as Brook works his first ball from Jayasuriya to leg, Smith quickly follows go well with, after which Brook provides a restrained reduce. England cross 150 and path by 84 now.

thirty first over: England 149-4 (Brook 37, Smith 11) The opposite Fernando, Vishwa, replaces Rathnayake, who gained’t keep in mind his spell with a lot fondness (7-0-45-0). The batters content material themselves with three singles.

“Please may your scorecard tell us which Fernando obtained the dismissals,” says Gary Amer. “If reminiscence serves, when the Overton brothers play and get wickets, we get the data who it’s by their forename preliminary letter. Sustain the work Guardian.” It’s a very good level, Gary, however it presumes that we’ve got some management over the scorecard, which is, I’m afraid, above my pay grade.

thirtieth over: England 146-4 (Brook 35, Smith 10) The Sri Lankan captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, takes the trace about Asitha being weary and brings on a spinner, for the primary time right now I feel. Prabath Jayasuriya, gradual left-arm, retains Smith quiet and manages the primary maiden of the innings.

twenty ninth over: England 146-4 (Brook 35, Smith 10) Rathanayake is meant to be primarily a bowler, however he’s been much less spectacular with the ball than he was with the bat. Smith steps throughout his stumps to helps himself to a slice of Viv Richards, after which Brook performs an off-drive that’s so classical, the purists could even recuperate from that ramp shot.

twenty eighth over: England 138-4 (Brook 30, Smith 7) Smith picks up a pair into the covers and a single to backward sq.. “Asitha simply tiring a bit now,” says Mark Butcher, so comfy on the mic as ever. He’s sharing it with Stuart Broad, who can be good however simply popped up on a jarringly naff advert for a wine service provider, presumably scripted in America in 1957.

twenty seventh over: England 134-4 (Brook 29, Smith 4) Harry Brook is now the final man standing from England’s common high six (two out with damage, three again within the hutch). Will he let this cramp his type? Hell no. He dabs Rathnayake to 3rd man for 2, pushes previous cowl for 2 extra, then tries a ramp shot – a tribute, maybe, to the departed Root. He’s rapped on the pad and there’s an enchantment for LBW, on the optimistic aspect.

twenty sixth over: England 129-4 (Brook 25, Smith 4) Jamie Smith, within the high six for the primary time in an England helmet, flicks his first ball for 4. Asitha was going for the toe-crusher, however helpful as he’s, Waqar Younis he isn’t. Good figures, although: three for 42 off simply 9 overs.

twenty sixth over: England 129-4 (Brook 25, Smith 4) This can be a good check for Jamie Smith, promoted to No6 within the absence of Ben Stokes. Asitha tries a primary ball yorker, overdoes the road and size and is flicked to high quality leg for 4.

Time for me handy over to the nice Tim de Lisle for a number of hours. Thanks to your firm and emails. You may contact Tim at tim.delisle@theguardian.com.

Afternoon everybody and thanks Rob. When Rob turned up because the intern at Wisden Cricket Month-to-month, a 12 months or two in the past now, we quickly obtained the impression of an enormous expertise with a small ego. He hasn’t modified a bit.

One other twist on this compelling contest! Avisha Fernando will get his third wicket, the massive wicket: Joe Root, attempting to drive exterior off stump, has obtained the thinnest inside-edge by means of to Chandimal.

Stuart Broad was simply saying on commentary that he thought there was a soupçon of reverse swing, and that ball actually moved within the air. It was a low catch so Root stayed round whereas it was checked, however Chandimal obtained his gloves underneath the ball in time. Properly, nicely.

twenty fifth over: England 123-3 (Root 42, Brook 24) A half-grubber from Rathnayeke is stored out nicely by Brook, who then drives classily by means of additional cowl for 3. England are in management in the mean time.

“I’m unsure I agree with me about Jacks both,” says Felix Wooden, “however I’ve put it on the market as my opinion now so it appears to be like like I’m caught with it, and I’ll defend it to my final breath.”

Think about if all of us had to try this, if stating an opinion on cricket was like a gangster taking an oath. I’d have spent the final 15 years pleading that Jimmy Anderson wasn’t as much as the job.

