Sri Lanka v England: second Test, day two – live!

10th over: England 18-2 (Bairstow 5, Root 8) Root reaches outside off stump to sweep Embuldeniya fiercely through midwicket for four. Superb shot. His batting looks in such good order just now.

“And to think the English spinners hardly created any trouble for the batsmen at all,” says Shreyas Das. “Tough times ahead.”

Define ‘ahead’.

9th over: England 13-2 (Bairstow 5, Root 3) Joe Root has made a busy start. Three singles from seven balls isn’t a lot – it’s three singles from seven balls – but it is the first change of tempo and intent. Bairstow is usually proactive too, and he gets his first boundary by flicking Lakmal through square leg with the minimum of fuss.

“Hello!” says Emma John. “Hope you’re having a nice morning. I have no cricket insights, I just wanted to say hi. Been up since 6.30am working on the last few chapters of my book, it’s deadline day so I have to get it all finished (and actually come up with an ending). Also I have disappointingly run out of yoghurt and bread and so am having a breakfast of bourbon biscuits. PS you see it’s very hard to get on with my work when this is happening.”

I was relieved to see the word ‘biscuits’. At first I thought you’d taken the pressure of deadline day and/or the absence of yoghurt and bread very badly.

8th over: England 8-2 (Bairstow 1, Root 2) In all three innings of this series, Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley have been dismissed in single figures by Embuldeniya. Crawley’s defensive shot did have a bit of curtain rail about it, but it was still a very good bit of bowling from Embuldeniya.

“Poor Sibley has made 4, 2 and 0,” writes OBO maestro Tim de Lisle, “so in his next innings we can be fairly sure he’ll get minus 2.”

And Crawley has made 9, 8 and 5, so I think he’s on for a duck next time. Max Fischer will confirm.

Yeah, England are well and truly in the malodorous stuff. Crawley pushes defensively at a fine delivery that straightens sharply to take the edge, and Thirimanne takes a comfortable catch at slip.

7th over: England 5-1 (Crawley 5, Bairstow 0) Another quiet over from Lakmal, who is bowling almost everything in Geoff Boycott’s corridor. I doubt it will be long before we see Dilruwan Perera at this end.

“Hurrah!” says John Starbuck. “The Gimp is back (in the second over) but not with his mask. In these times, is that wholly wise?”

You say that, but don’t those masks have mouth holes for t- no, let’s not do this.

6th over: England 4-1 (Crawley 4, Bairstow 0) That’s six runs in three innings for Sibley – and, crucially, he has fallen to the left-arm spin of Embuldeniya on each occasion. There is some good news in that Ravi Jadeja could be out of the upcoming series in India, but his problems with left-arm spin are a worry.

Bairstow almost goes for a duck as well, edging Embuldeniya just short of gully. Scoreboard pressure + Embuldeniya = oh dear.

Dom Sibley goes for a duck! He went right back to a delivery that skidded on to hit the flap of the pad in front of middle and leg. It was given out on the field and, though Sibley reviewed, replays showed it was hitting the bails. England lose a review, and an opener.

5th over: England 4-0 (Crawley 4, Sibley 0) Crawley gets off the mark with an elegant, disdainful pull stroke for four off Lakmal. On Sky, Bumble cites the pulling of Michael Vaughan in Australia – the exact point made by Wisden.com alumnus Jonathan Hungin this time last year. Crawley has the perfect game to make runs in Australia.

“It’s probably fantastical,” says Niall Mullen, “but is Murali too far in the distance?”

Well, look, I’d probably need to get a call-up before my 50th birthday, but I have been turning it in the back g- oh, you mean Jimmy Anderson. I’d say it’s almost impossible, though I quite fancy him to overtake Shane Warne.

4th over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) Sibley blocks his way through another over from Embuldeniya. It’s been a (very) slow but sensible start from England.

“Is this the start of some kind of valedictory lap from Anderson, righting the (few) wrongs of his career?” says Matt Dony. “‘Well, I’ve never really monstered a Test in Sri Lanka. Better take a bunch of wickets.’ And, through skill and will, he’s done it. Ridiculous.”

He’s 38 years old. It’s not normal, this. In this series he’s taken six wickets at an average of 6.66. If I could be bothered, I’d tap my nose.

3rd over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) Crawley is beaten by a wide delivery from Lakmal that keeps slightly low. Another maiden, the third in a row, and you know what that means.

