Sri Lanka v England: second Test, day two – live!

113th over: Sri Lanka 313-6 (Dickwella 78, Dilruwan 21) Curran wasn’t far away from Dickwella’s woodwork with final ball of his previous over – how will he play this before lunch? A bouncer to begin, pulled away nicely for one. So, that contest is over for now. Dilruwan’s turn, defending then ducking. Nothing wrong with that. “There’s no time pressure whatsoever,” says Simon Doull on TV and he’s spot on, with Sri Lanka giving themselves the chance to bowl when the pitch is going to suit their spinners best. One last bumper before lunch, ducked again. It’s to the left-armer’s credit that he’s coming to this with a plan, it must be said. And lunch.

112th over: Sri Lanka 312-6 (Dickwella 77, Dilruwan 21) Nup, it’ll be Leach. With three minutes on the clock, this is likely to be the last before lunch… which means slow it down with players around the bat, right? Hmm, seemingly not – just the slip, field spread, rushing. Nothing much wrong with Leach’s radar or angle at Diulruwan around the cricket but he hasn’t many routes to a wicket other than finding an edge, hitting a pad or going through the gate. A single is on offer around the corner, which is accepted. Dickwella’s turn with one ball to go and 60 seconds left, so they will get another one in, the left-hander keeping the strike after using his feet and driving down to long-on. He’s had a super morning for Sri Lanka.

111th over: Sri Lanka 310-6 (Dickwella 76, Dilruwan 20) It’s always a good scrap when Curran is involved, sending down a skiddy bouncer at Dickwella who takes him on with a hook, getting it fine enough for four. He goes upstairs again straight away again, pulling two more into the gap this time. Wood for one before lunch?

110th over: Sri Lanka 302-6 (Dickwella 68, Dilruwan 20) Leach continues with Bess replaced, the left-armer through with just one single added, Dickwella placing a full ball down the ground for one. Maidens have been a problem for England’s spinner so far, sending down five of them across 52 overs. Not enough.

“Morning Adam.” And to you, Brian Withington. Indeed, good morning to everyone who has woken up over the last little while. The news is that England picked up a couple of wickets in a couple of overs inside the first quarter of an hour but it has been smooth sailing for the hosts thereafter with ten minutes till lunch.

“Good to see you back where you belong. Sorry not to have been rugged enough to be with you from the off today. In my defence, our weekly poker session via Zoom and BetPoker (other platforms available) contained more than the usual heartbreak, including accidentally folding pocket Kings when about to win a monster hand. Not sure of the segue to the cricket action, although I expect someone can find one.” I’m sure they will, my friend. Nice to have you here.

109th over: Sri Lanka 301-6 (Dickwella 67, Dilruwan 20) Right, it will be seam, via Sam Curran, the man who started the day for England. He has a fly flip for Dickwella, a leg gully and a conventional gully – unorthodox. The short ball on the hip won’t be troubling the set left-hander though, pulling an easy single. Dilruwan’s turn, getting in behind the left-armer’s wide of the crease attack.

108th over: Sri Lanka 300-6 (Dickwella 66, Dilruwan 20) Well, there’s the 300 for Sri Lanka, brought up with a Dickwella single to long-on, where there’s a sweeper. This is drifting for England with the spinners in operation. Leach gets one to bite at Dilruwan in this over, beating his edge, but the risk profile for the Sri Lankan batsmen isn’t too high at the with just a slip in close catching. Back to Jimmy?

107th over: Sri Lanka 298-6 (Dickwella 65, Dilruwan 19) The 50 partnership is up from 87 balls, via one to deep point. They needed this – a fine partnership so far. Another single to deep backward square now, Dilruran unable to properly put away a short ball. Dickwella can though! That’s almost a slog-sweep, backing himself against the spin, down on one knee and spanking the off-break through the vacant midwicket region. Great stuff, and not a lot of risk even if he miscues.

106th over: Sri Lanka 292-6 (Dickwella 60, Dilruwan 18) Tidier from Leach, with plenty of protection around what could be called the one-day fielding circle.

