A century from Jonny Bairstow, recalled to the team at No3, boosted England in a hot, humid opening day to the third Test on Colombo
So that’s all from me. It’s a beautifully poised Test, I think. Tanya Aldred will be here bright and early (or whenever it is where you are) tomorrow. Bye!
So everyone appears to have pencilled Bairstow in at No3 for the foreseeable future, but it sounds very much like that’s not how he sees his own future.
Who are the doubters/critics that Jonny Bairstow has proved wrong? Don't know anyone who doesn't think he's a quality batsman...
A bit more from Bairstow:
A decent day. I don’t think it’s an amazing day. We’d have liked to have been four or five down. But we’ve got two guys at the crease who can come out and play in their own way tomorrow morning, and that’s exciting. [Sri Lanka’s reviews] early on in the day, that’s potentially cost them a couple of wickets later one.
I’ve not given up my keeping, I want to make that very, very clear. It’s something I still want to do. I’ve worked hard for the last nine years and I’m not going to give it up after two games that you miss. You don’t know what’s just around the corner.
Jonny Bairstow joins Sky for a chat.
It means a lot. There’s different things that you go through when you get castigated for being injured when people don’t actually see what’s going on. The bits behind the scenes, when you’re doing your rehab,, when you’re sleeping on an ice machine, the things people don’t see and yet they have an opinion on it. It’s all well and good when it’s going well, but there are things that people don’t see.
[On playing No3] Look, you’ve got to deliver when you’re asked to. You’re left out of the side when you haven’t really done too much wrong over the last couple of years, and all of a sudden you’re asked to bat in a role that you’ve not batted before. So you’re learning on the job and that’s how I’ve seen it, an opportunity to learn on the job.
88.1 overs: England 312-7 (Moeen 23, Rashid 13) And in the time taken to review that decision the light has deteriorated enough for the umpires to take the players off. It has been a pretty even day, but Sri Lanka will feel they could have taken (rules of the game notwithstanding) another four or five wickets.
And Moeen gets away with another one! Dickwella could have caught it, and then there would have been no decision to make.
It was lbw, rather than a catch. The fact it wasn’t caught was the giveaway there.
The finger’s up! And the review is instantly demanded!
88th over: England 312-7 (Moeen 23, Rashid 13) Lakmal returns to end the day with a bit of pace, and Rashid watchfully negotiates the over, leaving whenever he can. Which is most of the time. When he forces the batsman into action by bowling straight at the stumps, Rashid flicks it through midwicket for four. Lovely shot, that.
87th over: England 306-7 (Moeen 23, Rashid 7) Rashid edges but completely safely, the ball rolling to backward point for a single. Then Moeen pushes limply at a delivery that just skids past his bat. He shakes his head in self-recrimination, and properly so.
86th over: England 304-7 (Moeen 23, Rashid 6) Rashid flicks the ball into the leg side for four, and rightly survives an extremely optimistic lbw appeal off the final delivery. Four overs remain in the day.
85th over: England 299-7 (Moeen 22, Rashid 2) A few singles and a cracking final delivery that goes just past Rashid’s bat.
1st Ashes Test 12 for next summer ... !!!! Burns,Jennings,Bairstow,Root,Stokes,Buttler,Foakes,Ali,Woakes,Curran,Broad & Anderson ... @JasonRoy20 could also force 1 of the Openers out by then ... !! #Ashes
84th over: England 296-7 (Moeen 20, Rashid 1) The over starts with a wicket, and ends with a couple of singles.
There’s no reviewing that one! Foakes gets a slight nick, and Dickwella takes the catch!
83rd over: England 294-6 (Moeen 19, Foakes 13) Moeen edges straight to slip and it’s dropped! Karunaratne kind of dived to his right there, when the ball was going almost straight to him and he only needed to move his hands, and it’s the first of two let-offs for the batsman in the over, with the lbw decision being overturned because the ball was missing leg stump by a distance.
That has got to smart! Sri Lanka wait so long for a decision to go their way, and then it gets overturned!
Another loud lbw appeal and this one convinces the umpire, but not the batsman!
82nd over: England 292-6 (Moeen 17, Foakes 13) Pushpakumara continues with the new ball, and after four dots Foakes pulls and sweeps the final two deliveries to the rope!
81st over: England 284-6 (Moeen 17, Foakes 5) Dilruwan Perera takes the new ball, and Moeen clobbers it over mid-on for a one-bounce four. “I’d have thought the need for tightrope-walking police dogs was pretty obvious,” writes Paul Callinan. “You must have heard of the epidemic of tightrope-walking burglar cats that swept Sri Lanka last year. No?”
