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LIVE: England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Investec Test, Day 1

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By Rob Barnett

James Anderson broke through either side of three wickets for Liam Plunkett on his home ground of Headingley to leave Sri Lanka 161 for five after being put in by Alastair Cook.

Anderson, who bowled an economical, 10-over opening spell, had Kaushal Silva and Angelo Mathews caught respectively behind and at third slip.

Plunkett flattened Dimuth Karunaratne’s leg stump in the morning session and struck twice in two balls after lunch. Chris Jordan’s brilliant, right-handed slip catch ousted Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne was held at short-leg.

Kumar Sangakkara, a centurion in the drawn first game at Lord’s, enjoyed at least two lives in raising his sixth straight score of 50 or more in Tests as the tourists moved to 182 for five at tea.

Match Scorecard Live ball-by-ball commentary

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Evening Session

4.48pm – WICKET & HAT-TRICK!! Eranga c Prior b Broad 0; SL 229/9 - Shaminda Eranga nicks a regulation chance behind and Broad has three in three spread over two overs, although barely anyone realises! Indeed, the ball after Eranga fell, the crowd cheered him in to bowl as if that was a hat-trick ball.

4.42pm – WICKET! Prasad c Prior b Plunkett 0; SL 229/7 – Dhammika Prasad’s second ball is short and Liam Plunkett, like Broad in the first over of his third spell, has a fourth scalp as Prior takes a looping catch above his head.

4.38pm – WICKET! Sangakkara c Bell b Broad 79; SL 228/6 - Stuart Broad bags his first breakthrough of the day in the opening over of his third spell. Ian Bell, playing in his 100th Test, shows great agility to hold on to his left at gully after Sangakkara played a loose drive. His stand with Chandimal was worth 67.

4.22pm – Jordan and Anderson continue, the former inconveniencing Chandimal with a bouncer that he gloves comfortably over wicketkeeper Matt Prior. Either side of that the right-hander hits fours through point. A similar boundary in the next over, off Anderson, registers the third fifty partnership of the innings. Chandimal then pulls for four more.

4.06pm – Chris Jordan opens up after tea and Kumar Sangakkara gets a lucky four, inside-edging just past his leg stump. James Anderson is at the other end and starts with a dangerous over to Dinesh Chandimal.

Afternoon Session

3.41pm – TEA! SL 182/5; Sangakkara 67, Chandimal 10 – After Sangakkara exquisitely straight-drives Jordan for four, Joe Root bowls the last over of the session and concedes off-side fours to Sangakkara and new man Dinesh Chandimal.

3.29pm – CHANCE! Moeen, at point, can’t hold a fiendish opportunity when Sangakkara cuts Jordan, who has taken over from the spinner. While the veteran has had lives, it would be harsh to describe that as another.

3.12pm – WICKET! Mathews c Ballance b Anderson 26; SL 161/5 - Alastair Cook is rewarded for keeping three slips as the tourists’ captain edges Anderson to the widest of them.

3.07pm – FIFTY! Sangakkara (106b 8x4 0x6) – The left-hander works Anderson wide of mid-off to bring up his sixth straight score of 50 or more in Tests. He’s had lives but is in outstanding nick as he proves by seizing on another short ball from Moeen. Mathews then hoists the spinner over mid-on for the game’s first maximum, heralding a smooth half-century alliance.

3.04pm – There is a good battle going on between Anderson and Sangakkara, who have exchanged a few choice words. Moeen replaces Plunkett and the veteran batsman gives a long-hop the treatment it deserves to move to 49.

2.56pm – Plunkett, now partnered by James Anderson, is in the eighth over of his post-lunch spell. Perhaps he is starting to tire as Mathews works him for two consecutive leg-side fours?

2.40pm – Jordan, who has taken over from Broad, delivers a maiden to Sangakkara. At the other end Mathews has made a positive start to his innings, although he is yet to find the boundary.

2.25pm – The hat-trick ball hits Angelo Mathews on the pads but it was going down leg so England don’t appeal.

2.22pm – WICKET! Thirimanne c Robson b Plunkett 0; SL 108/4 - Plunkett digs a vicious bouncer into Lahiru Thirimanne, who lobs a simple catch to Sam Robson at short-leg. Yorkshire seamer Plunkett is on a hat-trick on his home ground.

2.20pm – WICKET! Jayawardene c Jordan b Plunkett 22; SL 108/3 - Jayawardene elegantly cover-drives Broad for four to raise a fifty partnership but soon edges Plunkett to second slip where Chris Jordan holds a brilliant, low, right-handed catch.

2.13pm –CHANCE! After a brilliant Broad over to Sangakkara, the same batsman edges Plunkett behind on 27 and appears to have been caught by Matt Prior but the ball thuds into the wicketkeeper’s chest and goes to ground. How costly will that be?

