Lunch England 57 for 3 (Pietersen 3*, Bell 13*) trail Sri Lanka 318 (Jayawardene 180, Anderson 5-72) 261 runs
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Sri Lanka snatched three early wickets to take a firm grip on the first Test in Galle. The batting frailties that cost England so dear in the UAE were exposed once again on the second morning as the tourists struggled in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 318. While Alastair Cook, at least, could reflect that he had been the victim of a fine delivery, Jonathan Trott and Andrew Strauss will know they had a hand in their own downfall.
Cook was first to fall. Half forward to a fine delivery from Suranga Lakmal that swung back in just a fraction, Cook was caught in the crease and trapped lbw. Though Trott, driving sweetly on both sides of the wicket, was soon into his stride the slightly bizarre manner of his dismissal overshadowed the 40 runs he added with his captain. Perhaps he was beaten in the flight, or perhaps it was simply a moment of madness, but Trott skipped down the pitch and attempted to whip a Rangana Herath full toss through the leg side. He failed to make contact, however, allowing the wicketkeeper, Prasanna Jayawardene, to collect the ball neatly and remove the bails. To complete Trott's ignominy, he came off second best in a collision with Jayawardene as the batsman attempted to regain his ground. Indeed, the sight of Trott, stunned and lying on his back with his wicket broken, pretty much summed up England's morning.
Strauss also fell before lunch. England's captain, who had enjoyed a moment of luck on 18 when he edged an arm ball just wide of slip in Herath's first over, missed a sweep off an innocuous looking delivery. Though Strauss was originally given not out, Sri Lanka asked for a review and Asad Rauf's decision was overturned.
Ian Bell offered a glimmer of hope for England. After a grim tour of the UAE where he averaged just 8.50 against Pakistan, he signalled his positive intent by skipping down the wicket and driving Herath for a six over long-on, before pulling the next delivery for four. With Kevin Pietersen he helped England reach lunch on 57 for 3, trailing Sri Lanka by 261 runs.
Earlier James Anderson claimed his first five-wicket haul in a Test in Asian conditions as England dismissed Sri Lanka for 318. It took only 6.3 overs for England to claim the two wickets they required to finish off the Sri Lankan innings. Anderson claimed them both, producing a well disguised off-cutter that crept through the sizeable gap between Chanaka Welegedara's bat and pad before Mahela Jayawardene's superb effort was ended by a fine delivery in the channel outside off stump that held its line and took the edge of the bat. Anderson finished with 5 for 72; the 12th five-wicket haul of his Test career and his third outside England.
England did not have things all their own way. Sri Lanka, resuming on 289 for 8, soon passed 300 as the first over of the day cost 16. Anderson, adopting a tactic of short-pitched bowling at Welegedara, twice saw the ball disappear for four leg byes - once off the batsmen's helmet - though Welegedara also produced one authentic pull to the boundary.
Jayawardene, unbeaten on 168 overnight, soon lofted a Stuart Broad slower ball over long-on, before flicking Anderson for another boundary. By the time he was dismissed for 180, he had batted for 315 balls and hit three sixes and 22 fours. The most telling statistic, however, is that the next highest contribution from a Sri Lankan batsman was just 27.
George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: George Dobell © ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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