80th over: England 280-6 (Moeen 13, Foakes 5) And that’s a maiden from Pushpakumara. On comes Anderson with a delivery of dry gloves, while the umpires take delivery of a fresh cherry.
79th over: England 280-6 (Moeen 13, Foakes 5) There will be one more over before the new ball becomes due, and then about half an hour for Sri Lanka to get to work with it.
78th over: England 275-6 (Moeen 10, Foakes 3) Moeen smashes a sweep away for four, and then Perera gets one to spin and leap, and Foakes gets bat on it for a single.
77th over: England 269-6 (Moeen 5, Foakes 2) A search for pictures of the outfield-encroaching dog came up with nothing except this Sri Lankan pooch from 2017. This is a bit impressive, isn’t it? It’s actually tightrope walking. I’m not sure why the police require tightrope-walking dogs, but nevertheless.
76th over: England 267-6 (Moeen 4, Foakes 1)“Got to love a man who saunters out to bat in 35 degree-plus heat wearing a long sleeved vest, just in case it turns a bit nippy before close of play,” writes Brian Withington. “Moeen, as ever, we salute you.” Actually it’s only 28C now, and barely 80% humidity, so it has already turned nippy.
75th over: England 265-6 (Moeen 3, Foakes 0) Consensus is that this is the best batting wicket of the series, and that a score of 400+ would be the minimum considered acceptable from the first side to bat. But had a few umpiring decisions gone the other way, and a couple really should have done, and an extra catch or two been taken, England would have got nowhere near it.
Still, Sandakan took a sharp one there. The ball stung his palm sufficiently for him to high-five his team-mates only with the back of his left hand.
Buttler steps back and hits straight down the ground. It comes back to Sandakan very quickly, but he flings two hands above his head and it sticks in one of them!
74th over: England 263-5 (Buttler 15, Moeen 2) Just a leg bye from Perera’s over.
73rd over: England 262-5 (Buttler 15, Moeen 2) Sandakan gives Buttler some width and he tries to cut it away, but he misjudges the bounce and it comes off his bottom edge, into the ground and bounces over his stumps. He makes up for it immediately, sending the next ball past extra cover for four. Then Moeen is dropped! He edges but it goes low and flicks Dickwella’s fingers on its way down. Next ball they think they’ve got him, but the umpire didn’t see an edge (and neither, for that matter, did I). That’s drinks.
72nd over: England 257-5 (Buttler 10, Moeen 2) Perera returns, and there’s another single for each batsman.
71st over: England 255-5 (Buttler 9, Moeen 1) Moeen Ali comes out, and he’s wearing an undershirt. In the circumstances this feels puzzling. It certainly isn’t chilly.
@Simon_Burnton possible idea for a more suitable outfit for Bairstow. I'm starting to worry about his welfare now. pic.twitter.com/5h1FV7q0Zn
Bairstow heaves across the line, misses the ball and it clips leg stump. It’s been a great innings, important for both team and individual, but he’s looked desperate for a shower and a lie down for about an hour and a half.
70th over: England 252-4 (Bairstow 109, Buttler 8) Dhananjaya de Silva returns to bowl his fifth over of the innings, and the batsmen claim a single apiece.
69th over: England 250-4 (Bairstow 108, Buttler 7) Buttler hacks the first ball of Sandakan’s over wide of point for four. Sandakan’s going at 4.62 an over, by a distance the most expensive of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, and there are five off this one.
68th over: England 245-4 (Bairstow 108, Buttler 2) Bairstow cuts away for four, the 10th boundary of his innings. “Haven’t seen such an impassioned and pointed celebration of a century since Nasser’s famous shirt number pointing ODI effort directed at the Lord’s media centre,” says Brian Withington. “Except on that occasion the pundits were saying Nasser shouldn’t be batting at 3, if at all. In Jonny’s case it seems he is being expected to bat anywhere he’s told whilst being grateful for losing the gloves that he’s worked so very hard to fully deserve. And keep quiet about it. Well stuff that for a game of soldiers, as they say where I come from.”
67th over: England 239-4 (Bairstow 103, Buttler 1) Good running from the batsmen again to turn a single into a two, and it’s the knackered, sweat-soaked, cramp-afflicted Bairstow who pushes for the extra run with Buttler evidently happy to settle for one. But then Bairstow’s on strike for another loud lbw appeal, again turned down, and ball tracking shows he should have gone!
66th over: England 234-4 (Bairstow 100, Buttler 0) A maiden from Pushpakumara. David Brown suggests the ideal soundtrack for the recent canine incursion:
65th over: England 234-4 (Bairstow 100, Buttler 0) Bairstow sweeps again, and he doesn’t feel any pain this time! His helmet’s off and he absolutely bellows as he trots down the pitch. “Yes!” he screams. Several times. Sandakan waits for his celebrations to die down and then sends down a long hop to Stokes, who pulls it away for four. It was the only bad delivery of what becomes a good over, with a wicket and a first-ball lbw appeal against Buttler, though the ball would certainly have missed leg stump.
