Strauss and Cook spoil Sri Lanka’s soup

England still trail by 121 runs:

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from the P.Sara Stadium

Purposeful batting by openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook helped England make 154 for 1 wicket at close still trailing by 121 runs on the second day of the Second Test against Sri Lanka and in a seemingly good position from where they can control this game.

At the wickets were Alastair Cook on 77 and Jonathon Trott on 15.

They have a lot of batting remaining and unless the Lankan bowlers, especially the spinners can get back their form like in Galle and dismiss the opponents early today, the home team could be in a position with defeat looming.

After dismissing Sri Lanka for 275, the manner in which openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook went about their job, it was apparent that they were planning and building for a big first innings total from where they can put the Lankan batsmen under pressure in the second innings.

Good openning

Strauss and Cook who had previously given England 13, 100 plus opening stands made it 14 with a stand of 122 this time round. Both were in no undue worry and played good sensible cricket.

Strauss was first to his 27th 50 in Tests with 3 fours. Cook soon followed making his 28th fifty in Tests with 5 fours.

They took their stand to 122 when Strauss on 61, attempting to cut Dilshan edged for Prasanna Jayawardena to gobble the catch. After the first day’s play, Thilan Samaraweera who faced the media, said that the wicket was dry and that there was uneven bounce and that the wicket would get difficult as the game progresses.

Off the mark

If Samaraweera reckons that, that is how it played on the first day, then he was off the mark as the wicket behaved well on day two with the bounce even and the ball coming on to the bat, with the openers negotiating the pace and the spin with ease.

The Sri Lankans continuing from their overnight score of 238 for 6,were all out for 275 batting for 94 minutes, losing their last 4 wickets for 37.

Worth watching

Vice Captain Angelo Davis Mathews who was unbeaten on 41 played solidly to notch up his 8th Test fifty with 6 fours. After the first day heroics of century maker skipper Mahela Jayawardena 105 and Thilan Samaraweera 54, it was Mathews who was worth watching.

He showed good temperament and technique and never rushed his shots. He is the ideal man in the middle and once again showed how indispensible he is. His driving on the off and the hook shot which he keeps down were exemplary.

Together with Suraj Randiv he put on 31 for the 7th wicket, before Randiv who was sticking it out gamely, tried to loft Graeme Swann out of the ground and Kevin Pietersen running back at mid on took a well judged super catch. Randiv made 12.

Mathews out

Mathews was next out caught by Strauss off Swann at short mid on for 57 at 261, Rangana Herath went at 270 caught Prior bowled Bresnan for 2 and then Surnga Lakmal was bowled by Swann for no score to end the innings at 275, with Dhammika Prasad remaining unbeaten on12.

It was off spinner Graeme Swann who did the damage. He varied and flighted his deliveries well and his 4 for 75 in 28.1 overs with 4 maidens was just reward. James Anderson who rocked the early Lankan batting with 3 quick wickets failed to add to his tally. Tim Bresnan had 2 for 47.

For a side batting first in a Test on a good wicket the 275 that Sri Lanka made was not a formidable total from where they can probe for victory considering that it was a 350 to 400 wicket.

Outside the stumps

In the 4 overs before lunch England openers Andrew Strauss 4 and Alastair Cook 7 scored 11 runs. When the Lankan new ball bowlers Suranga Lakmal and Dhammika Prasad were expected to make the openers play every ball, they were guilty of spraying it outside the stumps sand the openers were happy to watch it pass.

After lunch Strauss and Cook who did not have a good game in the Galle Test, put their heads down and seemed determined to give their side a solid start for the rest of the batsmen to build on and probe for a series squaring victory.

Strauss and Cook were at ease against pace, did not find the Lankan spinners, Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv and Tillakaratne Dilshan threatening like they did in Galle, and playing them well off the front and back foots, found the openings in the field to obtain runs.

They going was slow considering that the openers made 72 runs in the 32 overs bowled after lunch. But it was apparent that they were not taking chances, but doing a consolidating job. Strauss and Cook took tea on 42 and 40 respectively.

SCORECARD

	SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
	 (OVERNIGHT 238-6)

L. Thirimanne lbw b Anderson 		 08
T. Dilshan c Prior b Anderson 		 14
K. Sangakkara c Strauss b Anderson 	 00
M. Jayawardene lbw b Swann 		105
T. Samaraweera lbw b Bresnan 		 54
A. Mathews c Strauss b Swann 		 57
P. Jayawardene c Prior b Finn 		 07
S. Randiv c Pietersen b Swann 		 12
D. Prasad not out 			 12
R. Herath c Prior b Bresnan 		 02
S. Lakmal b Swann 			 00
Extras: (b4) 				 04
Total (all out, 111.1 overs)		275

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Dilshan), 2-21 (Sangakkara), 3-30 (Thirimanne), 4-154 (Samaraweera), 
		5-216 (M. Jayawardene), 6-227 (P. Jayawardene), 
		7-258 (Randiv), 8-261 (Mathews),
		 9-270 (Herath), 10-275 (Lakmal).

Bowling: Anderson 22-5-62-3, Finn 22-4-51-1, Bresnan 21-3-47-2, Patel 
		16-3-32-0, Swann 28.1-4-75-4, Pietersen 2-0-4-0.

	ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS

A. Strauss c P. Jayawardene b Dilshan 	 61
A. Cook not out 			 77
J. Trott not out 			 15
Extras: (nb1) 				 01
Total (for one wicket, 66 overs) 	154

Fall of wicket: 1-122 (Strauss).

Bowling: Lakmal 13-3-34-0 (nb1), Prasad 9-4-24-0, Herath 19-2-46-0, 
		Dilshan 8-1-16-1, Randiv 17-4-34-0.