Or I’d have gone to see Lawrence Sales space, given him a Enhance and requested that I be allowed to vary my opinion on Anderson. “You took an oath, Smyth…”

twenty fourth over: England 117-3 (Root 40, Brook 21) The technical issues are over and so, in the meanwhile, are England’s worries. Root and Brook have restored with minimal danger and even much less fuss. Root works a single off Avisha to deliver up the fifty partnership in simply 58 balls. These two bat fantastically collectively.

“Funnily sufficient, I used to be going to say the broadcasters,” says Max Willians. “It feels just like the Nineteen Nineties technology are far more represented within the media however I’m unsure that’s the case. It’s simply that two of one of the best pundits within the recreation right now occur to be two of the defining gamers of the Nineteen Nineties. (The defining participant in Atherton’s case.)

“I’m 32 so I solely caught the top of that period – 97 Ashes, 98 vs SA and 99 vs New Zealand. All epic sequence in their very own approach. I solely obtained 4 years of Atherton however he’s a defining determine of my childhood. I feel the free to air level is bang on – I’ve in all probability watched John Crawley bat extra typically than Jonathan Trott.

“Feels just like the Nineteen Nineties is the nostalgia candy spot for sport as a result of there’s limitless footage which holds up high quality right now whereas clearly being of one other period. Footage from the Nineteen Eighties is notably decrease high quality and a clip from 2004 appears to be like principally the identical as clip from 2024. Additionally true of soccer – which additionally had a Nineteen Nineties golden period.”

twenty third over: England 113-3 (Root 39, Brook 18)

twenty second over: England 109-3 (Root 36, Brook 17) “I don’t wish to have the Ollie Pope chat, you don’t wish to have the Ollie Pope chat, however however I really feel we have to have the Ollie Pope chat,” says Felix Wooden. “He’s nicely past his quota of innings for being a promising teenager, we’ve got to simply accept that his common now (35) is what’s common goes to be, and somebody with that common shouldn’t be batting at quantity three for England.

“Certainly there are different gamers who could possibly be tried there? And if he’s not adequate at three it’s exhausting to see a spot for him. For what it’s value I might have picked Jacks as opener for this sequence – would have gotten some low scores, however not more than Crawley and will do the identical turbo charging of innings if he didn’t get out.”

Whereas I agree with plenty of what you say (not about Will Jacks thoughts), Pope’s common at No3 is an excellent 44. I feel he deserves extra time, not least due to all of the runs he scored in opposition to West Indies. Like all one of the best issues in life, it’s nuanced.

twenty first over: England 108-3 (Root 35, Brook 17) We’re having some technical issues however you’re not lacking a lot, simply two runs from that Jayasuriya over.

twentieth over: England 106-3 (Root 34, Brook 16) When Asitha returns to the assault, Brook drives fairly majestically by means of additional cowl for 4. He performs some beautiful pictures.

There’s a hopeful LBW enchantment in opposition to Root later within the over – he was exterior the road.

“We love 90s England now, however god they had been irritating on the time!” says Oliver Haill. “Robin Smith was presumably my favorite, and a working example identical to Athers, Tuffers and Caddick too – moments of greatness and heroicism in amidst many, many extra failures and losses.”

Essentially the most irritating factor about them was not how unhealthy they typically had been, however how good they are often. So lots of their victories got here from spectacular attacking cricket, peaking for twenty-four astonishing hours on the Oval in 1994.

I did one thing on that recreation in the new Wisden Cricket Monthly if anybody’s interest- hiya? Helloooooo?

nineteenth over: England 100-3 (Root 33, Brook 11) The left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who bowled a few overs final evening due to the sunshine, comes on for the primary time right now and is milked for six runs. Root has unobtrusively modified the momentum of this recreation.

“I’m in agreeable disagreement with James Brough, as Sky’s cash has in impact created the careers of Root, Prepare dinner, Bell et al,” writes Gareth Wilson. “With out that cash, no central contracts and sure much more unfulfilled careers. And in settlement that right now’s children DO get to see the likes of Smith, Cox, Jacks, Capsey, Sciver-Brunt, because the Hundred is, no less than partially, on free to air television.”

I can’t host one other TV rights chat. Nothing private, I simply can’t do it.

18th over: England 94-3 (Root 30, Brook 8) Brook has been starved of the strike in the previous couple of overs. Irrespective of: he will get his first boundary from the fifth ball of his innings by pushing Rathnayeke fantastically down the bottom. There’s even a touch of solar at Outdated Trafford now.

