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Plunkett famous five follows secret hat-trick

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By Rob Barnett

Stuart Broad became the first England player to take a second Test hat-trick and Liam Plunkett claimed his maiden format five-for as the hosts justified Alastair Cook’s decision to field first versus Sri Lanka in the second Investec Test.

Oddly, Broad’s three in three went almost unnoticed at Headingley, being spread over two overs. It was only when it was announced over the loud-speaker system several minutes later that the players and the majority of the crowd realised the feat.

Broad, whose maiden hat-trick was versus India at Trent Bridge in 2011, initially struck by having Kumar Sangakkara brilliantly held at gully for 79 by Ian Bell, who is playing in his 100th Test, at the end of the first over of his third spell.

That made Sri Lanka 228 for six and, after Plunkett made Dhammika Prasad his fourth wicket of the innings in the next over, Dinesh Chandimal edged Broad to first slip for 45 and Shaminda Eranga nicked to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, leaving the tourists nine down.

Plunkett, who used short bowling effectively, completed the innings on 257 and figures of 5-64 by having Nuwan Pradeep caught behind. The former Durham man received a rapturous reception from his now home crowd.

Liam Plunkett, left, who took his first Test five-for today, congratulates Stuart Broad on his two wickets in an over, although neither realised at the time it meant a hat-trick for Broad, who is the only Englishman to have two in Tests

Cook and Sam Robson then saw England through to stumps on 36 without loss to end a gloriously sunny day in Leeds on a high note for the hosts.

Those conditions were in contrast to an overcast morning that encouraged Cook to give his bowlers first use of the pitch.

Cook named an unchanged side from the draw at Lord’s while Angelo Mathews announced two alterations to his team, one forced, with Chandimal coming in as wicketkeeper for the injured Prasanna Jayawardene and Prasad taking over from fellow seamer Nuwan Kulasekara.

Bell led England out to mark his milestone but the hosts had to wait more than an hour for a breakthrough, although James Anderson and Broad limited the scoring opportunities for openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva.

Anderson, who persisted admirably in an economical 10-over spell, twice beat Silva’s bat from consecutive deliveries before immediately drawing an edge.

Plunkett eventually took over from Anderson and soon flattened Karunaratne’s leg stump, although the tourists reached lunch without further loss as the sun emerged.

Sangakkara, who could have been run out by Broad early in his innings, was reprieved on 27 when Prior could not hold a regulation chance off Broad, the ball going through his gloves and striking his chest.

Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara shared the first of three fifty partnerships for Sri Lanka just before the latter nicked Plunkett to second slip where Chris Jordan held a brilliant right-handed catch. Lahiru Thirimanne gloved a vicious bouncer to short-leg next ball, leaving Sri Lanka 108 for four.

Sangakkara went on to his sixth straight score of 50 or more in Tests as he and Mathews put on a half-century alliance that ended when Anderson had the latter held at third slip.

The number three, playing more loosely than during his hundred at Lord’s, quickly added 67 with the counter-attacking Chandimal either side of tea.

However, Sangakkara’s demise was the start of four wickets for one run in nine balls that swung the day and perhaps the two-Test series firmly in England’s favour.

Match Scorecard Live ball-by-ball commentary

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Evening Session

See Stuart Broad's hat-trick in the evening highlights

England 1st Innings

6.30pm – STUMPS! England 36/0; Cook 14, Robson 21 – The hosts’ new opening pair, playing their second game together, safely negotiate 15 overs through to the close.

6.24pm – Dhammika Prasad takes over from Eranga, drops short to Cook and is emphatically pulled four four. Robson then edges Herath just past first slip, the sole slip fielder.

6.10pm – After Robson cuts Pradeep for four, the seamer is replaced by spinner Rangana Herath who bowls one ball before a short delay when Eranga complains about an object being thrown at him. Happily, the delay is a brief one.

5.55pm – Cook and Robson look content to play for stumps, accumulating gradually to reach 16 for none from seven overs.

5.41pm – Cook deposits a Pradeep full-toss through the covers for four and soon edges Eranga low to first slip where Kumar Sangakkara clasps the ball but doesn’t know if it’s a catch. The umpires refer it, but TV replays are inconclusive and Cook survives.

5.29pm – Nuwan Pradeep bowls the first over of England’s reply, a maiden to Alastair Cook. Cook and Sam Robson get off the mark in the next, delivered by Shaminda Ernaga.

Sri Lanka 1st Innings

5.15pm – SRL LANKA 257 ALL OUT! WICKET! Pradeep c Prior b Plunkett 13 - Pradeep fences a short ball through to the keeper, ending a last-wicket stand of 28 with Rangana Herath. Plunkett, whose 5-64 was his first Test five-for, gets a rapturous reception from his now home fans as he leaves the field.

5.02pm – CHANCE! Nuwan Pradeep edges Broad to third slip but Gary Ballance can’t hold on so Sri Lanka’s innings continues.

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. Broad himself realised only after it was announced over the loud-speaker system.

4.46pm – WICKET! Chandimal c Cook b Broad 45; SL 229/8 – Chandimal’s counter-attacking innings ends when he edges low to Alastair Cook at first slip. Broad is on a hat-trick.

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

Watch highlights of the afternoon session, including Liam Plunkett's two wickets in two balls

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

Watch highlights of the morning session when Liam Plunkett uprooted Dimuth Karunaratne's leg stump

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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