England [344, 164/4] defeat Sri Lanka [381, 126] by 6 wickets in the 2nd Test

[sweep_shot]

Tailing 0-1 despite an impressive second-innings fightback, Sri Lanka will be desperate for a victory when they take on England in the final Test in Galle, starting Friday, 22 January.

Overview

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd Test
Galle International Stadium, Galle
22 January to 26 January 2021; 10am local time, 4.30am GMT

If Sri Lanka are to achieve that objective, they’ll need more consistency in their batting. In the first Test, their combustion for 135 in the first-innings cost them the match, despite their commendable fightback in the second innings, when they posted 359.

Five players including Kusal Mendis have been released and will head home, with Dinesh Chandimal continuing to Captain the team in the 2nd test match, as well. This will put the spotlight on the young and highly-rated Oshada Fernando currently waiting in the wings.


They will also hope Suranga Lakmal, who has been nursing a hamstring problem, has recovered and gained enough match fitness to be in contention for this one.

England made one change as well, although for altogether different reasons. England are set to play India in a marquee four-Test series shortly after the ongoing matches in Sri Lanka, and their management will be mindful of the need to rest their players – it meant on the eve of the match, England announced their playing XI, with Jimmy Anderson being brought in, in place of Stuart Broad.

England Test XI: Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Jonathan Bairstow, Joe Root (captain), Dan Lawrence, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Dominic Bess, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, James Anderson.

Despite that, spin will remain the key weapon for both sides in this Test, especially with the pitch expected to be drier than in the first Test.

Remember the last time:

Sri Lanka opted to bat but were dismantled by England, with Stuart Broad making the early inroads before Dom Bess took a 5/30 to bundle out the home side for 135. The collapse would prove costly as England, led by captain Joe Root’s 228, posted a daunting 421 in their first innings.

Sri Lanka fought back in the second innings, a century from Lahiru Thirimanne, and half-centuries from Kusal Perera and Angelo Mathews helping the side to 359. However, given their lowly first-innings effort, England merely had to chase 74 to win. They did wobble, losing three wickets, but the visitors came through for a seven-wicket win.


What they said:

Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka batsman: "It's not about being conservative. You always have to look to score runs. But you need to understand how you can score runs off these bowlers and in these conditions."

Joe Root, England captain: "These tours and these games are all about winning but the experience you get can really benefit you further in your career if you have the right attitude and go about it in the right manner.”

Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1982278.

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Expecting a fight from Sri Lanka

[Mesozoic]

Sri Lanka batting first.

Two changes for them. Ramesh Mendis to make his Test debut and lead pacer Suranga Lakmal back. Shanaka and Hasaranga are dropped.

Anderson replaces Broad for England.

[MenInG]

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal(c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Ramesh Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando

England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Dominic Sibley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root(c), Daniel Lawrence, Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Dominic Bess, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to bat

[BDfanforever]

Anderson on fire. 7-2.

[King_Kohli]

Wicket number 602 for Jimmy.

[James]

Jimmy Anderson cannot believe his luck. Not sure he has ever taken two cheaper new ball wickets. Sri Lanka again struggling mentally with the bat after winning the toss.

[King_Kohli]

Jimmy Anderson cannot believe his luck. Not sure he has ever taken two cheaper new ball wickets. Sri Lanka again struggling mentally with the bat after winning the toss.

[Mesozoic]

Same story...

[sindhiboy]

That will help Jimmy's average in sri lanka

[HappyWarsFan]

Mickey Arthur destroying Sri Lanka Test team. "aggressive" tactics.

[Indiafan]

Atrocious shots on a really flat pitch which is doing nothing

[MenInG]

Good recovery by SL

SL 76/2 (26) CRR: 2.92
Day 1: 1st Session

[Mesozoic]

Must score 350+ atleast in the first outing.

Looks a great wicket to bat on.

[Nikhil_cric]

Suranga Lakmal back is good news for Lanka.

