CRICKET/Test Match: Yesterday's play could scarcely live up to the billing given it by a scintillating first day, and true to form, it did not. Sri Lanka, intent on not squandering the wonderful position they had created on the opening day, simply went on and on until they had had enough, while England's bowlers, altering their strategy with a change of length and more aggression, contained far better than they had on Thursday. It made for functional cricket but by no means the spectacle many had anticipated.
Sanath Jayasuriya pulled the plug on his innings late in the day at 555 for eight, fewer than he may have liked although it was the eighth time in 10 matches that his team have exceeded 500.
There had been no double century for Marvan Atapattu, whose vigil of more than eight hours came to an end at 185. Nor was there an emotional return to Lord's for Aravinda de Silva, who fell a dozen short of a 20th Test hundred.
The tourists had left themselves nine overs, however, should the light have held up. It did for eight of them, and it proved long enough to make the breakthrough they wanted when Marcus Trescothick, having twice hit Nuwan Zoysa to the offside boundary, pushed forward to the same beanpole bowler and edged a low catch to first slip.
Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher were able to see out the remainder of the day, taking the score to 27 for one comfortably enough, but there is much work to do today if England are not to be completely embarrassed.
The score notwithstanding, and unlike the close catching, the England bowlers acquitted themselves much better yesterday than they had on the first day, toiling manfully and none more so than Dominic Cork. He likes this ground and his efforts, particularly bowling from the Pavilion end into a stiff breeze were rewarded with three of the first four wickets to fall on the day.
A bouncer appeared to have done for him though just as it had his first two victims. In sending down a particularly vigorous effort during his 36th over, he pulled up sharply having apparently twinged a groin. A few stretching exercises and a perfunctory attempt at shadow bowling were sufficient to persuade him to leave the field.
With Sri Lanka 530 for seven at the time, it was not something that would affect the outcome of the game. He returned soon enough to stand at second slip.
The catching, alas, was woeful. In circumstances such as these, the bowlers need all the help they can get. Instead, following Alec Stewart's dropping of Jayawardene on the first afternoon, three more catches went begging, albeit that one, missed by Nasser Hussain at first slip off Andy Flintoff when De Silva had 37, happened to be a no ball.
There was no excuse either when Flintoff himself moved over in front of first slip to drop Atapattu when he had 163, although that which he put down in the following over as De Silva drove wholeheartedly at Caddick was a screamer.
There is a feeling though that the slips are being rotated too much and that they are standing too close together. In this innings, Hussain and Thorpe have both spent time at first slip, Flintoff and Cork at second. There may be sound reasons, but slip fielders surely need to get used to one another while bowlers certainly feel more comfortable with the same familiar faces staring at them when they turn to run in.
England changed their tactics yesterday. On Thursday, it had been about keeping the ball up, seeking to exploit swing and any dampness in the pitch. A day's heat had cooked the surface, however, hardening the edges of the slight indentations left by the first new ball, and widening cracks. This was a day for dragging the length back and looking for some variable bounce.
It came too: one from Flintoff that smacked Atapattu on the gloves; another from Caddick that reared from a length and all but took De Silva's throat out; and by contrast a ball from Hoggard that scuttled through low and almost bowled the same batsman. It will only get worse.
Guardian Service
SRI LANKA - First innings
(overnight 314 for 3)
M Atapattu c Trescothick b Cork 185
S Jayasuriya run out 18
K Sangakkara c Flintoff b Hoggard 10
M Jayawardene c Trescothick b Flintoff 107
A de Silva c Stewart b Cork 88
R Arnold c Trescothick b Hoggard 50
H Tillakaratne not out 17
C Vaas c Trescothick b Cork 6
N Zoysa c Stewart b Flintoff 28
B Fernando not out 6
Extras (b-1, lb-13, w-1, nb-25) 40
... --
Total (for 8 wkts dec) 555
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-55, 3-261, 4-407, 5-492, 6-492, 7-505, 8-540.
Did not bat: R Perera
Bowling: Caddick 38.3-6-135-0, Hoggard 39-4-160-2, Cork 35.3-11-93-3, Flintoff 39-8-101-2, Butcher 3-0-17-0, Vaughan 14-2-35-0.
ENGLAND - First innings
M Trescothick c Jayasuriya b Zoysa 13
M Vaughan not out 4
M Butcher not out 7
Extras (w-1, nb-2)3
... --
Total (for one wicket) 27
Fall of wicket: 1-17
To bat: N Hussain, G Thorpe, J Crawley, A Stewart, A Flintoff, D Cork, A Caddick, M Hoggard.
Bowling (to date): Vaas 4-1-9-0, Zoysa 3-0-18-1, Fernando 1-1-0-0.