2nd over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) Lasith Embuldeniya, who dismissed England’s openers in both innings of the first Test, unsurprisingly shares the new ball. He has a slip and short leg for Sibley. There shouldn’t be much spin at that stage, so the threat is psychological more than anything. Sibley ignores the Chimp, Gimp or whatever you call the voice in your head, and plays out another maiden.

“After THAT set of figures, can we please knock all this ‘Jimmy is past it’ talk on the head,” says Nico Bentley. “The man will be able to come off five paces when he is 58 and still walk into any county side. Line and length, line and length. Long may he continue.”

Was there any such talk? If so, it didn’t reach me –I’ve only really heard excitement at the prospect of him taking Test wickets in his forties.

1st over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Sibley 0) The returning Suranga Lakmal will open the bowling. Chaminda Vaas is the only fast bowler to take more Test wickets for Sri Lanka, so he knows which end to hold the ball. There’s some gentle outswing to Crawley, who watches a couple of deliveries go by and then blocks the straight ones. A maiden.

“Last time England’s seamers got all 10 wickets in Sri Lanka it was a nod to football with a 4-4-2 share,” says Phil Russell. “With it being 6-3-1 this time I’m wondering if it is a specific nod to Steve Bruce?”

Arf. If so, aren’t they a week too late?

“Good morning Rob!” says Jack Green. “I find it strange no one ever mentions having a different balance to the team. The best England team of my lifetime was the Strauss era with Bell @ 6, Prior 7, a spinner and 3 x pace. We will get destroyed by both India & Australia if we don’t get huge runs and that’s very difficult with your keeper @ 6. Scoreboard pressure gets wickets and so whilst with Stokes we can have a fifth bowler that bats in the top 6, when he is not available I would always replace him with a batsmen. With five batsmen we are relying on a miracle innings like Root’s last week but that doesn’t happen often enough to consistently win against the best teams. First Test v India: Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Root, Stokes, Lawrence, Foakes, Ali, Broad, Archer, Anderson.”

The difference with the Strauss team is that Swann was a great spinner. I don’t think you could risk it with any of the current group, even allowing for Root as a fifth bowler. That said, I would be tempted to have five bowlers (inc Stokes) in India. I suspect they’ll go with six in most games though – Broad or Anderson, Mr Speed, Stokes, two spinners and then, depending on conditions, a third spinner or a third seamer.

That’s tea. James Anderson leads the England team off, with the ball in his hand and absurd figures of 29-13-40-6 on the scorecard.

Perera hooks Curran towards deep backward square leg, where Leach takes an excellent running catch. That was a beautifully judged innings by Perera, which has taken Sri Lanka to a really useful score. And for the first time since 7 March 2001, the seamers have taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings in Sri Lanka: Anderson six, Wood three and Curran one.

139th over: Sri Lanka 377-9 (Dilruwan 63, Fernando 0) This is Wood’s 28th over, which registers highly on the hardyakkometer. Dilruwan sees off another over and steers an easy single off the last delivery to keep strike.

“This is so beautifully poised Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “A flat track, Sri Lanka building a lead they hope could win the game (possibly 50-75 short), England’s pace bowlers weighing in – and for all Jimmy’s beauty I’m so chuffed for Mark Wood – as if to say to our spinners ‘your turn next innings’, then our batsmen having to reckon with a pitch that’ll need big runs before it crumbles. Our opening pair especially will want to make their mark after the first test. All results are still on, and this is the best game in the world.”

It’s Saturday, I’ve been up since 6am, it’s freezing in my office, and you come at me with this… this joie de vivre? Shame on you.

138th over: Sri Lanka 376-9 (Dilruwan 62, Fernando 0) A harmless over from Sam Curran. He had a fine time in Sri Lanka two winters ago, certainly with the bat, but this series has been slightly sobering: no runs, two wickets. The more we see him, the less we know about his Test future.

“Morning, Rob,” says Smylers. “Your potential England lower order for India (133rd over) suffers somewhat from Mark Wood having to bat at nine from his home in Ashington, where he’s returning after this Test match. Maybe Jofra Archer instead?”

Yes, that’s him. Or Stone. THE QUICK ONE, OKAY.