[James]

Three down. So much for “Clouderson”.

This is an excellent display of bowling in hot, dry, clear conditions from Jimmy.

[andy0204]

Three down. So much for “Clouderson”.

This is an excellent display of bowling in hot, dry, clear conditions from Jimmy.

Those are stat fanatics,real fans really appreciate Jimmy.

[MenInG]

SL 79/3 (27.1) CRR: 2.91
Day 1: 2nd Session

[Robert]

Jimmy Anderson cannot believe his luck. Not sure he has ever taken two cheaper new ball wickets. Sri Lanka again struggling mentally with the bat after winning the toss.

Vorn reckons they are playing the man not the ball.

Wood’s working up good pace but the wicket does nothing for him.

[Ab Fan]

Anderson stats must have improved in Sri Lanka now. Waiting for Demon Archer to be unleashed sooner.

[Robert]

Mathews steadies the ship.

[Ab Fan]

Chandimal has underachieved. He had lot of potential.

[MenInG]

SL 144/3 (48) CRR: 3
Day 1: 2nd Session

[WengerOut]

Anything above 300, Eng could be under pressure

[Robert]

Pitch is super flat. No bounce, no turn. A fine opportunity for SL to get 400 and see how England bat under scoreboard pressure.

[Majestic_Inzi]

Anything above 300, Eng could be under pressure

Not really, next few days will be good to bat, eng will make the same score.

What a flatty.. last test mstch wicket was better.

[sindhiboy]

Eng relying on home track bully Anderson too get the breakthrough

[James]

Not much happening out there at all for England, but really the pressure is on Sri Lanka.

We only need a draw.

[Robert]

Eng relying on home track bully Anderson too get the breakthrough

Have a look at his figures in WI and UAE.

[Ab Fan]

Why do England persist with Mark Wood? Has he even won England any match or is it just the pace obsession?

[AMSS]

Have a look at his figures in WI and UAE.

Have a look at Sehwag's numbers in Australia and Windies ;)

[Rana]

Mark Wood= Sasta Shoaib Akhtar

[Rana]

Why do the Poms start behaving like a bunch of spoilt brats if they are not doing well against a weaker side?

[Robert]

Why do England persist with Mark Wood? Has he even won England any match or is it just the pace obsession?

He has an Ashes fivefer and got a lot of wickets in SA.

Different option, shakes things up, hurts the batsmen, even when he doesn't take wickets he helps the other bowler. But these dead tracks don't help him at all. He should be getting the new ball not coming on second change.

[Nikhil_cric]

Wood getting it to hoop like Waqar. So us that sandpaper, Murray mints, zippers or nails?

[Ab Fan]

He has an Ashes fivefer and got a lot of wickets in SA.

Different option, shakes things up, hurts the batsmen, even when he doesn't take wickets he helps the other bowler. But these dead tracks don't help him at all. He should be getting the new ball not coming on second change.

Yeah I remember he and Broad did well in SA last time. But his home record is awful.

I assume he is there for subcontinent and Australian type of wickets. But not sure why is he rested for India tour then. Woakes should have been rested, not him.

[James]

Mark Wood was superb on the tour of South Africa.

Impressed with his bowling today too.
He has achieved genuine pace & reverse; and he just demonstrated his resilience after a long, wicketless, luckless spell by taking a crucial partnership-breaking wicket.

[Amjid Javed]

Angelo matthews does love scoring runs vs england and hes at thorn in their side again.

[sweep_shot]

204/4 after 74.4 overs.

Not a bad performance from SL.

[sweep_shot]

SL - 206/4 after 76.2 overs.

Mathews is on 98*.

[dravidthewall]

100 for mathews well played. Fighting knock though

[JattMaula]

Magnificent Mathews!

[sweep_shot]

Mathews reaches his 100. Good knock.

SL - 208/4 after 77.2 overs.

[sweep_shot]

SL - 212/4 after 79.4 overs.

