England lost Trott, Strauss and Prior in quick succession to Rangana
Herath while Welegedara dismissed KP after Lunch to add to his wicket
tally. England were struggling at 72/5.
Sri Lanka snatched three early wickets to take a firm grip on the first
Test in Galle. The batting frailties that cost England so dear in the
UAE were exposed once again on the second morning as the tourists
struggled in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 318. While
Alastair Cook, at least, could reflect that he had been the victim of a
fine delivery, Jonathan Trott and Andrew Strauss will know they had a
hand in their own downfall.
Cook was first to fall. Half forward to a fine delivery from Suranga
Lakmal that swung back in just a fraction, Cook was caught in the crease
and trapped lbw. Though Trott, driving sweetly on both sides of the
wicket, was soon into his stride the slightly bizarre manner of his
dismissal overshadowed the 40 runs he added with his captain. Perhaps he
was beaten in the flight, or perhaps it was simply a moment of madness,
but Trott skipped down the pitch and attempted to whip a Rangana Herath
full toss through the leg side. He failed to make contact, however,
allowing the wicketkeeper, Prasanna Jayawardene, to collect the ball
neatly and remove the bails. To complete Trott's ignominy, he came off
second best in a collision with Jayawardene as the batsman attempted to
regain his ground. Indeed, the sight of Trott, stunned and lying on his
back with his wicket broken, pretty much summed up England's morning.
Strauss also fell before lunch. England's captain, who had enjoyed a
moment of luck on 18 when he edged an arm ball just wide of slip in
Herath's first over, missed a sweep off an innocuous looking delivery.
Though Strauss was originally given not out, Sri Lanka asked for a
review and Asad Rauf's decision was overturned.
Ian Bell offered a glimmer of hope for England. After a grim tour of the
UAE where he averaged just 8.50 against Pakistan, he signalled his
positive intent by skipping down the wicket and driving Herath for a six
over long-on, before pulling the next delivery for four. With Kevin
Pietersen he helped England reach lunch on 57 for 3, trailing Sri Lanka
by 261 runs.
Earlier James Anderson claimed his first five-wicket haul in a Test in
Asian conditions as England dismissed Sri Lanka for 318. It took only
6.3 overs for England to claim the two wickets they required to finish
off the Sri Lankan innings. Anderson claimed them both, producing a well
disguised off-cutter that crept through the sizeable gap between
Chanaka Welegedara's bat and pad before Mahela Jayawardene's superb
effort was ended by a fine delivery in the channel outside off stump
that held its line and took the edge of the bat. Anderson finished with 5
for 72; the 12th five-wicket haul of his Test career and his third
outside England.
England did not have things all their own way. Sri Lanka, resuming on
289 for 8, soon passed 300 as the first over of the day cost 16.
Anderson, adopting a tactic of short-pitched bowling at Welegedara,
twice saw the ball disappear for four leg byes - once off the batsmen's
helmet - though Welegedara also produced one authentic pull to the
boundary.
Jayawardene, unbeaten on 168 overnight, soon lofted a Stuart Broad
slower ball over long-on, before flicking Anderson for another boundary.
By the time he was dismissed for 180, he had batted for 315 balls and
hit three sixes and 22 fours. The most telling statistic, however, is
that the next highest contribution from a Sri Lankan batsman was just
27.
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