Image Source : GETTY IMAGES Angelo Mathews
An unbeaten hundred by Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka to 229-4 at stumps Friday on the primary day of the second take a look at towards England.
Mathews got here in to bat at 7-2 after James Anderson had dismissed each Kusal Perera (6) and Oshada Fernando (0) within the morning session.
The former Sri Lanka captain was then examined by a probing spell of quick bowling by Mark Wood, who had him in hassle with a few quick deliveries. Wood was always bowling to Mathews on center and leg-stump with a leg-gully in place anticipating the batsman to flick one.
Mathews didn’t take the bait however a bouncer struck his glove and landed the place there was no fielder earlier than crossing the boundary rope. That introduced up Mathews’ half-century.
“We lost the openers early unfortunately and we just had to see through a few overs and get the ball slightly older and look for runs,” Mathews mentioned. “Scoring runs was tough although the wicket was flat. England were on the money not giving away too many loose balls.”
Lahiru Thirimanne gave strong assist to Mathews. Sri Lanka added 69 runs for the third wicket earlier than Anderson struck within the second ball after lunch as Thirimanne nicked one to the wicketkeeper.
Stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal then joined Mathews and the duo produced a 117-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Wood was persisting with some prime quality quick bowling on a flat wicket the place there was hardly any help for the seam bowlers. He had Chandimal in hassle with a bouncer that hit the batsman on the pinnacle.
His perseverance paid off when he trapped Chandimal leg earlier than wicket. The batsman, who made 52 for his twentieth half-century, unsuccessfully reviewed the choice.
“It was hard work bowling out there,” Wood mentioned. “This pith was tougher than the last one. We knew it was going to be harder. They played well and it didn’t spin as much as it did in the first test. We intend to make early inroads tomorrow morning.”
Mathews, who missed Sri Lanka’s current tour of South Africa with a hamstring damage, reached his eleventh take a look at hundred and the third towards England with a single off Jack Leach to level area. It was his first take a look at hundred in Galle, a venue the place he had made his take a look at debut 12 years in the past.
England took the brand new ball quickly after it was accessible however weren’t in a position to make the breakthrough as Niroshan Dickwella and Mathews have been concerned in an unfinished 36 run stand for the fifth wicket.
The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper has been promoted to sixth on this sequence and is underneath fireplace after a string of rash strokes caused his dismissal in current assessments. Anderson completed with 3-24. Ten of his 19 overs have been maidens.
