Big picture
What can we make of cricket played in such an extreme situation? England had a big win in Galle, but nonetheless it was the Test type that didn’t show much about the second team. This is largely down to Sri Lanka’s 135 in the first innings – their monument to incompetence, under the guise of whether the rest of the Test was played. They bathed more often in the second digging, which may give a more accurate description of their batting ability.
In the second Test, England expect batting of Sri Lanka closer to the performance of those second innings. They will also be happy that they broke 400 – Sri Lanka never ruled, even in their good engines.
Clearly, visitors to the Second Test feel better about themselves, and nonetheless, knowing that pulling the Test is not an option. this is to keep the lead – extinct in Sri Lanka in 2014. Surprisingly, despite the fact that 14 wikis were shared between them, it was the English spinners who could enter the second Test with the most questions to be answered. Admittedly, Dom Bess may never have drawn five wickets as easily as he did in the first innings, and Sri Lanka played it much better in the second. (They also have a series against India on the horizon, which, we are honestly, is the main focus of the England tour.
Another concern for England may include their openers, who together made scores of 9. 4, 8 and 2 in the first Test. That said, Jos Buttler is certainly not bothered to keep – not only did he keep out his teammate Niroshan Dickwella in the first game, he also took practically every reasonable opportunity that came his way. air.
Sri Lanka has many more questions to answer, largely related to whether they can produce two good batting innings in the same Test.
Form instructions
Sri Lanka: LLLDW (matches completed, most recent first)
England: WDDWW
In mind
Dilruwan Perera is the most experienced spinner in Sri Lanka ‘s ranks, but in the first test he was sent off by the more expensive left winger Lasith Embuldeniya, who only asked for one more wicket in the game. With 160 wikis, Perera is now the fourth highest keeper ever in Sri Lanka, but she has yet to apply for the title of leader of the spinning attack – that position going unfilled since Herath retired two years ago. Perera is 38 now, so maybe ending his career. But with two young spinners in the side, Sri Lanka will be hoping he can lead the attack more effectively and bring those archers under his wing.
There is something bewitching about happy debuts, and Dan LawrenceHe made his Test debut, scoring 73 in the first innings to help crush England’s advantage, before his 21 not-out in the second innings led home. England after a rather miserable time late on day four. Sri Lanka reveal they did not bowl Lawrence particularly well in the first innings, and will be hoping to come back with sharper plans. It has already been said that Lawrence may be lying in for a long career, but he will have more trials to come in the next few weeks.
Park and conditions
Unlike the previous Test, there was not much water in Galle up to this one. This means that the pitch for the second Test will start drier, and take a turn earlier in the game. That’s not to say a result is expected, but if one of Galle’s worst reports turns to surface, there’s every chance the game will last four days or less.
Team news
Sri Lanka have brought down Kusal Mendis, with Roshen Silva the most likely bat to replace him in the XI. They are also hoping that Suranga Lakmal has now got enough under his belt to play this Test.
Sri Lanka (probably): 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Lahiru Thirimanne, 3 Roshen Silva, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (captain), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dilruwan Perera, 10 Suranga Lakmal , 11 Lasith Embuldeniya.
England, meanwhile, are prone to reverse the seam attack, with four Tests in India to come. Stuart Broad, Mark Wood and Sam Curran are likely to be replaced by James Anderson, Olly Stone and Chris Woakes.
England (probably) 1 Dom Sibley, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Jonny Bairstow, 4 Joe Root (captain), 5 Dan Lawrence, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Dom Bess, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Olly Stone, 11 James Anderson
Stats and trivia
- Sri Lanka have now lost their last four games against the World Test Championship (top nine), losing one to England, two to South Africa, and one to Pakistan.
- England have won five games on the trot in Sri Lanka, stretching back to 2011. They have also won their last two trials at Galle by a huge margin.
- While Dilruwan Perera’s overall average of 35.34 is unchanged, he has a better record at Galle, where he gets an average of 25.07. He also got his wickets against England at 25.76 each.
Quotes
“You look at the best teams at the top of the world cricket right now, and in the history of the game, and that’s what they do over and over again – make runs If we want to be serious about being the best team in the world then it ‘s something we need to replicate. “
Captain of England Joe Root he has great ambitions for his team, and a plan for how you will achieve those goals.Andrew Fidel Fernando is a Sri Lankan journalist at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf