Sri Lanka attack keep check on England scoring

LORD'S, August 29

England had been attempting to build their innings after early loss of wickets with Sri Lanka restricting the scoring with well controlled bowling and excellent fielding. At tea on the first day of the second Test England were 200 for five with Joe Root unbeaten on 81.

The tourists justified their decision at winning the toss to field first in warm conditions, bright sunshine and a grassless pitch. They didn’t take long to strike with the first wicket which fell in the seventh over with Lahiru Kamara coming on to bowl, replacing Milan Rathnayeke and having Dan Lawrence held for 9.

In a space of nine balls, England then lost the second wicket on 42 when Ollie Pope’s poor form continued. Having been dismissed for 6 in both innings in the first Test last week, Pope was held for just 1 when he pulled Asitha Fernando and skied the ball. De Silva made good ground for the catch at square leg.

With Ben Stokes injured and expected to be out for the rest on the season, Pope appears to find captaincy weighing on his mind which is quite understandable in leading only for the second time. No doubt he has advice from Stokes and Root on the field having led England in a record 61 Tests, there would not be a shortage of advice for Pope.

England kept struggling after the fall of the second wicket and after a stand of 40 between Duckett and Root, Duckett inexplicably went for a reverse-sweep shot, which certainly, under the circumstance, did not warrant playing. He did nearly reach the boundary though, before being held at deep point. His 40 runs hadn’t taken long coming from 47 balls and the best shot of his 4 fours was the lovely firm cover drive off Kumara which took him to 34 at a run-a-ball.

Root was in next and got off the mark from the first ball which he clipped to square leg playing the shot beautifully off his pads. Much depended to him to revive the innings along with Harry Brook but their partnership didn’t quite reach even 50 as England’s fourth wicket had gone down on 130.

Brook had 33 before falling leg before wicket to Fernando. He had played forward attempting to push to leg and the third umpire made the decision the ball was hitting leg stump. Root was then on 38 and playing quite cautiously.

He eventually brought up his 65th Test half century from 84 balls when he ran two to mid-wicket clipping Rathnayake. He then promptly ran three off the next ball to point and continued attempting to revive the innings with Jamie Smith who looked confident after his maiden century in the previous Test helping England to their 5-wicket victory.

In a very useful fifth wicket stand Root and Smith combined well to put on 62 of which Smith had carefully reached 21 with a four driven to mid-on before being held next ball and half of the England side was dismissed for 192 in 49 overs at that stage.