105th over: Sri Lanka 289-6 (Dickwella 59, Dilruwan 16) Top edge… doesn’t go to hand. That’s Dickwella’s first meaningful false strike of the day, taking on Bess but it doesn’t carry to Leach at deep backward square. He’s back along the ground with one to extra cover later in the set, Dilruwan doing the rest in defence. The drone camera on the TV coverage has been getting a right work out in this series so far, delivering one beautiful Galle shot after another at the end of each over.

104th over: Sri Lanka 286-6 (Dickwella 56, Dilruwan 16) Dilruwan dances at Leach again, spanking him straight back over his head for four more! And once again, it’s from the first ball of the left-armer’s over. Attractive batting. He keeps his head too, turning the next one safely into the legside. Dickwella does likewise – an easy single to midwicket after stepping out of his crease. It’s difficult to build pressure without men around the bat – the field feels like Sri Lanka are 480/6 not 280/6.

103rd over: Sri Lanka 280-6 (Dickwella 55, Dilruwan 11) Dickwella busts out a powerful sweep for the first time today, thumping Bess in front of square for a boundary. Lovely stuff. A reminder than the 27-year-old has made it to 50 now 16 times in Test cricket but has never reached three figures, with a highest score of 83.

102nd over: Sri Lanka 274-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 10) Leach is into his groove now at Dilruwan around the wicket. Seems a touch defensive to me that he only has a slip but maybe that’s the way my brain is currently hardwired after watching Australila and India go at it for a month with close-in catchers used throughout.

101st over: Sri Lanka 274-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 10) Bess is a fraction short to Dilruwan – able to get back and use the crease to defend more often than not- but his line is good until one turns from middle stump, helped away for one.

100th over: Sri Lanka 273-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 9) Leach into the attack for the first time today and Dilruwan wants a piece of him, dancing and lofting over long-on for a once-bounce four. That’s what they call intent. There’s a couple more on offer with a late cut then a single in the same direction to finish. Sri Lanka have made it through 100 overs and this pair have put on 30 in 49 overs. Good batting.

99th over: Sri Lanka 266-6 (Dickwella 50, Dilruwan 2) First ball after drinks, Dickwella gets to raise his bat with a single down the ground off Dom Bess. He’s looked very tidy this morning, the milestone coming from his 95th delivery in the middle. Dilruwan does the rest in defence before pushing a single to finish.

Abhijato Sensarma is all over it with my request. “When you want a definitive list of cricketing quirks, Mr Collins, there’s no better place to look than in the Bible of cricket itself! A handy guide to the ways in which grounds in the UK have been utilised – from zebra exhibitions to holy preaching.” That was too easy!

98th over: Sri Lanka 264-6 (Dickwella 49, Dilruwan 1) Dickwella is doing a job here, pulling a couple to begin off Wood then playing with control and getting under the two bouncers as they come one after another. They need this to be the day when he cracks on for an important ton. Wood now oversteps, identified by the third umpire, and it is Dickwella taking on the next delivery, getting into position early enough to turn the ball fine for four. He then keeps the strike with a controlled pull shot for one. Drinks it is. England’s hour with the two wickets.

97th over: Sri Lanka 256-6 (Dickwella 42, Dilruwan 1) Bess, wicketless yesterday, gets his chance replacing Jimmy from the Fort End. Dickwella gives the strike straight to Dilruwan, who gets off the mark with a single behind square. Bowling with just one catching man at the left-hander – a slip. How about a short leg?

96th over: Sri Lanka 253-6 (Dickwella 40, Dilruwan 0) Wood is working on Dilruwan both full and short at pace – i.e. precisely what he is on this tour for.

Martin Coxhead is back to explain how you win a bull-riding competition. “Well, to win you seemingly have to stay on top of one and a half tonnes of angry beef on the bone for eight seconds, with both the rider and bull getting points for style and performance, like a meat-heavy Strictly Come Dancing. And one of the current riders is called Ryan Dirteater. Honestly.”

Come to think of it, this used to be part of the offering at Coffs Harbour cricket ground, where England’s women played two Ashes ODIs against Australia in 2017. Not quite Bramall Lane’s dual-purpose, but still impressive. Let’s try this on for size: what is the most bizarre alternative use a Test ground has enjoyed? Hit me.

