We need to put a new spin on it
ENGLAND’S spinners admit they need to be fast learners to make up for their first-innings disappointment and hit back in the second.
A tough old day in the Sri Lankan dirt finished with England 46 runs behind and cursing what might have been had they polished off the tail as planned.
And their frustration boiled over late on, skipper Joe Root being reprimanded and given a demerit point for shaking his head and kicking the ground after a Moeen Ali appeal was turned down.
From 211-7 and 252-8, Roshen Silva’s 85 meant Sri Lanka reached a frustrating 336 all out as England’s bowlers wilted in the oppressive heat.
The pitch offered plenty of assistance, but their lines and lengths were not good enough to make the most of it often enough, and it cost them.
“We have had a chat about it in the dressing room and we are a bit disappointed they got a 40-50 run lead,” said leftarm spinner Jack Leach.
“We thought we could have a lead out there.
“I could have put more pressure on. On these wickets, you have to be extra patient and that means putting the ball in the right area all the time and asking questions of the batter.
“I could have done that a little better and it is something for me to learn from for the fourth innings, when hopefully the pitch will have broken up more.
“It will be crucial to put meaning on every ball and create chances and, as we talk about with [bowling coach] Saqlain Mushtaq, being double patient. We all need to be right on it.
“Batting last on that wicket will be very hard. If we bat well and get a good lead then that will put a lot of pressure on Sri Lanka.” Leach was certainly not alone in giving the Sri Lanka batsmen an easy ride at times, with Adil Rashid and Moeen both sending down plenty of freebies, especially in the first session.
But, thankfully for England, they do not always have to rely on their bowlers when Ben Stokes is in the field.
The all-rounder produced the champagne moment of the series so far when he ran out Dimuth Karunaratne for 63, breaking a 96-run partnership.
It was a one-handed pickup and throw, off balance and with one stump to aim at, yet he could not have been more accurate were he using laser-guided technology.
Stokes followed it up with a smart slip catch and that seemed to fire England into action after lunch when Rashid returned a different bowler.
Rashid has struggled to replicate his control in white-ball cricket in the Test arena, but in a spell of nine overs after the break he took 2-23 and looked a worldbeater.
He had both Dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Mathews well pouched by Ben Foakes behind the stumps as he found two leg-spinners to die for.
Sadly for England, those moments were few and far between after tea as Sri Lanka played the conditions superbly and earned a meaningful lead, even though they were penalised five runs by the umpires for not running properly.
Jos Buttler dropped what would have been a stunning catch at extra cover, but when Roshen was finally the last man out failing to clear mid-on, England had just one over to negotiate, so they turned to their hardest working man for help. Leach had already bowled more overs than anyone else and said: “I felt tired at times and that is something I need to get better at.” But with a nightwatchman required to protect both Rory Burns, who walked out with him, and Keaton Jennings, who did not, it was Leach who stepped forward to open the batting. “Rooty asked me to do it, so I got the pads on and then looked round and asked who was coming with me,” he said. “I like a good challenge and that’s what it was. “I’ll be bragging to Marcus Trescothick that we’ve both done it now and opened the batting for England. “I’m happy to do it and I’m glad I made it through the over.”