England (421 & 76/3) defeat Sri Lanka (135 & 359) by 7 wickets to win the 1st Test

[Majestic_Inzi]

Matthew and Chandimal are big wickets.

 

[Robert]

Century for Thirimanne, just his second n ten years.

England looking out of ideas.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Imagine if SL set a target of 170+ and bowl to England on a 5th day pitch.

 

[James]

Second new ball coming up.

Extremely important moment.

 

[MenInG]

ENG 421
SL 135 & 210/4 (82.1) CRR: 2.56
Day 4: 1st Session - Sri Lanka trail by 76 runs

 

[James]

Superb wicket for England there. Well done Curran and Buttler.

A sterling knock from Thirimanne comes to an end.

Another sharp catch for Buttler actually. He’s been excellent since the late summer, is full of confidence and is having one of his very best games for England behind the stumps.

 

[Square Drive]

Not getting enough interest due to India vs Australia happening at the same time, but this is panning out to be a very interesting Test match. Superb fightback by SL. Rooting for them to shut up the likes of Vaughan here.

Chandimal, Matthews, Dickwella, and Shanaka have it in them to get SL to 450+ on this track which should make for an interesting 4th innings chase.

 

[Robert]

The top is coming off the wicket. England won’t want to chase more than 100.

 

[Majestic_Inzi]

This eng bowling attack looks really ordinary in asian conditions.

I think sri lsnka will get 140 lead here.

 

[Mamoon]

This guy Lahiru definitely has got some compromised pictures of top brasses of SRL cricket politics - under every regime he has kept coming back and so far has played 36 Tests as specialist bat with an average of <23.....played 127 ODIs as well at 35/72 stats.

Scored back to back hundreds against prime Ajmal in Asia Cup 2014. The hundred here was of the highest caliber as well.

One can see why the selectors go back to him, but yes the overall stats do not to justice to the faith shown in him as well as his personal ability.

Seems like a serious underachiever like Tharanga.

 

[Manunited18]

Stokes been a big miss , his inspiring spells he produces would have made the difference

 

[MenInG]

ENG 421
SL 135 & 242/4 (91) CRR: 2.66
Day 4: Lunch Break - Sri Lanka trail by 44 runs

 

[Robert]

This eng bowling attack looks really ordinary in asian conditions.

I think sri lsnka will get 140 lead here.

Broad has been unhittable, and Curran has two for 38. The problem is the spinners. English cricket doesn’t produce them any more due to the County schedule. They need Moeen, who is not that great either but is better than Bess.

 

[Majestic_Inzi]

Broad has been unhittable, and Curran has two for 38. The problem is the spinners. English cricket doesn’t produce them any more due to the County schedule. They need Moeen, who is not that great either but is better than Bess.

Bess just got wicket..

 

[James]

Bess gets Chandimal.... huge moment.

 

[Robert]

Five down now, still 35 behind. What’s the SL tail like?

 

[sindhiboy]

Broad has an economy under 1, that's brilliant

 

[Robert]

Broad has an economy under 1, that's brilliant

SL are blocking him out and looking to score off the others.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Bess bowling well.

 

[Ab Fan]

SL should get into some lead and then go for the blocking. Its a little vulnerable to do it with still few runs behind.

 

[James]

I think England will be ok as long as they are chasing no more than 100.

160-180ish (plus) would be a nightmare.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Not sure what Lankan tactics are here. They cant keep blocking as the only have 5 wickets left and there are still 4 sessions after this. Hot to to keep the scoreboard tockingvand get a lead.

 

[Square Drive]

Dickwella gone. Huge wicket.

Last recognized pair at the crease. These two need to put together a partnership of at least 75.

 

[Square Drive]

Nvm. Congrats [MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION]

 

[James]

7 wickets down for a lead of 16.

Unless Mathews plays a blinder, this is all over.

 

[Majestic_Inzi]

Surely matthews will hav to start slogging, tuk tuk wont get them much of a lead.

 

[Saurav]

Haha, you just want England to pick him

Nah,hes doing okay actually

And we have struggled vs offies in the past

3fer in 2nd innings too

 

[Robert]

SL effectively 26-8. Matthews had better start swinging.

 

[DeadBall]

Flurry of boundaries, lead up to 52 quite quickly.

 

[Ab Fan]

57-8, need 100 runs more.

 

[Rana]

About 120-150 and they have a chance to win

 

[Square Drive]

That was marginal.

 

[ssuhaide]

Last pair now. England should wrap this up but good lower resilience from Sri Lanka

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Great resilience from SL but that hllatrocious batting in the 1st innings was always going to haunt them.

 

[Robert]

Effectively 71-9. Matthews playing a blinder for SL.

 

[Robert]

Nvm. Congrats [MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION]

Plenty of cricket in this match. Root and Lawrence apart, nobody has played these spinenrs well.

 

[Square Drive]

That was poor from Dilruwan tbfh. No reason to be lunging forward to that extent. He's a very capable bat and could've taken the lead to 150 even with Mathews.