Rathnayeke hasn’t bowled fairly in addition to the 2 Fernandos. Root punches him straight for successive boundaries to make it 14 from the over.

“Any love for the England Check groups of the Seventies?” sniffs Jon McKinley. “Nearly my solely reminiscence of the summers from 1972 onwards is spending hours in entrance of the TV with Richie Benaud and John Arlott commentating on Boycott and Edrich, Randall and Roope, Greig and Knott, Geoff Arnold and Chris Outdated. To call fairly a number of. OK, the West Indies used to tear them up regularly however they had been an enormous a part of my younger life each summer season.”

A great deal of love. I didn’t point out them as a result of, though I used to be a precocious little bugger, even I couldn’t respect Alan Knott’s artistry on the age of three.

seventeenth over: England 80-3 (Root 21, Brook 3) Vishwa angles a full supply throughout Root, who occasions it down the bottom for a pair. It feels batting is beginning to get a bit simpler. Or perhaps it’s simply that Joe Root is batting.

sixteenth over: England 75-3 (Root 18, Brook 1) Rathnayeke is fractionally too straight to Root, who clips him wristily previous mid-on for 4. I imply actually, that’s so good. In case you or I performed that shot we’d dine out on it for 40 12 months; for Root it’s simply one other boundary. He’s regarded in extraordinarily good contact this summer season.

“All this nostalgia for the 90s, which while you get to my age appears like final Thursday week, isn’t half making me really feel previous,” writes Martin Wright. “The late 60s/early 70s was once I fell in love with the sport: clutching my Playfair Cricket Annual, and watching the likes of Underwood, Knott and my private hero, Basil D’Oliveira, work miracles on a grainy black-and-white TV…”

fifteenth over: England 69-3 (Root 13, Brook 1) Root is the important thing wicket, this being a cricket match. He and Brook batted fantastically in not dissimilar situations on the third day of the second Check in opposition to West Indies.

Drinks

England are in a recreation right here, and don’t neglect they’ve Chris Woakes coming in at No7 this week.

Vishwa Fernando modifications ends to switch Asitha – and it really works instantly. Lawrence, feeling exterior off, will get a skinny edge by means of to the keeper Chandimal for a traditional left-armer’s dismissal. That’s a reasonably good ball, although Lawrence could nicely mirror that he may have left it. Simpler to say from up right here.

In different information, Rocky Flintoff made a reasonably good 32 in his first County Championship innings.

14th over: England 66-2 (Lawrence 30, Root 11) Root again cuts Rathnayeke skilfully for 2. It appears like England have been underneath the pump this morning, but they’ve nonetheless scored 44 off 9 overs.

“I feel age has quite a bit to do with the love for the Nineteen Nineties staff,” says James Brough. “Gower, Gooch, Botham and many others had been adults when the 13-year-old me began watching – they had been individuals to look as much as.

“In case you’re the identical age as me – early 50’s – then Atherton, Thorpe et al had been the gamers we recognized with. We noticed them make their debuts, we apprehensive whether or not they’d make it as Check gamers. We adopted them from debut to retirement. They had been our staff.”

thirteenth over: England 62-2 (Lawrence 29, Root 8) For causes greatest identified to himself, Asitha bowls successive brief balls which can be pulled handsomely for 4 by Lawrence. The primary was honest sufficient as a shock, the second made no sense in any respect.

twelfth over: England 53-2 (Lawrence 20, Root 8) The debutant Milan Rathnayeke, a right-arm seamer, replaces Vishwa Fernando. He’s on the cash immediately, stuffed with size and making the batsmen play at just about each supply. This can be a good check for England.

eleventh over: England 51-2 (Lawrence 19, Root 7) Root’s first boundary is a timeless traditional, the open-faced steer between second slip and gully. A flick for 2 from Lawrence brings up the England fifty.

tenth over: England 44-2 (Lawrence 17, Root 2) Two singles from an correct over by Vishwa. Lawrence has performed okay thus far. He’s positively not the second coming of Sir Geoffrey however nor has he regarded a trespasser on the high of the order.

ninth over: England 42-2 (Lawrence 16, Root 1) Nasser Hussain compares that ball from Asitha to considered one of Vernon Philander’s stump-botherers, which is spot on. It was nigh-on good.