Wow ... seriously guttural roar from Jonny Bairstow on reaching Test hundred No6. Quality innings.
Nice delivery from Sandakan, which turns hard off the pitch, kisses the face of the bat and goes straight into the hands of slip!
64th over: England 230-3 (Bairstow 99, Stokes 53) The batsmen turn a single into two with a bit of sharp running, and then there’s a dog on the pitch! And he seems quite happy there as well. He saunters around the outfield for a while before finally clearing off and allowing Bairstow to run another single. Good dog, have a biscuit.
A GOOD BOY AT DEEP COVER #SLvENGpic.twitter.com/4pYeE8swDy
Dog on the field in the cricket pic.twitter.com/mTycLlzDBX
63rd over: England 227-3 (Bairstow 96, Stokes 53) Perera gets a bit of spin, and Bairstow tries to turn one into the leg side and very nearly brings leg slip into play, the batsman saved mainly by the fact that he missed it. Then he does go for a sweep, and this time the ball flies up over leg slip and away for a couple.
62nd over: England 223-3 (Bairstow 93, Stokes 52) Bairstow is now avoiding the sweep, a stroke to which his body reacts with great fury, and is gently singling his way towards triple figures.
61st over: England 219-3 (Bairstow 91, Stokes 50) Stokes tickles the ball down leg for a couple to bring up his half-century, a story so far of hustle, muscle and just a little luck.
60th over: England 214-3 (Bairstow 88, Stokes 48)“Prompted by your inspired creation of the ‘reverse sleep’ (over 47) I have been mulling over other night-time cricket pursuits,” writes Brian Withington. “Best I’ve come up with so far is unfurling the ‘duvet drive’ past the fielder stationed (dozing?) at ‘extra blanket’ but I’m sure there’s purer gold to be mined.” Um, nightmarewatchman?
59th over: England 212-3 (Bairstow 87, Stokes 47) Turns out Bairstow’s not so great after all. He goes down for a sweep, and it was after just such a shot that we first spotted that he was moving awkwardly, and that’s what happens again. He gets up with a hop and a hobble to run his single. Stokes thunders a six to cow corner, but then gets befuddled by the final ball of the over and chips it limply back to Perera, who dives to his left but, with Bairstow getting in his way, misses it completely.
58th over: England 204-3 (Bairstow 86, Stokes 40) A Bairstow single and that’s yer lot, from Pushpamukara’s over. “So pleased about Johnny Bairstow,” writes Ian Copestake. “He is made of stuff the likes of which we can only make houses out of (and not bamboo).”
57th over: England 203-3 (Bairstow 85, Stokes 40) A Stokes single takes England to 200, and a few more follow. Bairstow seems to be untroubled since tea, his cramp apparently worked out of his legs during the break.
56th over: England 199-3 (Bairstow 83, Stokes 38) There was a six minute delay, which will be added on at the end of the day.
The covers are off, the umpires are out, and it looks like we might get away without a delay.
The dark clouds appear to have gone elsewhere, but a bit of light rain is falling. Those at the ground seem to think that it will clear quite quickly.
It’s been a good session for England, though at least some of the credit for that has to go to the umpires, who repeatedly gave marginal decisions in England’s favour. Bairstow is batting very nicely but moving a bit awkwardly - the physios will be hard at work about now, I imagine.
55th over: England 197-3 (Bairstow 81, Stokes 38) Stokes strolls down the pitch and thunders the ball down the ground for six! That’s TEA, and as the bails come off the covers come on.
54th over: England 190-3 (Bairstow 80, Stokes 32) A couple of singles from the 54th over, and there’ll be one more before tea. Google tells me there is a 94% chance of rain in Colombo in the next 90 minutes, so we’ll be lucky to get away undampened.
53rd over: England 188-3 (Bairstow 79, Stokes 31) The groundstaff have spotted those clouds too, and have ringed the field in anticipation of being called into action. Another appeal from Sri Lanka goes unanswered, with the fielding side believing that Bairstow got a tiny edge to the final ball of Perera’s over. The umpire isn’t interested, and though snicko shows a tiny noise it might have been his foot on the ground.
52nd over: England 187-3 (Bairstow 79, Stokes 30) TV cameras show us the clouds heading towards the ground, and they are as filthy and menacing as clouds are ever going to get. For now, though, the sun continues to shine in Colombo and a couple of singles off Gunathilaka bring up the 50 partnership.