137th over: Sri Lanka 375-9 (Dilruwan 61, Fernando 0) The admirable Wood continues. He has gone into one-day mode too, and hoodwinks Perera with a deliberate slower bouncer. Perera turns down a couple of singles early in the over and then squeezes a wide yorker to third man for four. He’s played jolly well for a No8, and will keep the strike by virture of a single off the last ball.

Since you asked, it’s 20 years since all ten wickets fell to the seamers in a Test innings in Sri Lanka. England were bowling then as well, and even managed a nod to football with a 4-4-2 formation: Darren Gough (4), Andy Caddick (4) and Craig White (2) did the necessary at Kandy in 2000-01. It’s never happened in Galle though.

“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “So, James Anderson has taken over 100 Test wickets at 20 since turning 35, gets to travel the world doing something he loves, is universally admired by his teammates and the public, and is extremely fit and handsome. But is he happy?”

Sorry, I thought thwas a rhetorical question.

136th over: Sri Lanka 369-9 (Dilruwan 56, Fernando 0) Bess won’t get to bowl to Fernando, because he’s been replaced by Sam Curran. Fernando is a rank No11, with a Test average of two, but he defends carefully and survives the over.

135th over: Sri Lanka 369-9 (Dilruwan 56, Fernando 0) Dilruwan has gone into one-day mode. He flicks Wood extravagantly round the corner for four, but Wood does well to deny him a single towards the end of the over. That means Bess will get to bowl at the No11 Fernando.

“Durif is indeed a lesser-known Australian wine,” says Richard Speed, “but it’s not normally called ‘elegant’. It’s a wine often associated with a disturbingly bad next morning, so possibly very similar to the effect of Anderson.”

Surely it should be named after another great English swing bowler, Lord Beefy (see the penultimate paragraph)?

134th over: Sri Lanka 365-9 (Dilruwan 52, Fernando 0) Dilruwan is dropped by Bess, a sharp return chance between his legs. That’s all she wrote.

“Morning Rob,” says Brian Withington. “An idle thought prompted by discussion of the inevitable deterioration of the wicket – what exactly causes it? Prolonged exposure to sunlight without watering; progressive toll of bouncing leather balls; entropy?! Discuss.”

Funnily enough, we anticipated this question 18 years ago.

133rd over: Sri Lanka 364-9 (Dilruwan 51, Fernando 0) “I believe England may regret not playing Broad with Anderson at the expense of one of the spinners (Root could have bowled 15 overs),” says Ian Wilson. “Anderson could end up with eight wickets and Broad would have been more effective than both Curran and Wood; they can get their rest on the Indian leg of the tour rather than this two-Test jaunt.”

I suspect they’ll need both spinners (and Root) in the second innings. There is an argument for playing Broad and Anderson together in some Tests in the subcontinent – but it’s tricky because, all things being equal, they’ll need two spinners, a fast bowler and a bowler who can bat No7. If Moeen plays in India, which he surely will, they could maybe have a lower order of Buttler/Foakes, Moeen, Leach, Wood, Broad, Anderson. I’m not sure; I’d probably stick to playing one or the other this winter. That said, I have a hunch both will start the Ashes next winter.

A third wicket for Mark Wood. Embuldeniya fishes outside off stump at a sharp delivery, and Root takes a smart catch at first slip. Wood roars with delight, then realises he is too weary to do any more celebrating.

132nd over: Sri Lanka 363-8 (Dilruwan 50, Embuldeniya 7) Bess replaces Leach and bowls a maiden to Embuldeniya. Well done him.

“It seems to me that Anderson should be treated like a fine red wine who simply gets better with age,” says Colum. “A Barolo, a Burgundy or a Taurasi, which is the local austere red here in Campania, southern Italy. I just googled to see if there was a wine in his honour and came across two Anderson Wineries in the US of A and Australia. The motto of the Anderson Winery in Indiana is ‘where patience, time and quality come together’ which I think is a fitting epithet for our Jimmy, I mean James. The Anderson winery in East Victoria boasts a Storyteller Durif (a lesser-known red) which has a degree of elegance and class (so perhaps Anderson at the outset of his career).”

I’m surprised they didn’t call it the Ljungberg.

131st over: Sri Lanka 363-8 (Dilruwan 50, Embuldeniya 7) A terrific yorker from Wood is well blocked by Dilruwan Perera, who then flicks a boundary round the corner to bring up a superb fifty from 134 balls. Five fours, one six and a whole lotta commonsense.