95th over: Sri Lanka 253-6 (Dickwella 40, Dilruwan 0) Great point from Simon Doull on the telly, noting that Dom Bess’ athletic dive in the first over of the day on the point boundary didn’t only save a run but meant that Anderson got a chance at the start of the day to Mathews, which resulted in him taking his wicket within an over of the resumption at the Fort End. Back to Dickwella, who strokes his third boundary of the morning, a compact cover drive after getting to the pitch. Nice.

94th over: Sri Lanka 249-6 (Dickwella 36, Dilruwan 0) Shot. Dickwella driving again, through cover off Wood this time. But Root won’t mind that, nice and full bringing the stumps into play more often than not early in this spell. He’s hitting the radar up towards 90mph too – no mean feat in this part of the world.

93rd over: Sri Lanka 244-6 (Dickwella 31, Dilruwan 0) A rare run off Anderson, Dickwella tucking a single. He’s straight back on the mark to the new man Dilruwan, who has no choice but to defend then leave close to his off-stump.

What a catch by Buttler! Down the legside, the man on debut gets inside the line and clips Wood but too fine, the England ‘keeper leaping away to his left to to drag in a beauty. He new man bags a duck and England have two wickets in two overs.

92nd over: Sri Lanka 243-6 (Dickwella 30) It ended an otherwise handy over for the hosts, Dickwella on-driving the England quick for four. But they’re in strife now.

91st over: Sri Lanka 238-5 (Dickwella 25, R Mendis 0) Anderson to Ramesh Mendis, facing his first ball in Test cricket, and the 25-year-old gets bat on ball with a confident defensive stroke. He plays cautiously, leaving both full and short, allowing Jimmy to lodge another maiden. His figures are absurd: 21-12-24-4.

90th over: Sri Lanka 238-5 (Dickwella 25, R Mendis 0) Just to back over that dismissal, it was the perfect review for Root in many respects because had it not kissed the inside edge, there was a decent chance of it being given out leg before. The third umpire, it must be said, was a real chance of botching it. At one point, he told Kumar Dharmasena that he could “stay with his decision” despite having worked out that there was an edge on snicko. Anyway, he’s going to be a busy boy later in the Test Match, so let’s hope he improves from these early nerves. Back to Curran, who gives Dickwella the chance to cut a short ball to finish and he does so with ease, carving him behind point for the first boundary of the second morning.

“What a start,” writes Jonathan Kelly. “Was even worth the rum punch I’ve spilled all over my shorts and flip flops when I leaped for joy!” That’s commitment.

Outstanding from Anderson, beating Mathews three times in his first over with the inswinger, the third clipping the inside edge and deflecting off the front pad into the gloves of Buttler behind the wicket. The third umpire is having a dreadful time applying the technology but the correct decision is arrived at after Root reviews. Jimmy gets his fourth and it’s a huge one, Sri Lanka’s best player gone for 110.

89th over: Sri Lanka 232-5 (Dickwella 19)

88th over: Sri Lanka 232-4 (Mathews 110, Dickwella 19) Mathews defends the first few balls of the day; not a lot of venom as the left-armer works into it. The century-maker unfurls his arms to the next offering, a wider ball driven square towards the point rope, dragged back in at the last by Bess – three runs added for the hosts.

“The cricketing world at large surely hasn’t escaped from the clutches of the miracle at the Gabba,” says Abhijato Sensarma, plugging his blog in the process. We’ll allow it. “But a Sri Lanka v England match-up, that too in conditions which support both teams equally, has all the potential for being a blockbuster. The first few days of Test cricket are always a slow burn, with the stage being set for a tight finish or a tepid one. With both sides having admittedly fragile line-ups and the same quality of bowlers, we should theoretically be in for another rollicking day at the cricket!” Well said, young man. Let’s hope so.

The players are on the field. Mathews (107) and Dickwella (19) are ready to roll for the hosts with Slammin’ Sammy Curran to bowl the first over of the day. PLAY!

Jimmy is on TV. “When you have a bit of time off you always wonder if you can get straight back into things and I was really happy with my rhythm from ball one. When you come to Sri Lanka you don’t expect to bowl 19 overs but I was really happy with that. It is tiring being out there in this heat but that’s what we train for. So today is about putting that behind us and trying to get some breakthroughs in the morning. We kept ourselves in the game by keeping the run rate down so if we get a couple of early breakthroughs we’re definitely in the game.”