51st over: England 184-3 (Bairstow 78, Stokes 28) Bairstow sweeps powerfully for four, but something inside him seems to ping nastily as he does so, and as he rises he hobbles about a bit.
50th over: England 179-3 (Bairstow 74, Stokes 27) Stokes goes down on one knee to slog the ball through midwicket for four. Then another huge lbw appeal, Dickwella so convinced that he starts heading down the pitch in celebration, but the umpire’s not interested! Ball tracking says the ball pitched inside the line but close enough to outside the line for it to be umpire’s call, so a review wouldn’t have succeeded. England are getting all the marginal decisions at the moment.
49th over: England 174-3 (Bairstow 74, Stokes 22) Another edge, this time Bairstow the man looking back in desperation, drops short of slip. That’s just bad luck on Sri Lanka’s part, I think, and though you can’t really quibble with his positioning perhaps the fielder could shuffle forward just a touch. Maiden.
48th over: England 174-3 (Bairstow 74, Stokes 22) I shall not correct my typo of the previous over, because it is quite entertaining. “We shall no longer be using the term ‘alarm call’,” writes Kim Thonger. “Henceforth my wife and I shall refer to it as ‘the reverse sleep’.”
47th over: England 172-3 (Bairstow 73, Stokes 21) Stokes brings out the reverse sleep, and sends it just wide of slip for four. Then, just as he’s starting to look vaguely comfortable, he plays back again and edges straight to that slip, and is saved the ball bouncing six inches short of the fielder.
46th over: England 165-3 (Bairstow 72, Stokes 15) For probably the first time since Stokes came in, the batsmen spend an entire over looking firmly in control of proceedings.
45th over: England 161-3 (Bairstow 71, Stokes 12) Sandakan sends down a rank long hop and Stokes dispatches it with the alacrity of someone who has probably spent the last good while batting a bit awkwardly while waiting desperately for someone to send down a rank long hop. “Has Ben ever MET an English granny?” asks Kim Thonger of Ben Heywood (over 38). “Terrifying beasts, reeking of sherry and wielding damp handkerchiefs. I’d rather enter the Minotaur’s lair naked as a jaybird than face one on a gusty day at Headingley.”
44th over: England 153-3 (Bairstow 68, Stokes 7) Given a bit of width, Stokes cuts away for four. Here’s that lbw decision that Stokes survived in full:
Stokes gets away with one...
Sri Lanka have used all of their reviews and so can't do anything as Ben Stokes is given not out LBW on 0
Watch #SLvENG live on Sky Sports Cricket now or follow our live blog here: https://t.co/15oeC8cjl0pic.twitter.com/q1Vue3ybnp
43rd over: England 148-3 (Bairstow 64, Stokes 6) Sandakan sends one down the leg side, and Stokes pulls it viciously away for four. “Does no international side employ a specialist reviews coach?” wonders John Starbuck. “It seems to be a discipline waiting to happen as getting it right would pay vast dividends.”
42nd over: England 143-3 (Bairstow 64, Stokes 1) We should probably stop going on about Sri Lanka’s wasted reviews, because even if they hadn’t wasted them on those occasions they would have wasted them on other occasions since. However, here’s one they should have gone upstairs with, as Stokes, playing back, gets struck high on the pad. It looked to me like it was likely to clear the stumps, but ball tracking suggests it would have hit the meat of two different stumps. He’s got a lifeline there.
40th over: England 139-3 (Bairstow 61, Stokes 0) Hello world! Simon Burnton Here, with you now until close of play. Sandakan bowls, and after Bairstow gets a single off the first Stokes continues to play himself in a little awkwardly. He has faced 13 deliveries so far, and remains very much stuck on zero.
39th over: England 138-3 (Bairstow 60, Stokes 0) A tidy over from Perera, and that’s drinks. The Sri Lankans have done well since lunch, first restricting Root and Bairstow, then dismissing Root to leave the game nicely balanced. And that’s me done – Simon Burnton will be here in a moment. Thanks for your company and your correspondence, which has kept me warm on an icy morning.
A suggestion from Smylers. “Re what to do if the captains’ playing of scissors, paper, stone results in a draw (17th over): how about having the vice-captains play the second round — and if that’s a draw too, working down the batting order, Family Fortunes-style? Then the psychology doesn’t just involve trying to beat your opponent, but also taking into account the skills of the player up next for each side.”
38th over: England 137-3 (Bairstow 59, Stokes 0) Sandakan gets one and almost bags another as Stokes goes back and misses a low one, turning away from him. Again, that would have been worth a review, though it turns out to have been missing off by a whisker. Anyway, Sri Lanka are right back in the game. They’ve bowled well and reviewed badly.
