England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test - Day Two Review

Close of play
England 47-1 (Cook 24*)
Sri Lanka 400 (P Jayawardene 112, Anderson 3-66)


In a sentence
Sri Lanka are in command after making hay against a disjointed attack shorn of Jimmy Anderson for most of the day, whose series is now in doubt.


Player of the day
Prasanna Jayawardene had the confidence to take on the England bowling in the afternoon session and was rewarded with several boundaries, a Nick Knight eulogy in the commentary box and a fine century to boot.  Comfortable against Swann and rarely troubled by England's largely flat seam attack, his runs at no. 6 have gone some way to justifying the tourists' selecting five genuine bowlers.


Moment of the day
Anderson's working over of Mahela Jayawardene to start the day was swing bowling par excellence. 11 consecutive outswingers pitched up tempted the right-hander, followed by a full inducker that flummoxed the former Sri Lankan captain as he edged to second slip. But this expert piece of bowling also highlights how much England missed the Lancastrian when his strain put him out of action in the late afternoon.


Wickets

M Jayawardene c Strauss b Anderson 4 - thick edge high up the bat on an inswinger and was well taken by Strauss at second slip

Paranavitana b Tremlett 66 - dragged on flashing at a full ball pitching on off-stump


Samaraweera c Swann b Anderson 58 - angled into the body with a touch of swing and 
edged to second slip

Maharoof run out (Trott) 16 - guilty of lax backing up as Trott feathered a delivery driven 
back at him onto the stumps

Perera c Tremlett b Broad 25 - mistimed pull looped to mid-on 

Herath c Trott b Swann 25 - filthy delivery slapped straight to cover

P Jayawardene c Prior b Broad 112 - tight line and length induced a regulation edge to the 
keeper 

Lakmal c Broad b Swann 2 - excellent diving catch at mid-on to grasp a fulsome drive

*****

Strauss c M Jayawardene b Lakmal 20 -  a touch of away movement created an edge and a 

fine catch at second slip

Outlook for tomorrow

England will have to bat all day to avoid a significant deficit. The key question is whether 

Mendis and Herath can extract any venom from a benign surface, because if not a draw 

looks nailed on.