“Modern medicine,” says Niall Mullen, “has long since dismissed the practice of applying a Leach as a cure for the runs.”

130th over: Sri Lanka 359-8 (Dilruwan 46, Embuldeniya 7) Embuldeniya is fine. In fact I think the ball him him on the shoulder. Leach continues, still looking in vain for his first wicket; he and Dom Bess have combined figures of 62-6-194-0. In one sense that is good news for England, who will hope they can score plenty of first-innings runs off Sri Lanka’s spinners before the pitch goes rogue.

129th over: Sri Lanka 356-8 (Dilruwan 44, Embuldeniya 6) This has been an excellent innings from Dilruwan Perera – not just the runs (44) but also the balls (128), which has allowed the pitch to wear a little more. I don’t think it’s going to age as well as James Anderson. Wood’s over ends with a bouncer that clangs into Embuldeniya’s helmet, so there will be a break in play while he is assessed.

128th over: Sri Lanka 353-8 (Dilruwan 41, Embuldeniya 6) Embuldeniya gets off the mark in style, carting a slog sweep for six off Leach. That takes Sri Lanka past 350, which most observers think is a par score. I think they’re in a really strong position, assuming the pitch deteriorates.

127th over: Sri Lanka 346-8 (Dilruwan 40, Embuldeniya 0) Mark Wood replaces Anderson, who has those despicable figures of 29-13-40-6, and beats a flat-footed Embuldeniya with a lovely delivery that leaves him from round the wicket. A maiden.

“Welcome back,” says John Starbuck. “The longer this goes on, the higher the chances of a draw (which England would’ve taken if asked this morning).”

Nobody knows anything when it comes to pitches, but I don’t think it’ll be a draw – local experts like Mahela Jayawardene expect this pitch to crumble on day four. It could be a 370/410/150/buttock-clenching case of 111 kind of game.

Thanks Adam, morning everyone. Shall we start with a stat? Since turning 35, the retirement age for fast bowlers, James Anderson has taken 126 Test wickets at an average of 20.47. To be honest, I’m getting a bit sick of him disrespecting the ageing process.

125th over: Sri Lanka 346-8 (Dilruwan 40, Embuldeniya 0) The same pattern: Dilruwan is happy enough taking a single from the third ball. Anderson around the wicket at Embuldeniya – it’s a good match-up. But it doesn’t go the way of the Englishman, the left-hander once again swinging and missing at a temper to finish.

“We all know Anderson is a great swing bowler,” writes Dean Kinsella. “But he’s no good away from English conditions.” Even this morning on twitter I was seeing a bit of this from cranks who will never accept any other reality. Bless them all.

124th over: Sri Lanka 345-8 (Dilruwan 39, Embuldeniya 0) Leach’s turn to get three cracks at Embuldeniya, albeit after Dilruwan swept him for four earlier in the over. Now there are men around the bat for him, three of them – two on the legside, coming over the wicket at his fellow left-hander. And he gets through it safely. Back to Anderson, for what presumably will be his sixth and final over of the spell.

123rd over: Sri Lanka 340-8 (Dilruwan 34, Embuldeniya 0) Dilruwan gives the strike away with half an over to go. How will Embuldeniya go against Jimmy, who probably only has nine balls left in this spell? Ooh, beaten on the inside edge to begin – not far away at all, into the pads. Now leaves. “Likes to be called James instead of Jimmy,” says one of the commentators on TV, who has suuuurely been wound up? Anyway, one ball to go and he has a swing and a miss outside off! Close.

“Jimmy Anderson has been playing test cricket for just shy of 18 years yet seems to get better as he ages,” says Phil Withall. “A freak for a fast bowler.” True, that.

And Brian Withington on the same theme: “This is surely turning in to one of the great 5 fers on a wicket offering so little to the seamers. Shame for Dickwella but almost an honour to be prised out by the cunning old dog.” Let’s dream of eight.

122nd over: Sri Lanka 339-8 (Dilruwan 33, Embuldeniya 0) Dilruwan isn’t going to mess around now the tail are with him, dancing at Leach and launching him inside out over extra cover for SIX! He’s been better than the 0/100+ he’s on track to recording, especially since lunch, but that’s the game. But for those of us who like big, fat bags of wickets, he has done his job by leaving two on the shelf for Jimmy.