2.07pm – It’s vital for England that they break this stand fairly soon. Of Sri Lanka’s two legendary batsmen at the crease, Sangakkara is in better form but Mahela Jayawardene is showing signs of improved touch such as with a wristy flick for four through midwicket. He ushers the tourists to three figures.

1.50pm – Moeen gets just one over, to allow Liam Plunkett to change ends. Plunkett starts with a maiden to Kumar Sangakkara and follows up with a threatening over in which he beats Sangakkara’s bat before being driven down the ground for four.

1.42pm – The afternoon session starts with spin for the first time today, Moeen Ali bowling a tidy over in now brilliant sun. He is partnered by Stuart Broad.

Morning Session

1pm – CHANCE & LUNCH! SL 74/2; Sangakkara 16, Jayawardene 6. Jordan stems the flow of runs with a threatening over to Jayawardene before Ian Bell, playing his 100th Test, nearly takes a stunning catch at leg-gully when the same batsman attempts to pull Plunkett. Bell gets fingertips to it above his head.

12.47pm – Jordan almost makes that breakthrough when Sangakkara inside-edges narrowly past off stump having driven a more regulation four earlier in the over. Jayawardene then swivel-pulls Plunkett for his first boundary.

12.43pm – Jordan and Plunkett apply pressure to Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene with a maiden each. England would love to break this partnership before lunch. 

The sun has fully broken through now.

12.31pm – WICKET! Karunaratne b Plunkett 28; SL 56/2 - Plunkett, bowling round the wicket, is straight-driven for four first up but persists with a full length and immediately cleans up the left-hander between bat and pad, spectacularly flattening leg stump. The umpires check for a no-ball but it’s a legitimate dismissal.

12.26pm – Sangakkara steers Jordan through cover for four to take Sri Lanka past 50. Yorkshire seamer Plunkett takes over from Anderson, whose figures are 10-4-16-1.

12.16pm – Anderson continues and delivers a threatening over to Karunaratne. His figures are 9-4-14-1. By the way, the sun is breaking through the clouds.

12.09pm – CHANCE! New man Kumar Sangakkara survives when he plays Jordan to midwicket and sets off for a single but is sent back. Broad fields and shies at the striker’s stumps but misses the opportunity to dismiss the master bastman for nought.

12.01pm – WICKET! Silva c Prior b Anderson; SL 37/1 - Alastair Cook’s persistence with Anderson pays off when, having beaten Silva two balls in a row, the paceman draws a faint edge that Matt Prior snaffles. The batsman is reluctant to go but is on his way.

11.56am – Chris Jordan replaces Broad and discomforts Karunaratne with a short ball that is edges over the slips for four. It was too high above the catchers to be a chance.

11.47am – Anderson and Broad are still bowling in tandem, limiting scoring opportunities if not posing a regular threat. Karunaratne pushes Anderson through the covers for his second four.

11.37am – A quiet passage of play comes to life as Broad and England appeal loudly for lbw against Silva, but it’s given not-out and the hosts opt not to review. Had they done so, the little right-hander would have been on his way with Hawk-Eye showing the ball would have hit the top of leg stump. Karunaratene then edges Anderson just wide of gully and for four.

11.25am – Anderson and Broad continue to keep it tight, the latter beating Karunaratne’s drive for the first false shot of the day. The pitch seems fairly easy-paced but there is a reasonable covering of grass that should encourage England. It’s 13 for none from six overs. 

11.17am – Karunaratne gets going with two off Anderson through the covers before Broad bowls a maiden to Silva.

11.04am – James Anderson opens the bowling with a maiden to Dimuth Karunaratne, moving the ball back into the left-hander on a couple of occasions. Stuart Broad shares the new ball but concedes two fours through backward point to Kaushal Silva, the latter taking TV replays to show Liam Plunkett did not stop it.

Pre-Play News 

10.57am –‘Jerusalem’ plays out across as the players make their way on to the field, Bell leading England out. The action is moments away!

10.32am – ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL FIRST! That shows how much I know! Angelo Mathews calls incorrectly and Alastair Cook opts to field first. England are unchanged from Lord’s while Sri Lanka make two alterations, one forced, with Dinesh Chandimal coming in to keep wicket in place of the injured Prasanna Jayawardene and Dhammika Prasad taking over from fellow seamer Nuwan Kulasekara.

10.25am – The toss is coming up shortly. Conditions are overcast but that is not to say the winning captain will certainly bowl first with Headingley these days a good wicket to bat on.

10.15am – This is a very special game for Ian Bell, being his 100th Test. We spoke exclusively to the Warwickshire batsman about his milestone.

10am – Good morning from Headingley and welcome to our live blog coverage of the second Investec Test between England and Sri Lanka. The hosts were one wicket away from winning at Lord’s on Monday, but the series is all square going into this final game.


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