Here’s Ben Heywood. “Morning Tim. It’s cold and sunny here in Montenegro. I ought to be helping build a yoga deck, but I’ve got a coffee to finish first.” Let’s pause there to admire the sheer peak-Guardian quality of that sentence. “Anyway, please remind Kim Thonger that since Stuffitdownyerpantsgate the Aussies have been as nice, polite and sporting as an English granny. And also, reassuringly, coincidentally crap. Don’t think we’ll be needing Jo Brand after all.”
The sweep, which has brought England so much joy in this series, now brings Root’s downfall. He goes for a slog-sweep and gets a top edge, presenting midwicket with a simple catch. He was looking good for another hundred, but his departure makes the game more interesting.
37th over: England 136-2 (Bairstow 59, Root 45) Bairstow pushes into the covers, takes a single, and brings up the hundred partnership off 26.4 overs, only the second of the series by either side. It’s been quick, slow, slow, medium, and all good.
36th over: England 135-2 (Bairstow 58, Root 45) Again, one bad ball from Sandakan, and again it’s punished as Root goes right back to cut for four. He throws in a reverse sweep for two, and poor old Sandakan has 8-0-38-0, which is the stuff of ODIs, not Tests.
36th over: England 128-2 (Bairstow 58, Root 38) Now Bairstow survives a big LBW appeal. Facing Perera, he sweeps and misses, it looks plumb – but HawkEye has it going over middle, so a great call by the ump.
35th over: England 125-2 (Bairstow 58, Root 36) Lakmal takes himself off and brings on Sandakan, who bowls one bad ball. Bairstow cashes in with a cut for four.
And we have our first armchair selector for the Ashes. “Providing there are no serious lapses in form between now and then,” says Oliver Benson, “I’d go with: Burns, Jennings, YJB, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Foakes, S Curran, Woakes, Leach, Jimmy.” So, Curran, Woakes and Anderson for Moeen, Rashid and Broad.
“As much as I love Moeen, I think we need more control from a spinner, and if we are to pick just one surely Leach gets the nod. Curran will do just as well if not better with the bat, as would Woakes, who I’d pick over Broad in English conditions…”
34th over: England 121-2 (Bairstow 53, Root 36) A reprieve for Root, who survives an LBW appeal from Perera, pushing forward at an excellent ball, delivered from round the wicket, that turned back into him. The umpire thought it pitched outside leg but it was close to middle. If SL had had a review left, that would be out.
33rd over: England 118-2 (Bairstow 51, Root 35) Just the single off Lakmal, who has two maidens in his nine overs. The three spinners have no maidens between them in 24 overs, which is not so much an indictment of them as a sign of how well England have carried out their new policy of keeping busy.
“Morning Tim.” Morning Kim Thonger. “I’ll leave others to suggest the actual team, but I’m certain they will need a good sledging coach to win the Ashes. Jo Brand handles heckling better than any other standup. I’d conscript her.”
32nd over: England 117-2 (Bairstow 50, Root 35) Perera drops short and Bairstow pounces, cutting for four – and then sweeps for a single, to bring up his fifty, off 76 balls. That is an outstanding knock.
31st over: England 111-2 (Bairstow 45, Root 34) Another tight over from Lakmal. “It’s a Jimmy Anderson spell, is this,” says David Lloyd. Yes, but without the swing.
30th over: England 110-2 (Bairstow 45, Root 33) England still getting ’em in singles. As we have a lull, here’s a question for you: what XI should Ed Smith pick next summer, to regain the Ashes?
29th over: England 107-2 (Bairstow 44, Root 31) And just the one off Lakmal, who is bowling line’n’length. What does he think this is, Test cricket?
28th over: England 106-2 (Bairstow 44, Root 30) And a couple more off Perera.
27th over: England 104-2 (Bairstow 43, Root 29) A couple of singles to get us going again after lunch, as Lakmal brings himself back.
“I’ll take that at lunch,” says Guy Hornsby. “YJB clearly making the most of his chance. It’s certainly taken the edge off getting up before 6 to swim before work. I bet Jimmy didn’t have to do that today. Still, I think they should’ve given Stone a run here. An opportunity missed.” I see your point, but if they had, Bairstow might well have been the man to miss out – it would have been a step too far for Root to open the bowling with Stone and Stokes.
26th over: England 102-2 (Bairstow 42, Root 28) The session finishes with a dance down the track from Root, yielding only a single to midwicket but rounding off a morning of lively cricket from both teams. So that’s lunch. Sri Lanka were right on top at drinks, but the second hour belonged to England, and to Yorkshire, with Jonny Bairstow looking more like a No.3 than some would have expected, and Joe Root maintaining his princely form from Pallekele. See you shortly.
