Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur laments the battery display of his first “inappropriate” hotel when he defeated England and notes that the bat could be outside Kusal Mendis rests during the second Sky Live test in Galle on Friday
Last updated: 18/01/21 12:01 pm
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Watch the best moments from Joe Root’s double hundred against Sri Lanka during the first Test in Galle
Watch the best moments from Joe Root’s double hundred against Sri Lanka during the first Test in Galle
Rob Key says Joe Root hit “out of this world” while delivering a “perfect example” of how he plays spinning through his double era in England winning Sri Lanka there an Galle.
The English captain got Root 228 – his 18th test one hundred and fourth double ton – and collected more runs with the sweep of sight than he did in any of his previous engines.
The 30-year knock came after Sri Lanka were bowled for 135 in their first innings of a game England went on to win by seven wickets to move 1-0 up in the two-game series.
2:59 Selection from day five of the first Test when England postponed the last 36 runs needed to beat Sri Lanka
Sky Sports Cricket Expert Rob Key said of Root, who passed 8,000 test runs while knocking: “Because he’s such a good player, and because of the way he made it look so easy, he can’t you almost don’t take it for granted.
“It wasn’t that easy to play and he went out of this world. He barely played and missed, he barely put a wrong foot in terms of going on. to a ball on which he should go back.
“It was like every decision in a double hundred he got right. He put the ball beautifully – he never looks to hit the ball too hard.
“I think it was as close to a knock as good as you can play in these conditions. If you wanted to learn how to play spin or if you were coaching young players,” this is the complete template.
Root passed 8,000 test runs during his innings, making him England’s second fastest batsman to the milestone after Kevin Pietersen
“Defend, how you sweep, how you turn a strike – he set a good example of every part of playing spinning.”
Former Sri Lankan vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene said of Root: “He fought on a different surface and the difference between the sides was – batting for long periods and controlling the the situation.
“On a wicket like this, if bat gets a 228 he’s definitely going to be the man of the match because it’s not easy. He didn’t give any clear chance. He looked really great.”
Arthur: Sri Lanka’s first hotel ‘not applicable’
The batting of Sri Lanka’s first hotel was completely different from Root, with a series of careless shots seeing the guests scratched in 46.1 overs.
1:59 Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain described Sri Lanka’s first hotel batting display as’ farcical ‘when they fell on the first day of the first test
Dinesh Chandimal ‘s side improved in their second stroke, posting 359, but coach Mickey Arthur was left to mourn their “inappropriate” first day.
He said: “Our first innings were very poor, it was an unbeaten batting performance. I was very pleased with what I saw on days three and four but we can’t skip a test match as we did. the first day again and we expect to get a positive result.
“I get a lot of positive out of how we responded but days one and two were not inappropriate and can’t happen again to move on.
“Battery in Sri Lanka is all about patience, it’s about trusting your approach, throwing the face down and grinding away. The boys responded nicely in the second innings but it was too late. “
2:13 Dinesh Chandimal mourned Sri Lanka’s first innings of 135 after losing the first Test
Arthur also said bat Kusal Mendis could go in for a break through the second Test after recording a fourth straight test duck in Sri Lanka ‘s first innings before making just 15 in the second. aca.
“I think Kusal Mendis is a fantastic player and he will get a lot of scratches in the future for Sri Lanka, but he has been under pressure,” Arthur said.
“We talked long and hard about playing in this Test match, we thought that returning to familiar situations might give it a go. That’s a debate we’ll have again in the next day or two. . “
Watch day one of the second final Test between Sri Lanka and England live on Sky Sports Cricket from 4am on Friday.