Russell Arnold is looking at the pitch on the coverage. He says identified a fair bit of rough but believes it is “very, very good” where the ball will mainly be pitching.

“Morning Adam.” Hello, Martin Coxhead. “First time I’ve been called a rugged individualist before. Currently watching Pro Bull Riding on the box before the cricket. Interestingly for such a ‘all-American’ sport the current champions all seem to be Brazilian.” Blimey, a fair contrast there! How do you… win?

John Parkinson is here with an important email. “I would like to apologise to all four of the other expats who may have been eagerly anticipating a full days uninterrupted TMS coverage apropos of the link sent yesterday. Nevertheless I do hope that the entire 30 minutes (or 7 overs in real money) of coverage that it did provide more than made up for any subsequent feelings of rage, anger and existential angst. It is in that spirit that I am pleased to provide today’s link with no guarantee that it will stretch beyond the first five overs.”

Well played, John. In Australia, the rights to this series are held by a sports betting agency. You couldn’t make it up. Welcome to the future – it’s a grim place.

Dialing in from Timor-Leste, it’s Robert Hammond. “Like you, it’s not such a struggle to be following England today from the first ball. It’s 1pm here, and I’m having to quarantine after moving for work, but following the cricket from my balcony with a beach-view makes up for it! It’s the rainy season, so even more humid (80%) than Galle, but I’d bet that Jimmy would still get top order wickets here.” A country I deeply regret not having visited as yet. Best of luck up there.

Now over to Sweden:

“Greetings Adam from a mildly nippy Stockholm suburb where the combination of a rattling headache and a cranky toddler have usurped my alarm clock,” writes Matthew Collins. “The sprog is back snoozing, the kettle is on and I’m looking forward to some more attritional cricket today. Jimmy’s eternal grace is as enticing as ever, each gliding delivery etched with a hint of melancholy for me, surely he can’t go on much longer and when he’s gone the game will be lesser for it. Mind you I’ve been thinking this for 5 years or so now. Is he man or android?!”

I’m certain he’s going to be in Australia in November. I’m also convinced he will be playing into his 40s if his body allows it. He’s craving more. Good on him!

And a theme is emerging here with the baby wake-ups…

“Our baby Dylan (not a nod to the great Bob Willis) has been having a bad night of sleep so I have selflessly stepped up to the plate and plonked us in front of the TV waiting for the day’s play to start,” reports Darrien Bold. “England unbeaten in 3 tests since he was born, but I would say that record is under threat here.”

Congratulations! What a streak. My baby girl (11.5 months) is having her afternoon nap in the room next to me. So, predicably, she’ll he kicking off the very moment the first ball is bowled and I need to sharpen my concentration.

Jonathan Kelly is with us. “I’m currently trapped in quarantine in Barbados (yes there are many worse places to be trapped). But I can’t leave my hotel room at all, my balcony is too hot to enjoy being outside so staying up late with the cricket with the sounds of the ocean is a glorious way to spend my time. As I’m travelling on my own and there’s no local coverage I’ll be following your coverage with eager anticipation.”

Great to have you here. Having logged 15 nights in Perth’s Hotel Quarantine back in December, I know the drill well. The key to it all: a rigid routine. If you can plug into a Test Match for five days, then you’re laughing. Good luck with it.

Philip Vial has bypassed tea, “expresso machine has done its job” instead – he’s considering a bacon sarnie. “I wasn’t going to get up, but I had to get up for a wee, and the dogs nabbed my side of the bed as soon as I did.” That’s the OBO spirit!

“It’s getting on for five in the afternoon here in Auckland,” writes Steve Perrin to get my inbox off the mark, “so I’m cracking a beer rather than putting the kettle on. Looking forward to the commentary. Go Jimmy.”

Delicious. In Melbourne, where I am at the moment, there isn’t a cloud in the sky as I look out over Collingwood with the door of the Birmingham Hotel no more than 50 metres away. Perfect afternoon pub weather. I considered taking the OBO to the front bar but that might be stretching the friendship with those locked down in the United Kingdom – where we return to in a couple of weeks, for the record.

Speaking of…

To catch up on yesterday, he’s Andy Bull on Jimmy’s performance so far – his fifth tour of Sri Lanka and 19th year in Test cricket. What a remarkable cricketer.