[Markhor]

Yeah I remember he and Broad did well in SA last time. But his home record is awful.

I assume he is there for subcontinent and Australian type of wickets. But not sure why is he rested for India tour then. Woakes should have been rested, not him.

Only rested for the first 2 Tests. They've got Archer and Stone as their enforcer bowlers anyway.

[Mesozoic]

Wood getting it to hoop like Waqar. So us that sandpaper, Murray mints, zippers or nails?

Bottle caps maybe.

[Markhor]

Kusal Perera averages 22 since that famous hundred vs South Africa. The manner of his dismissals in this series have been disgraceful.

[Robert]

Yeah I remember he and Broad did well in SA last time. But his home record is awful.

I assume he is there for subcontinent and Australian type of wickets. But not sure why is he rested for India tour then. Woakes should have been rested, not him.

Doesn't get the new ball.

[Titan24]

England will try to get couple of early wickets tmw morning to try and restrict Srl under 300. Batting 4th can obviously be difficult so Eng will have to take enough advantage home in the first innings of the test.

[Amjid Javed]

Honours even day 1 - Par score will be 400+ here i reckon.

[Majestic_Inzi]

England will try to get couple of early wickets tmw morning to try and restrict Srl under 300. Batting 4th can obviously be difficult so Eng will have to take enough advantage home in the first innings of the test.

No way, this is a really flat wicket at the mo, Sri lanka should bat till tea tomorrow and cross 400 easily here.

Eng hav a mountain to climb and Sri Lanka fav to win the match now considering eng batting last cos even chasing 150 is really difficult.

If sri lanka got another 100 in their first innings in last test match they would hav won.

[Titan24]

No way, this is a really flat wicket at the mo, Sri lanka should bat till tea tomorrow and cross 400 easily here.

Eng hav a mountain to climb and Sri Lanka fav to win the match now considering eng batting last cos even chasing 150 is really difficult.

If sri lanka got another 100 in their first innings in last test match they would hav won.

Yes its a flat wicket currently that is why I said Eng will try to get few early wickets as they have to bat last and can’t afford to be much behind the game in first innings of both sides.

[Robert]

No way, this is a really flat wicket at the mo, Sri lanka should bat till tea tomorrow and cross 400 easily here.

Eng hav a mountain to climb and Sri Lanka fav to win the match now considering eng batting last cos even chasing 150 is really difficult.

If sri lanka got another 100 in their first innings in last test match they would hav won.

A bit premature to call a match on day one.

What makes you think the wicket will break up?

[Majestic_Inzi]

A bit premature to call a match on day one.

What makes you think the wicket will break up?

The vast majority of the time it does. Not been a draw here since 2013.

[MenInG]

[sindhiboy]

Have a look at his figures in WI and UAE.

Yea I know
I'm trolling his haters

[Firebat]

Plays with a lot of character and mental fortitude. 2 fighting innings in consecutive games

[MenInG]

Angelo Mathews ground out a century for Sri Lanka as England's bowlers battled hard on the first day of the second Test in Galle.

The hosts were 7-2 when James Anderson claimed two early wickets, and 76-3 when the seamer struck after lunch.

But, on a flat pitch in gruelling heat, Mathews hit a measured 107 not out as Sri Lanka closed on 229-4.

Mathews put on 117 with captain Dinesh Chandimal, who made 52 before being trapped lbw by Mark Wood.

Niroshan Dickwella finished the day 19 not out with Sri Lanka in a position from which they will believe they can post a telling first-innings score.

However, England limited the scoring on a pitch offering little movement for their fast bowlers or turn for the spinners.

Anderson, brought into the team in place of Stuart Broad in England's only change from their first-Test victory at the same venue, ended the day with exemplary figures of 19-10-24-3.

Quick wickets on day two would leave England in charge as they bid for a victory that would see them take the two-Test series 2-0.

BBC

[Saj]

Superb batting from Mathews.

Batted with authority and responsibility.

What a versatile cricketer he is.