25th over: England 98-2 (Bairstow 40, Root 26) Yet another sweep for four, from Root this time, to midwicket, and a tickle for two. Playing for lunch doesn’t seem to be part of the plan.
24th over: England 92-2 (Bairstow 40, Root 20) Another gear change. Root brings up a fine fifty partnership with a single and Bairstow celebrates with a pair of sweeps, for two and four.
23rd over: England 85-2 (Bairstow 34, Root 19) There’s plenty of turn, and these two have knuckled down, adding only ten off the last six overs after that early flurry.
22nd over: England 84-2 (Bairstow 34, Root 18) Bairstow laps for two, and then there’s a mini-farce as over is called, after five balls. The 12th and 13th men come on with fresh gloves before the mistake is spotted and the sixth ball is bowled. The 13th man, incidentally, is Anderson, possibly the most distinguished spare part in England’s history.
The pad was struck outside the line, which was obvious – and the third umpire felt Root was playing a shot, which was arguable. So SL have blown their reviews already, something they will surely regret.
Against Root, for LBW I think. Dickwella, behind the stumps, appealed like a cartoon character, with every limb vibrating.
21st over: England 80-2 (Bairstow 31, Root 18) A glide for two from Root.
About an hour ago, there was an email from Phil Withall. “Afternoon Tim (from an oppressively hot and sticky Queensland). I think Bairstow could work out batting at three. However he’s going to need these two to stay in for a while, curtail his aggression at the start of his innings and concentrate on the task at hand. I feel he’ll be out to prove a point and cement his place in the side, especially as it looks like the wicketkeeper role is not going to come his way in the near future.” Well, the openers didn’t play their part in that scenario, but Bairstow has.
20th over: England 78-2 (Bairstow 31, Root 16) Sandakan, taking the cue from Pushpakumara, concedes a single and a bye. Both batsmen are drenched in sweat, though you wouldn’t know it from the way they’ve played, which has been full of energy.
19th over: England 76-2 (Bairstow 30, Root 16) Pushpakumara restores order, conceding only a single, as Bairstow opens the face to squeeze a push past extra cover.
Here’s Zaph Mann again. “In the 3rd over you used the term ungodly without the un – ‘It must be a godly hour over there’ – which reminded me of my brother, who used to say ‘couth’. And then I thought, where is the ideal place to be following OBO? Here in Oregon it’s coming up to 22hrs (10pm), which is fine now but means I won’t make it past tea… So I reckon Hawaii must be the perfect place for OBO of Sri Lanka – anyone following there?” Good question. Note to self: move to Hawaii before England next visit the subcontinent.
18th over: England 75-2 (Bairstow 29, Root 16) Root joins in the fun with a sweep for four, and these two have doubled the score in no time. Counter-attack is the best form of defence. I hope Jose Mourinho’s watching.
“Given the amount of sweeping England are doing,” wonders Matthew Doherty, “is Dick Van Dyke England’s new batting coach?”
17th over: England 69-2 (Bairstow 28, Root 11) A couple more singles off Pushpakumara, then Bairstow sees a particularly slow one and goes big, with the slog-sweep, and that’s the first six of the day.
“Liking the potential psycho-drama of Robin Hazlehurst’s suggested alternative to tossing a coin (over 9),” says Brian Withington. “However, what would be the Wimbledonesque tie-breaker if the respective captains continue to make the same call as one another? In the wrong hands I have seen rock, paper, scissors descend into a stalemate that would make the current chess world championship look like a rollercoaster ride.”
16th over: England 61-2 (Bairstow 21, Root 10) Root sweeps Sandakan for a single; so does Bairstow, but only after he has swept for four, cut for four, and swept for two. His 21 has come off only 23 balls.
Another email from SL. “Following from Unawatuna beach,” says Robert Ellson, “just down the road from Galle. Hoping to go to the SSC tomorrow if I can get the day off. One advantage of England losing early wickets today is that Bairstow actually has to bat as a 3. We wouldn’t have learned much about him if he’d come in at 150-1...” True.
15th over: England 49-2 (Bairstow 10, Root 9) Another good over from Pushpakumara, who has one for 11 off three, getting bounce as well as turn. And credit to the groundsman – the pitch has been much livelier than the pundits were expecting.
He did miss it, stretching right forward, and Sri Lanka have lost a review.
For caught behind against Bairstow, who either missed or nicked a classic slow-left-arm ball from Pushpakumara...
14th over: England 48-2 (Bairstow 10, Root 8) No sooner have I called him commanding than Root has the narrowest of escapes, missing one from Sandakan that turns into him and shaves the leg bail before beating the keeper too and going for two byes.
