Advertisement

England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test Day Four: Five Things We Learned

Despiter stern resistance from Sri Lanka, England wrapped up the second Test by nine wickets. Here’s what we learned from Chester-le-Street

England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test Day Four: Five Things We Learned

MAN OF THE DAY - ALASTAIR COOK

A tuck into the leg side, under the despairing dive of midwicket. Alastair Cook had turned for the third run by the time the ball had bumped into the boundary sponge and his Test career runs ticked into five figures. As England’s all-time leading run scorer, he is naturally the first Englishman to 10,000. But, in joining a select group of players that includes Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawarden, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kumar Sangakkara, he does so as the youngest. The sideshow is out of the way, for us and him, is out of the way. But what an achievement.

DINESH AND DASH

Rarely has a 26-year-old been through as much as Dinesh Chandimal. He was given the T20 captaincy too early and couldn’t deal with the pressure and outside interference. They tried to chance his stance and technique and fashion him into a quintessential Test batsman. But having got back to what he does best, Chandimal has made the number four spot his own after high profile departures. Showing the sort of battling ability that enabled him to come out of a tough 2013 and 2014 with his reputation and game in tact, he fought for parity with a sixth Test century, from 172 balls. He was dropped down to number six in a late reshuffle to try and prolong the batting order and give him the chance to rest a sore thumb. In push Chandimal so much, Sri Lanka have come to realise they have a battle-hardened gem of a player who they should start taking care of.

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE

As impressive as Sri Lanka were today and yesterday, their improvement merely highlighted the fact that with had adequate preparation for this series, they might have given England a run for their money. There was no real excuse for scheduling just six days of match time in the run-up to this series: not one member of the Test squad was at the IPL and the domestic season had already come to a close. Still, the fight shown and level of application is a plus for Sri Lanka fans and Test cricket fans in general.

451

With history in the air, James Anderson didn’t want to miss out. He brought up his 450th wicket – the sixth bowler to do so – when he trapped Rangana Herath in front and 451 followed when he squared up Shaminda Eranga and knocked out his off stump. Even on a track that had gone to sleep and with little to work with through the air, Anderson used his skill to squeeze that last drip out of conditions. Even when Chandimal and Herath flogged the English attack, Anderson was composed – his 27 overs going for just 58 runs. He finished with eight for 94 in the match and was awarded the man of the match award. Oddly, it was his first since July 2014 versus India.

FINAL CHANCES

Two fours thwacked to the midwicket boundary saw England home. Cook, 47 not out at the nonstrikers end, was quick to congratulate Nick Compton, unfussed about missing out on what would have been Test half-century number 48. Valuable time in the middle for Compton who will go to Lord’s, his home ground, knowing he has at least one more chance to seal a spot for the Pakistan tour. His Middlesex teammate Steven Finn will also be looking over his shoulder as they stepped into familiar surroundings. He has struggled for rhythm and, while he improved during his spells in this match, is down on pace. At the end of the game, Trevor Bayliss was effusive on the merits of James Vince and Jake Ball, two players who he would like to see given a run in the side (the former could well bat at three, where he does for Hampshire, freeing up a space in the middle order). The Test series might be sorted but there is still a lot to play for in the third Test.