 

[Square Drive]

Plenty of cricket in this match. Root and Lawrence apart, nobody has played these spinenrs well.

SL need at least 125, or even 150. They don't have Herath to defend these low scores anymore.

 

[Rana]

SL need at least 125, or even 150. They don't have Herath to defend these low scores anymore.

Embuldiya isn’t a bad bowler

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Broad hasnt bowled on a long time. He wasnt even bowling that quick. 80-82 mph even in his opening spell. Looks like there might be an injury.

 

[Mesozoic]

Come on Mathews. Just cross the 100 mark and see how poms crumble.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Come on Mathews. Just cross the 100 mark and see how poms crumble.

If they could give a target if 135 odd and get a couple of chuckers like ajmal and hafeez to support embuldeniya, I would have backed SL as favourites

 

[Mesozoic]

 

[Robert]

Leach takes five wickets.

74 for England to win.

 

[Mesozoic]

Fifer for Jack Leach.

A much better one than Bess' in the first essay.

 

[Square Drive]

Needed the skipper and Dickwella to stand up. Really only ended about 100 runs short did SL.

 

[Mesozoic]

If they could give a target if 135 odd and get a couple of chuckers like ajmal and hafeez to support embuldeniya, I would have backed SL as favourites

Herath alone would have been enough. No need for those chuckers.

 

[Robert]

Come on Mathews. Just cross the 100 mark and see how poms crumble.

You an Aussie or Kiwi now?

 

[Mesozoic]

You an Aussie or Kiwi now?

Do I need to be?

 

[Majestic_Inzi]

Didnt know what matthews was doin at end, should hav slogged every bowl..

 

[Hasan123]

At least there was some fight from Sri Lanka.

 

[Manunited18]

Get jofra back , stokes , fancy England beating both Sri Lanka and India thus winter, come on boys.

 

[Ab Fan]

Moeen bhai's fate has been sealed by the fifer of both the spinners. He is a mediocre all-round cricketer. Both Bess and Leech are better. These two along with the party-spoiler must be in consideration for the playing XI for the first test in India.

 

[DeadBall]

England 1 down.

 

[Robert]

Oops.

I fear for Sibley in India. His strange mobility in the crease does not bode well against spinners.

 

[Majestic_Inzi]

Sibley awful

 

[DeadBall]

Drop. Crawley survives.

 

[Robert]

Do I need to be?

"Poms" is what Antipodians call us. It's quasi-aggressive, but we tolerate it due to the ancient love-hate relationship. Non-Antipodians using it is taking liberties - like some rude name your brash kid brother calls you appropriated by someone who isn't your brother.

 

[DeadBall]

Weather looks very bad for tomorrow, Eng should try to finish this today.

 

[Mesozoic]

"Poms" is what Antipodians call us. It's quasi-aggressive, but we tolerate it due to the ancient love-hate relationship. Non-Antipodians using it is taking liberties - like some rude name your brash kid brother calls you appropriated by someone who isn't your brother.

Didn't think that was offensive. Apologies.

 

[ssuhaide]

Sibley struggled against Yasir aswell so he may be a sitting duck in India

 

[Robert]

Oops, now Crawley is gone. Pressure on Root again.

Just need a couple of blokes to get 20.

 

[Mesozoic]

If they get Root too now we have a game on our hands.

 

[DeadBall]

2 down now. Hints of the 2011 match vs Pak?

 

[Manunited18]

Lankas spinners on a different level to England boys.

 

[ssuhaide]

Loose from the openers.

Galle is a graveyard for low scores but still England should get these with wickets in hand

 

[DeadBall]

Perrera keeps on releasing the pressure.

 

[ssuhaide]

Stupid cricket now. Lankans smell blood

 

[Mesozoic]

What on earth was that?

 

[Robert]

Didn't think that was offensive. Apologies.

Cool.

Oh dear, Root run out.

14-3.

 

[Mesozoic]

That was the biggest brainfade I've ever saw.

 

[Robert]

Was Root obstructed by the bowler?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

I hope Indian team is at full strength and fitness . If we cant whitewash this England side 5-0, I'd be disappointed.

 

[ssuhaide]

England playing like panicstan.. attempting stupid runs. Almost another run out

 

[Manunited18]

I hope Indian team is at full strength and fitness . If we cant whitewash this England side 5-0, I'd be disappointed.

Possibly, bit like England battered India 4-1 here

 

[Robert]

Come on Lawrence, calm it down. I have no faith in Bowledstow.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Possibly, bit like battered India 4-1 here

Sure. We don't do well over there. Bit of a bogey destination for us. But atleast we dont huff and puff against minnows like Pakistan, Windies and SL 'C' sides.

 

[Ab Fan]

England will win by 6 wickets.

 

[Mesozoic]

Possibly, bit like England battered India 4-1 here

That was hardly a battering!

Except at Lords, we made them sweat up all the way to the final sessions. Let's see how many sessions this England team wins in India.

 

[James]

Beyond pathetic from England here.

Truly atrocious cricket from Bairstow there to run out Root. Jonny needs to make up for this by being the guy to stay in and score the runs.