“Max Williams wonders why the 90’s England staff is so beloved,” says James Brough. “Certainly an enormous a part of that’s that Check cricket was nonetheless on free to air TV? Atherton, Stewart, Thorpe, Hick, Gough, Caddick – they’re the final technology of gamers who you possibly can comply with just by switching on BBC1 or Channel 4. I obtained into cricket as a result of someday in 1985 in the course of the summer season holidays, I used to be bored. I turned on the TV and located David Gower within the course of of constructing 215 in opposition to Australia and was captivated.

“For the final 19 years, that’s not been potential. Until their dad and mom pay for Sky Sports activities, no kids have turned on and been captivated by Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali or Kevin Pietersen. Not a single recreation of Alastair Prepare dinner or Stuart Broad’s careers have been proven free to air. Only some matches of Jimmy Anderson. And I feel it’s a crying disgrace.”

That’s a good level, though it feels just like the Nineteen Nineties staff was extra beloved than the Nineteen Eighties. Possibly that’s simply due to my age. And I really like all of them anyway.

Cleaned him up! Asitha produces a stunning nipbacker that beats Pope’s inside edge and hits the highest off. “Gorgeous bowling,” says Stuart Broad on Sky. “You don’t play these.”

eighth over: England 39-1 (Lawrence 14, Pope 6) A bit of filth from Vishwa Fernando is reduce simply for 4 by Pope. Vishwa will get it proper subsequent ball with a pleasant inswinger that Pope thick-edges for a single. Pope can wrestle in opposition to left-arm swing bowlers.

seventh over: England 32-1 (Lawrence 12, Pope 1) Sri Lanka have an opportunity right here as a result of the ball is doing a bit. Ollie Pope will get off the mark by working his first supply off the pads for a single, then Lawrence inside-edges one other.

Sri Lanka nearly ran out of time with that Duckett overview; there was one second remaining when Dhananjaya despatched it upstairs.

“After weeks of dry climate and occasional scattered showers, it’s in fact sod’s legislation that it’s going to rain for nearly 5 days of a Check match at Outdated Trafford,” says Ruth. “As a neighborhood, it occurs nearly each time and it gained’t cease being humorous.”

It stopped bloody being humorous final summer season!

I’ve over it, it’s okay. DON’T TOUCH ME.

Nope, he’s gone! It pitched in line and swung again, a extremely good supply the truth is, and Duckett has gone.

Paul Reiffel, an excellent umpire, has had a humorous couple of minutes.

Duckett flicked throughout a full supply from Asitha Fernando that hit him in entrance of center and leg. We’ll quickly discover out the place it pitched. I reckon it could be umpire’s name.

Sri Lanka overview for LBW in opposition to Duckett!

That is actually shut. If it pitched in line it’s certainly out.

Lawrence is just not out!

Lawrence shovelled throughout a very good nipbacker that hit him above the knee roll, and he’s a tall man. There was a little bit of shock when Paul Reiffel gave it out… as a result of it could have bounced excessive, because the know-how has simply confirmed.

Evaluation! Lawrence given out LBW to A Fernando

Top will save him I reckon.

sixth over: England 29-0 (Duckett 18, Lawrence 10) The opposite Fernando, the left-arm seamer Vishwa, begins on the different finish. He had a very good spell at Yorkshire earlier within the season, which included match figures of 9 for 88 in opposition to Derbyshire.

Duckett push a single to deep level, whose deployment is annoying Stuart Broad within the commentary field. “How are you going to let a extremely good ball like that go for a run?”

To date, so comfy for England.

fifth over: England 27-0 (Duckett 17, Lawrence 9) Duckett drives Asitha’s Fernando’s first ball of day two by means of the covers for a pair. Sri Lanka have sweepers on either side for each openers. There’s a strangled shout for LBW when Lawrence misses an tried flick off the pads; it was lacking leg.

“The revised session occasions add as much as 5 hours and 55 minutes of play, however eight overs are misplaced from the total day of 90. Is that this a tacit admission that groups aren’t maintaining with over-rates?”

That features the additional half-hour, which I added on as a result of they’ll inevitably want it. Formally the night session finishes at 7pm.