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

Sri Lanka find their mettle to stave off defeat for the time being. Here’s what we learned on the tourists best batting day so far…

MAN OF THE DAY: ANGELO MATHEWS 80

So much of this knock by the Sri Lanka captain – one in which he spent 105 balls at the crease – was finally a chance for Mathews get out some pent up frustration. Since arriving on these shores, he hasn’t quite been his usual charming self. He had avoided the press as much as possible to concentrate on his own game yet was unable to do so with the number of injuries and selection issues that needed to be sorted. For example, he decided to to sit out the final warm-up match against Leicestershire to give others a chance. Once the Tests got going, he struggled with the bat and has looked lost in the field. But this time, having survived an early examination from James Anderson and Steven Finn, he had begun to look like the Mathews of old. This game may be beyond even a man of his powers, but England have been a touch lucky that it has taken Mathews three knocks to find his feet once more.

SILVA LINING

Sorry for the pun. But there is something to this. Kaushal Silva was one of a number of players in the touring squad who existed in that gap between first class and Test cricket. He is undoubtedly a solid opener and, while he doesn’t score quickly, has the capacity to acculumate. Time at the crease generally equals runs for him. For the first time this series, both he and Dimuth Karunaratne made it past 10 and, while their partnership only extended to 38, Silva went on to become the first batsman to pass 100 balls this series, notching a fifty for himself in the process.

MOEEN’S WORLDIE

As an off-spinner, it doesn’t get any better than this. The one through the gate might show you’re doing a lot right, but Moeen Ali’s ball to remove Lahiru Thirimanne is the Holywod delivery: dipping in, bringing them forward and then turning past the outside edge to hit off stump. Watch it in all its glory. And then watch it again. And again.

DURHAM’S RELIEF

Thinking Sri Lanka wouldn’t make it to a fourth day, Durham offered day four ticket holders the chance to swap their tickets for day three’s play. It’s uncertain how many decided upon this but, with Sri Lanka putting up a fight and the match spilling over into the Bank Holiday, the cash-strapped county will be grateful for the extra game-time and some more through the gates on Monday.

THEY COULDN’T

Could they? England are just 88 ahead, Dinesh Chandimal and Milinda Siriwadana are looking at ease with conditions and the pitch is flattening out. Gone are the days of doom and gloom English cricket thinking. But, for a moment, is this on the cards?