“I’m in Hong Kong and it’s lunchtime,” says Ralph Taylor. It’s all right for some. “I lost patience with YJB’s tantrums in the summer, indicative of a lack of toughness at the top perhaps, so I’m very pleased to see the new and improved Captain Root laying down the law. Hope Bairstow now makes no 3 his own and pipes down.”
13th over: England 43-2 (Bairstow 9, Root 6) Root plays a few from Pushpakumara with a straight bat, then decides it’s time for the broom and sweeps hard, in front of square, for four. That opens up a gap, so he nudges a single. Early minutes, but he looks as commanding as he did at Pallekele.
“Hello from Sri Lanka,” says Neil Waterfield. Well, of all the unlikely places. “Having been to the first two Tests (and a fair few of the rained-off ODIs!), I thought I would give the Colombo Test a miss and spent some quality time on the east coast beaches. Where it is peeing down! #isntitironic”
Time for some correspondence.“I’m reading in Brisbane,” says Alex Coe, “and planning on listening when I get back in the car. Say what you like about Talksport’s coverage – ideally in a thick northern accent – but at least I can listen overseas without arsing about with dodgy VPNs and proxy servers. Sorry TMS – you let me down...”
“Just coming up for 1:00 in the afternoon here in Jiangsu Province, China,” says Richard Woods. “And you’re right – dead rubber is a pointless term. This is a Test match.”
12th over: England 38-2 (Bairstow 9, Root 1) So the firsThe first change went so well, Lakmal fancies another one, so here’s Sandakan with his left-arm wristy stuff. Bairstow, not entirely comfortable, gets a sweep away for a single. Root, entirely Rootish, eases onto the back foot and glides a single past slip. And that’s drinks, with Sri Lanka suddenly on top.
“Hello from Wellington NZ,” says Paul May. “Great timing for the start of the game, enjoying a Friday evening beer.” Don’t rub it in.
11th over: England 36-2 (Bairstow 8, Root 0) So the first bowling change bears fruit, and England, as so often, have started with a wobble.
“Morning Tim.” Morning Harry Shawyer. “I’m following from a bus travelling through the rift valley in Kenya. Country and western music is playing on the radio. I think this is what the word juxtaposition was invented for.” Classy.
Another one! Jennings leg-glances, straight to leg slip. Just when we thought England had found a decent opening pair, they’re both back in the hutch.
10th over: England 31-1 (Jennings 9, Bairstow 7) Jennings plays three reverse sweeps, for no run – one straight to gully, the other two to backward point. But the field that cuts off the sweeps opens up the covers for Bairstow, who pushes again, off the back foot this time, and picks up a cheap three.
“Full of a cold this Friday in a freezing Paris,” says Daniel Lees, “I quite fancy an easy day at work. Any chance of one of your readers coming up with a version of the OBO feed which looks like a Google doc, so that I can give my class of 8 year olds some independent reading and writing for the day, while I sit back and ‘prepare report cards’?”
9th over: England 27-1 (Jennings 8, Bairstow 4) Jennings takes yet another single off Lakmal, giving Bairstow the chance to show us whether he’s tightened up on off stump since the summer. So far, so solid.
“Given how much in a match can ride on the coin toss,” says Robin Hazlehurst, “cricket should consider alternatives. After the recent kerfuffle in football, maybe the captains should play rock paper scissors before each match? It would add an element of psychological skill while retaining the essential randomness. When Root wins 8 tosses we call him lucky and greedy, when he wins 8 RPSs we’ll call him the best psychologist since Brearley. And think of the statgasm potential for win percentages for captains going ‘paper’ against particular opponents etc.”
8th over: England 26-1 (Jennings 7, Bairstow 4) Jonny Bairstow is back in business first ball, with a busy push into the covers, so well timed that it goes for four.
And here’s Kevin Stracey. “I was resisting the temptation to be a useless pedant, but since you ask your reader to say hello...You wrote in your preamble ‘Bairstow will become England’s fifth No.3 in five Tests. “And all those games have been won,” Root said, when quizzed about it, which was a smart rejoinder but not an accurate one – England have won four on the trot’. Mr Root was in fact as accurate in his rejoinder as in his coin-toss-calling: this current match is one of the five tests in a row, and all the four already played have indeed been won. I’ll get my coat.” Ouch – you’re quite right.
Burns makes room to cut, too much room, and the ball skids on to hit off stump. Straightened, too, but the problem was the length and the stepping away.
7th over: England 21-0 (Burns 14, Jennings 6) Burns adds to the imbalance in balls faced by playing out a maiden from Lakmal, who gets one past the edge. Somewhere over the boundary, Jimmy Anderson may be muttering about being left out on the first lively surface of the series.