Anderson has six! Two in the over! Lakmal earns a second ball duck after playing with hard hands and no footwork, gifting a catch to Crawley in the gully. Just when Sri Lanka were in a strong position to control the game, they are now staring down the barrel of a below-par score on the flattest possible track. Poor cricket.

121st over: Sri Lanka 332-8 (Dilruwan 26) Double wicket maiden. Anderson: 27-13-38-6

Goodness me! Why did he do that? Dickwella, eight away from a maiden ton, has a pop at Jimmy’s wide one, on the up, and slaps a catch to Leach at cover. Anderson has his 30th five-wicket bag in Tests. But how did Dickwella fall for that? Oh no.

120th over: Sri Lanka 332-6 (Dickwella 92, Dilruwan 26) Dickwella laps early and laps well, getting off strike from the first ball of Leach’s fresh set. Back to Dilruwan, who the spinner should have dismissed just moments ago, around the wicket with a slip. Nice flight again here, pitching it up. “He’s found a decent rhythm,” adds Mark Butcher. Of course, after pumping him up, he drops a short ball in at the right-hander, who steers it away with ease behind point for four. That’ll sting.

119th over: Sri Lanka 327-6 (Dickwella 91, Dilruwan 22) Dickwella into the 90s for the first time in Test cricket after passing 50 on 15 occasions before today. “He’ll seldom get a better chance,” says Mark Butcher on TV. “Against a tiring attack on a hot day on an absolute belter.” Oh, and guess what? Dilruwan did glove the Leach delivery in the previous over. Based on Snicko, it would have been overturned!

118th over: Sri Lanka 324-6 (Dickwella 88, Dilruwan 22) The call is Joe Root’s again: did Dilruwan glove a beauty from Leach? It’s given not out on the field and… they are not throwing it upstairs for a second look. The extent to which that decision was informed by the shocking review in his previous over? That shout looked to have more going for it; I’m sure we’ll get a look at the technology at some stage thanks to the TV broadcasters. Leach has been more dangerous since lunch.

117th over: Sri Lanka 323-6 (Dickwella 87, Dilruwan 22) Anderson to Dickwella: an important exchange to determine which team will be best placed to dictate terms as we get deeper into this second day. He gets off strike halfway through the over though, easing behind point with soft hands again; going very nicely. Dilruwan’s turn and he’s savvy enough to only shoulder arms and defend – no risks required.

116th over: Sri Lanka 322-6 (Dickwella 86, Dilruwan 22) I suppose England had all three reviews in their backpocket and Jos Buttler was keen on another look. I can’t wait for this third review to be junked when we’re through these temporary Covid-19 playing conditions. To recap: because of home umpires, an extra review was thrown in to safeguard against misguided suggestions of bias. Having just covered the best Test series in Australia for decades, overseen by three superb home umpires, it would be a travesty if they can’t officiate Tests over here again. The teams definitely don’t need a third review to burn to verify their integrity.

NOT OUT! Yep, that’s a stinker. Pitched outside leg by a long way. Very odd.

HAS LEACH TRAPPED DICKWELLA LBW? It is given not out and looks like it has both pitched outside leg and drifted down leg but… here we go anyway. Stand by.

115th over: Sri Lanka 319-6 (Dickwella 84, Dilruwan 21) Naturally, it’s Jimmy Anderson starting the session from the Fort End. Leach has done his job, so it’s Dickwella – the big wicket – on strike to the champion. Over the wicket, he has a slip and a catching cover. But that’s a lovely shot first up, using the angle to time him behind point just wide of the gully for a boundary. Into the 80s he moves; this is now his highest Test score. The job is far from done though – he has to take it to the next level today and keep England out there until at least the tea break.

114th over: Sri Lanka 314-6 (Dickwella 79, Dilruwan 21) A good start from Leach to Dilruwan after Dickwella takes one to midwicket from the first ball of the session. At the right-hander, he’s drifting it in nicely, bringing him forward. No catching men under the lid though, so he’s able to lunge without risk. Sorry in advance: I will keep going on about this while Leach/Bess are bowling with just a slip.

The players are back on the field. It’s Leach to continue his spell, starting at Dickwella. The partnership he’s put together with Dilruwan is worth 70. PLAY!