[Robert]

Yea I know
I'm trolling his haters

Fair go

[Buffet]

Good knock by Mathews. He needs to go big here. 4th inning pitch tends to deteriorate a lot here.

[James]

Good old school Test cricket today.

Wood tireless, Chandimal good, Anderson vintage, Mathews magnificent.

Slightly in favour of Sri Lanka at the moment, but 2 or 3 early wickets for England with the new ball tomorrow morning could quickly change things.

[Majestic_Inzi]

Good old school Test cricket today.

Wood tireless, Chandimal good, Anderson vintage, Mathews magnificent.

Slightly in favour of Sri Lanka at the moment, but 2 or 3 early wickets for England with the new ball tomorrow morning could quickly change things.

There is nothing in the wicket the moment if eng get them under 400 they hav done well, eng will def lose if sri lanka score 350plus.

[Mobashir]

Playing 3 spinners and just 2 fast bowlers backfiring for England. They should always play 3 quicks.

Some good batting by the Sri Lankan, they may be able to win that match if they put 400.

[MenInG]

LUNCH, Day 2: Sri Lanka 313-6

Niroshan Dickwella is closing in on a first Test century as Sri Lanka once again recover from losing two early wickets in the morning session.

[Ab Fan]

SL need to attack a bit now, they are 0-1 behind, home conditions, England batting last.

Get to 375 and have England 4 down at 110 by stumps today.

[Robert]

Playing 3 spinners and just 2 fast bowlers backfiring for England. They should always play 3 quicks.

Anderson, Wood, Curran. Though only one of them is quick.

[Majestic_Inzi]

Looks like 400 is on cards. Tailenders dominating eng...

[Mobashir]

Anderson, Wood, Curran. Though only one of them is quick.

You probably know witch one I am calling a spinner.
He should never be in a test squad. Him and his brother are good at bowling around 100km/h in the death overs of a T20 and taking some wickets.

On another note, it will be interesting to see what happens if Bairstow hits a hundred here.

[Robert]

You probably know witch one I am calling a spinner.
He should never be in a test squad. Him and his brother are good at bowling around 100km/h in the death overs of a T20 and taking some wickets.

On another note, it will be interesting to see what happens if Bairstow hits a hundred here.

Well, Curran (if that is who you mean) bowled very well against the Indians.

He should not be getting the new ball ahead of Wood though, that’s nonsense.

[Nikhil_cric]

Well, Curran (if that is who you mean) bowled very well against the Indians.

He should not be getting the new ball ahead of Wood though, that’s nonsense.

Curran's performance with the ball against India was on seamer-friendly wickets with a Dukes ball. Hes not a test class seamer with the kookaburra.

[Ab Fan]

Well, Curran (if that is who you mean) bowled very well against the Indians.

He should not be getting the new ball ahead of Wood though, that’s nonsense.

Why is he rested for India tour? We will be missing him, have waited so long for him to tour India and you guys have rested him. That's wrong!

[Robert]

Anderson has 6-40 off 29 overs on a featherbed under strong sun and no Duke.

[Robert]

Why is he rested for India tour? We are missing him, been waited so long for him to tour India and you guys have rested him. That's wrong!

Horses for courses.

[Majestic_Inzi]

Curran is awful in these conditions

[ssuhaide]

It's a solid score. Pitch still good. Sri Lanka spin attack will no doubt cause bigger problems so England will need to score 400 otherwise they will be in trouble.

[Majestic_Inzi]

Surface is breaking up, yesterday there was no dust when the bowl was hitting the surface.

Scoreboard pressure and eng will hav to bat last which will be on their mind. Sri Lanka heavy fav now.

If eng manage to draw or win they hav done excellent..

[sindhiboy]

Anderson robbed of a 7 Fer

[KoyoAli]

England 4-1 (6.4)
Not out:
Zak Crawley
Johnny Bairstow

[James]

England looking beyond dismal today.

Could be following on.