6th over: England 21-0 (Burns 14, Jennings 6) Another couple of singles off Perera. Burns has now faced 26 balls to Jennings’s 11, and of those 11, only one has been facing Lakmal. Is Burns shielding Jennings? He certainly feels like the senior partner already, in his third Test. The way he and Ben Foakes have begun their Test careers – two instant rocks – is a credit to them and their boss at Surrey, Alec Stewart, who did both of their jobs for England.
5th over: England 19-0 (Burns 13, Jennings 5) An appeal! For caught behind as Lakmal bowls a spicy bouncer at Burns. No interest from the umpire, and no review. Burns strikes back with a cover drive for four.
“Good morning Tim.” Morning Gary Weightman. “I had no deliberate intention of being awake this early but here I am. Eight tosses on the bounce(?) trot(?) flip(?) is quite a record but I’m sure it’s not the record. Googling looks like 12 is the record for a team but for a captain I’m not sure. Somebody will know...”
4th over: England 15-0 (Burns 9, Jennings 5) Sri Lanka need to get the plug in and Perera does his bit, conceding only a couple of singles.
Zaph Mann is thinking about the photo at the top of this page. “That pic of Stuart Broad deserves a caption contest... opening salvo: ‘Broad ignores his marching orders’.” Ha.
3rd over: England 13-0 (Burns 8, Jennings 4) Fortified by that three, Burns hits the first four of the day – a clip to leg off Lakmal.
“Hello from Auckland,” says Paul David. Hello from London, Paul. It must be a godly hour over there.
2nd over: England 6-0 (Burns 3, Jennings 3) At the other end, it’s spin, from Dilruwan Perera. Keaton Jennings cuts, for no run, then blocks, then – sure enough – pulls out the sweep, for the first runs of the day, lapped to fine leg. When Perera lands it in the right place, Jennings edges, but gets away with it as the ball squirts past slip’s left hand. Burns, facing spin for the first time, cuts, straight to cover point, where a misfield gives him three.
1st over: England 0-0 (Burns 0, Jennings 0) Suranga Lakmal, Sri Lanka’s acting captain, gets things going. He’s on the spot straightaway, Rory Burns goes block, block, block, and it’s dot, dot, dot. Then leave, leave, leave, for a change – and there’s good carry outside off. If you’re reading, say hello.
Not much in life is predictable any more, bar Joe Root winning the toss, but the teams today are as forecast. Sri Lanka make a change at the top, bringing in Danushka Gunathilaka for Kaushal Silva, as well as the enforced one at the other end, Lakshan Sandakan for Akila Dananjaya. England bring back Stuart Broad for Jimmy Anderson and Jonny Bairstow for the injured Sam Curran. Bairstow will be England’s latest No.3, and one of the more unlikely ones, talented as he is. Will he be seething at being left out or buzzing to be back? That looks like the sub-plot of the day. The curtain rises in about 15 minutes, at 4.30am GMT.
Sri Lanka 1 Karunaratne, 2 Gunathilaka, 3 de Silva, 4 Mendis, 5 Mathews, 6 Silva, 7 Dickwella (w), 8 Perera, 9 Lakmal (c), 10 Sandakan, 11 Pushpakumara.
“Tails,” says Joe Root, and, of course, tails it is. That’s his second personal whitewash on the trot – all three tosses in Sri Lanka, to follow all five against India. Spooky. He chooses, as usual, to bat.
News flash from the Caribbean: England Women sailed through their World T20 semi-final against India and will face Australia in the final tomorrow night, Saturday (midnight GMT).
Rumours that Joe Root has won it for the EIGHTH Test in a row. That’s just greedy. And a bit boring.
Morning everyone and welcome to
Black Friday the third Test in Colombo. Test cricket, the longest game known to man, can also be surprisingly short. One minute a series is just beginning, the next it’s been won and all that remains is a so-called dead rubber. In reality, is a rubber ever dead? There are places to play for, points to prove, reputations to be made or dented. If Rory Burns continues his calm improvement and caps it with a first Test century, try telling him this match didn’t matter. And as for Jonny Bairstow...
England are bringing back Bairstow and Stuart Broad for Jimmy Anderson and the injured Sam Curran, which means a change of shape as well as personnel. Joe Root will be down to a mere five frontline bowlers, so he may find himself, for once, giving Adil Rashid a full slice of the cake. Even more unusually, England will have more wicketkeepers in the team (three) than seamers (two). If it gets hot in Colombo, Root may be tempted to have Ben Foakes keeping for the first session, Bairstow for the second and Jos Buttler for the third. If you can rotate your elderly fast bowlers, why not your keepers?
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