Good morning to those waking up. This feels like the right time for most of our audience to be joining on a Saturday morning, lockdown or otherwise. To bring you up to speed: England had a super start with two wickets inside the first 20 minutes (including Mathews, for 110) but Sri Lanka did nicely from then until the lunch break, with Dickwella 22 runs away from his maiden Test ton. And check out Jimmy’s bowling figures: 23-13-29-4. He’ll be back on straight after lunch, I’m sure.

On This Day in 1999. An international incident of sorts between these nations at Adelaide Oval. But really, it didn’t have anything to do with England and everything to do with the ego of Umpire Ross Emerson. Not a good day.

Lunchtime/breakfast listening. Geoff Lemon and I have had a signficant response to our conversation with Marcus Stoinis on The Final Word podcast this week. The Australian all-rounder told us the moving story of his father’s illness and passing.

Two wickets and 84 runs in the session. Sri Lanka lost wickets in the second and fifth overs this morning, Anderson immediately picking up yesterday’s century maker with nice bit of inswing (and an excellent review). When Wood ended Ramesh Mendis’ debut innings before scoring down the legside, the good work from the hosts yesterday was coming undone. However, Dickwella (78*) was never diverted from his plan to score whenever he had a bit of width with Dilruwan (21*) using his feet nicely to the spinners in support. The pair have put on 70 to date, the wicketkeeper well placed to collect his first Test ton after the lunch break.

113th over: Sri Lanka 313-6 (Dickwella 78, Dilruwan 21) Curran wasn’t far away from Dickwella’s woodwork with final ball of his previous over – how will he play this before lunch? A bouncer to begin, pulled away nicely for one. So, that contest is over for now. Dilruwan’s turn, defending then ducking. Nothing wrong with that. “There’s no time pressure whatsoever,” says Simon Doull on TV and he’s spot on, with Sri Lanka giving themselves the chance to bowl when the pitch is going to suit their spinners best. One last bumper before lunch, ducked again. It’s to the left-armer’s credit that he’s coming to this with a plan, it must be said. And lunch.

112th over: Sri Lanka 312-6 (Dickwella 77, Dilruwan 21) Nup, it’ll be Leach. With three minutes on the clock, this is likely to be the last before lunch… which means slow it down with players around the bat, right? Hmm, seemingly not – just the slip, field spread, rushing. Nothing much wrong with Leach’s radar or angle at Diulruwan around the cricket but he hasn’t many routes to a wicket other than finding an edge, hitting a pad or going through the gate. A single is on offer around the corner, which is accepted. Dickwella’s turn with one ball to go and 60 seconds left, so they will get another one in, the left-hander keeping the strike after using his feet and driving down to long-on. He’s had a super morning for Sri Lanka.

111th over: Sri Lanka 310-6 (Dickwella 76, Dilruwan 20) It’s always a good scrap when Curran is involved, sending down a skiddy bouncer at Dickwella who takes him on with a hook, getting it fine enough for four. He goes upstairs again straight away again, pulling two more into the gap this time. Wood for one before lunch?

110th over: Sri Lanka 302-6 (Dickwella 68, Dilruwan 20) Leach continues with Bess replaced, the left-armer through with just one single added, Dickwella placing a full ball down the ground for one. Maidens have been a problem for England’s spinner so far, sending down five of them across 52 overs. Not enough.

“Morning Adam.” And to you, Brian Withington. Indeed, good morning to everyone who has woken up over the last little while. The news is that England picked up a couple of wickets in a couple of overs inside the first quarter of an hour but it has been smooth sailing for the hosts thereafter with ten minutes till lunch.

“Good to see you back where you belong. Sorry not to have been rugged enough to be with you from the off today. In my defence, our weekly poker session via Zoom and BetPoker (other platforms available) contained more than the usual heartbreak, including accidentally folding pocket Kings when about to win a monster hand. Not sure of the segue to the cricket action, although I expect someone can find one.” I’m sure they will, my friend. Nice to have you here.

109th over: Sri Lanka 301-6 (Dickwella 67, Dilruwan 20) Right, it will be seam, via Sam Curran, the man who started the day for England. He has a fly flip for Dickwella, a leg gully and a conventional gully – unorthodox. The short ball on the hip won’t be troubling the set left-hander though, pulling an easy single. Dilruwan’s turn, getting in behind the left-armer’s wide of the crease attack.