The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Old pals act benefits England
CRICKET: Friends team up to put Sri Lanka on back foot in Galle
Jack Leach fulfilled an ambition that was years in the making during England’s dominant second day against Sri Lanka, linking up with childhood friend Jos Buttler on the biggest stage of all.
The tourists had plenty of reasons to celebrate as they grabbed control of the first Test – from Ben Foakes adding two catches and a stumping to his memorable debut century to Moeen Ali’s four-wicket haul at Sri Lanka’s favourite spinning venue of Galle.
Throw in wickets for four other bowlers, 12 drama-free overs to start England’s second innings and a 177-run lead and there was much for the travelling fans to be satisfied about.
But for Leach it was a personal moment that drew the biggest release of emotion, Buttler hanging on at cover when Dilruwan Perera went after the slow left-armer.
“I was just running at him shouting ‘caught Buttler, bowled Leach!’. Those were my exact words,” he said. “That was a nice moment for me and, I hope, for him as well. It’s brilliant. We started at under-11s together. To be in an England shirt together is very special. It makes us proud and a lot of people back home proud as well.”
England will set about building an unassailable lead when day three gets under way, with Sri Lanka already facing an awkward fourth innings.
Keaton Jennings and Rory Burns are up first in the morning, having already built a platform of 38 for nought, their task made easier by the bowling unit, who hustled the hosts out for 203 in just 68 overs.