England pile up 377 for 8 wickets:

Lahiru, Kumar lead Lanka’s fight-back

Elmo Rodrigopulle - Reporting from England

When Sri Lanka went in a second time, trailing by 193 runs, the buzz around the ground was: will Sri Lanka have the resolve to save this game and not lose the Three Match Npower Test series to England 2-nil? With Sri Lanka not in the frame for a victory and when England declared, Sri Lanka had to survive 20 minutes before tea, the final session and the three sessions on the final day, weather permitting. Showers are predicted on the final day.

At the time of our going to press, Lahiru Thirimanne 31 and Kumar Sangakkara 20 were batting with determination with Sri Lanka on 68 for one still trailing by 125 runs.

Openers Tharanga Paranavitana and Thirimanne took the score to 25 when the light started to deteriorate and the floodlights had to be switched on. Immediately Paranavitana went caught at slip by Greame Swann off James Anderson for 10. It for once dawned a lovely summer’s day, with the sun shining, the usual overcast and rains that have gone to curtail play all missing and the spectators who have been yearning for a full day’s cricket giving umpires - Rod Tucker and Aleem Dar a big hand when they walked out to start play for once, on time.

With England in the box seat and with a lead of 11 runs, when play began batsmen Ian Bell and night watchman James Anderson were expected to give the innings an explosive start with the idea of building a formidable score and declaring and leaving the Lankans to sink if they can’t get their batting act together or sink with another Cardiff like innings.

The Sri Lankans, to use boxing parlance, who were on the ropes, had to endeavour to stall the home team from building with tight line and length bowling and inviting the batsmen to take risks in attempting for quick runs or bowling them out. The Lankans did not have the bowlers to do either.

Ian Bell and James Anderson put on 45 for the 5th wicket before Anderson nicked Welegedera to the wicket keeper for a quick 27 with 5 well hit fours. 236 for 5. Left hander Eoin Morgan joined Bell upped gear putting on 55 and taking them to lunch at 291 for 5 a lead of 107.

After lunch Bell and Morgan stepped on the accelerator and went their merry way accumulating the much needed runs. Bell who is having a good run in this series, scored his second century. His off driving and square cutting was graceful and brought him a lot of runs in that area. When Strauss called the team in he was 119 not out with 12 fours in 169 balls.

Morgan thumped his batting organ hard and played some majestic drives bisecting cover and mid off and reached well deserved 50. He was out at 71 going for a big drive tickling a catch to the keeper. He hit 7 fours. 373 for 6.

Matt Prior was caught in the gully by Mahela Jayawardena for 0. 374 for 7 and Stuart Broad 0 went caught sub Randiv off Lakmal. 377 for 8 when the declaration came with a lead of 193 - 20 nasty minutes before tea. Paranavitana 9 and Thirimanne 3 negotiated and enjoyed a cuppa on 14 for no loss.

To recap - after shooting out Sri Lanka for 184, in the playing time available in a rain affected third day, England obtained a slender 11 run lead at the close making 195 for 4.

After Andrew Strauss and Jonathon Trott failed again making 3 and 4 and with England in a spot of bother at 14 for 2, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen joined hands to steer the team to safety with a 116-run for the third wicket.

Cook in making his 6th consecutive half century in 66 Tests, batted in his own slow fashion. He waited for the loose balls to launch and picked the gaps to send the ball to the boundary. He was strong square of the wicket and hit 7 fours in his 55 before mistiming a cut off Dilhara Fernando to Thilan Samarweera in the gully. 120 for 3.

Particularly punishing was Kevin Pietersen. He was back in the form old batting with authority and command and his driving on the V was from the book and an example to youngsters watching.

When he seemed poised for a long awaited century, he went for a big drive, failed to get to the pitch of the ball and snicked Thissara Perera to Prasanna Jayawardena. He had 14 fours in his 85. 191 for 4.After adding 71 with Pietersen for the 4h wicket, Ian Bell took on the executioner’s job and began to smash the Lankan bowlers continuing his prolific run that began in the Ashes series in Australia.

A solid and reliable batsman, he can make bowlers suffer, having shots all round the wicket. He went to close on 39 with night watchman James Anderson on no score. Geoff Boycott the former England opener who is always interesting listening on BBC Test Match Special was very critical of Anderson coming in as night watchman when England was looking for runs.

Rose Bowl, Southampton, Sunday

Sri Lanka 1st Innings 184 (C Tremlett 6-48)

ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS 

A. Strauss c Paranavitana b Welegedara	 	  3
A. Cook c Samaraweera b Fernando		 55
J. Trott c P Jayawardene b Lakmal		  4
K. Pietersenc P Jayawardene b Perera		 85
I. Bell not out					119
J. Anderson c P Jayawardene b Welegedera	 27
E. Morganc P Jayawardene b Lakmal		 71
M. Priorc M Jayawardene b Perera		  0
S. Broad c sub (Randiv) b Lakmal		  0
Extras (lb2, w3, nb8)				 13

TOTAL (8 wkts dec, 92.4 overs) 			 377
Did not bat: G Swann, C Tremlet
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Strauss), 2-14 (Trott), 3-120 (Cook), 4-191 (Pietersen), 5-236 (Anderson), 6-373 (Morgan), 7-374 (Prior), 8-377 (Broad)
Bowling: Welegedara 24-3-90-2 (2nb, 1w); Lakmal 24.2-2-99-3 (2nb, 1w); Fernando 10.2-0-47-1 (4nb, 1w); Perera 24-3-101-2; Herath 9-0-33-0; M Jayawardene 1-0-5-0
Note: Fernando went off after two balls of his seventh over, completed by Lakmal.