Anderson rips through Sri Lanka to seal big England win
England fast bowler James Anderson took five wickets to inspire the hosts to a crushing victory over Sri Lanka by an innings and 88 runs in the first test in Leeds on Saturday.
Anderson claimed 10 victims in the match as Sri Lanka crumbled to 119 all out in their second innings on the third day after being asked to follow-on at Headingley.
“Sometimes you take it for granted, but watching Stuart (Broad) and Jimmy go about their business was a pleasure to captain,” England skipper Alastair Cook told reporters.
Anderson had Dimuth Karunaratne (seven) and Kaushal Silva (14) caught by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow in another probing spell in the morning before rain forced the players off for an early lunch with Sri Lanka on 77 for two.
Spinner Moeen Ali forced Dinesh Chandimal, on eight, to chop the ball on to his stumps before Kusal Mendis, dropped twice, became the first Sri Lankan batsman to pass fifty in the match.
Broad forced Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews to nick another catch through to Bairstow and Mendis, on 53, was bowled by Anderson off the inside edge.
Dasun Shanaka’s unhappy stay at the crease ended when he edged Anderson to Bairstow, the ninth catch of the match for the flame-haired keeper who scored a brilliant 140 in England’s innings to lead them to a total of 298 after an early collapse.
“Jonny Bairstow was batting on a different wicket to the other 21 players in this match,” Cook said.
“The first time I saw him I thought he would play for England and he’ll go from strength to strength.”
Rangana Herath chipped Steven Finn to Broad at short extra cover and the touring side limped to tea on 116 for seven.
England wrapped up the last three wickets in 10 minutes.
Dushmantha Chameera was caught by Nick Compton at short leg off Finn for a duck, Lahiru Thiramanne edged Finn to Joe Root at second slip for 16 and Anderson bowled Nuwan Pradeep to complete figures of 5-29.
The 33-year-old right-armer, who overtook India’s Kapil Dev during the first innings to become the sixth-highest wicket-taker in tests, claimed 10 victims in a five-day match for the third time in his career.
(Reuters)
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Think of the last tour even when Mahela and Sanga was in the team, the match SL got slaughtered. Cricket is a summer game. If the ECB does not give a slot to SL at least every other tour they come to play in the UK, do not bother going there. It is not the cricketing weather in April-May. Tell openly, that cricket is a summer game and you want to play it in suitable weather. Or, set up a practice ground in Nuwara Eliya or in the coldest place in SL, go and practice there wearing cotton shirts for 2-3 months and then go to play in England and Wales without spending days in Colombo. If the SLCB does not have the money to set up such ground, t up a fund and a public appeal, every Srilanka will donate even a rupee and there will be enough fund in no time. Don’t send the national cricket time to be the national disgrace! We all know it is no longer the ‘Gentlemen’s Game’ except when the phrase suit to one’s purpose!
I wouldn’t blame the weather. All our boys are bristling with muscles which should enable them to function in any weather.
However, look at the positive side. The 1st innings score was 91 (2.48 runs per over) and the 2nd innings score was 119 (3.35 runs per over).
The run per over rate increased by 35% in just one day. That’s stellar performance.
I am confident Matthews and his boys are destined to perform well in the remainder of the series.
Please boring Sri Lankan cricket team stay at home and play “GUDU” instead of wasting time and money.
If one score 10 in the first innings and 20 in the second innings it is a 50% increase, but nowhere good enough even to draw a test match as a team.
The run rate is a performance indicator; the score is not a performance indicator.
If the team scores 10 runs in 10 overs in the first innings (and lost all wickets) the run rate is 1 run per over.
If the team scores 20 runs in 4 overs in the second innings (and lost all wickets) the run rate is 5 runs per over.
The run rate is an indicator of the team’s potential; the team demonstrates potential to generate 5 runs per over in the 2nd innings despite losing all wickets. This is an encouraging statistic.
In conclusion, the SL Cricket team has the POTENTIAL to generate competitive scores; the team has to develop a CAPACITY to stay at the wicket to build on the POTENTIAL to generate runs.
The majority of current SL Cricket Team members have never ever played in England. I am sure they will become acclimatised and become familiar with the strategies of the English cricket team by the time of the 2nd test.
The first test was largely, a practice match.
So guys and gals, please don’t criticise Matthews and his boys; encourage them with all your might.
I agree with Indira and Athula. Firstly it is a good point that Sri Lanka seems to always play in England when it is cold. It is certainly not easy to go from Sri Lanka where is was sweltering in the last few months and get accustomed to cold weather.
It is a shame tat we seem to abandon our team when they loose. Give them time there are quite a few young players in the team who may turn out to be champions or may not. How ever this is sport. Teams go through these phases and we have to back our team win or loose. It is very much easier to sit at home and comment.
Remember the old saying ” Is not whether you win or loose it is how you play the game” or something like that.
The commentary on this blog is fantastic.
Angelo M, the Captain, being a tamil speaking citizen, is bound to, as always, put his heart and soul into his tasks on behalf of his motherland, Sri Lanka.
What Angelo needs most in these trying times, is our encouragement and support.
Angelo has this support from the traditional homelands of tamil speaking citizens, the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
Well done Angelo, we are proud of you and may you attain higher heights in the forthcoming tests.