Sri Lankans hit back with second new ball
Sri Lankan pacemen hit back with the second new ball to grab four wickets for 35 runs within 13 overs to limit England to 320 for 6 by stumps on the second day of the first cricket test to bring themselves back into contention in the second and final cricket test, here at Headingley yesterday.
England were strongly placed on 278 for 2 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 257 when Nuwan Pradeep struck in his third over with the new ball to remove Sam Robson with a beautiful ball that moved in to sneak through the gate and bowl the opener. Shaminda Eranga in his sixth over with the new ball removed Ian Bell, when the right hander tried to flick a ball that was going across and gave a faint edge to wicket keeper Dinesh Chandimal who held it brilliantly diving down the leg side.
Bell, who was playing his 100th Test made 64 in 90 balls with eight fours and made his exit on 311 before Mathews struck four balls later to have Joe Root caught behind when the Yorkshireman who made an unbeaten double century at Lord’s played forward on the same total.
Two runs later Eranga had Moeen Ali was caught behind for two to send England to 313 for six while wicket keeper Matt Prior and allrounder Chris Jordan survived a fiery last five overs of the day.
Earlier, Robson, in just his second Test, grafted a painstaking maiden century as England took more time than they would have liked but ambled along to build a gradual first innings lead.
Australian-born Robson who played for Australia under 19 team but later chose England and made his debut in the first Test at Lord’s last week, batted for six and a quarter hours and faced 253 balls to score 127 with 15 boundaries and a six.
The 24- year- old right hander