Daijiworld Media Network
Galle, Mar 29 : Hello, and welcome to what may be probably the final day of the 1st Test between Sri Lanka and England at Galle. The equation is pretty simple for both sides. Sri Lanka need 8 wickets while England need another 229 runs to go 1-0 up. England's off-spinner Graeme Swann has proclaimed that England are the favourites at the moment. The Lankans would love to prove him wrong.
The players are out in the middle and we are set for an exciting day ahead
Pitch Report: The surface is still pretty solid. There are some patches where the surface is crumbling, but the grass has held the pitch together. Batting will be tough, but not impossible.
The match is on a knife's edge at the moment, with both teams fighting it out. Needing 340 for a record chase in the 4th innings, England started off badly losing both their openers for a low score, but Trott and KP have batted superbly and have handled the spin better than the way they played in the first innings. Still an uphill task for them, as batting on a fourth day pitch at Galle is difficult. Sri Lanka will be happy with their effort and the innings by P Jayawardene in the 2nd innings could prove to be decisive in the end. Join us tomorrow for what promises to be an exciting day and also may be the last day of this Test match.
Wicket Highlights - Day 4
96.3 318/10 Anderson to Mahela Jayawardene, out Caught by Prior!! 5-wicket haul for Anderson, 1st by an English pace bowler in Sri Lanka. This was an absolute beauty, pitched outside off and seamed away a fraction. MJ was sucked into the forward push, gets an outside edge that is well held by Prior. That ends an absolute fab innings from Mahela Jayawardene. Mahela Jayawardene c Prior b Anderson 180(315) [4s-22 6s-3]
93 307/9 Anderson to Welegedara, out Bowled!! The bouncers softened him up and the slower delivery has him castled. Brilliant change of pace from Anderson, the slower off-cutter which nipped back in after pitching around off, Welegedara was prodding forward, the ball sneaks through the big gap between bat and pad and strikes the timber. Welegedara falls after a handy cameo, he gave excellent support to his skipper. Welegedara b Anderson 19(26) [4s-4]
66 191/7 Anderson to Mahela Jayawardene, out Randiv Run Out!! Unnecessary dismissal for Sri Lanka. This was a good length delivery outside off, Mahela Jayawardene dabbed it towards point. Randiv wanted a single and had to hurry back as MJ failed to respond. Strauss picks the ball cleanly and makes a direct hit at the bowler's end with a diving Randiv short of his crease. Sri Lanka continue to lose wickets at the wrong time and another budding partnership is broken. Randiv run out (Strauss) 12(15) [4s-1]
50 128/5 Samit Patel to Chandimal, out Caught by Ian Bell!! Maiden wicket for Samit Patel, but a terrible shot from Chandimal, slowed it down a bit and this one was turning away a bit, Chandimal looks to go for a slog sweep, but was bit early into the shot and the ball balloons off the toe-end of the bat towards cover point, where Bell takes a dolly, absolute brain fade from Chandimal as he was looking well set for a good innings. Chandimal c Ian Bell b Samit Patel 27(48) [4s-2 6s-2]
32.4 67/4 Anderson to Mahela Jayawardene, out Samaraweera Run Out!! Dreadful way to get out, fullish delivery on middle, Mahela Jayawardene drives it straight down the track, Anderson gets some part of his hand to it, it ricochets off his hands and hits the stumps at the other end and Samara was caught short of the crease as he was backing away too far, so England get an early breakthrough after the lunch break. Samaraweera run out (Anderson) 20(82) [4s-3]
3.5 15/3 Broad to Dilshan, out Caught by Strauss!! Broad joins the party. This was a good length delivery nipping away from outside off, Dilshan stayed rooted in his crease, pushes forward hopefully and gets a thick outside edge that goes to Strauss at 1st slip at a comfortable height. This has been a good toss to lose for England, Sri Lanka are a shambles at the moment. Dilshan c Strauss b Broad 11(8) [4s-2]
2.3 11/2 Anderson to Sangakkara, out Caught by Prior!! Sangakkara goes first ball, what a blow for Anderson. Poor shot from Sangakkara, it was nothing more than a lazy waft at one outside off. This was a good length delivery outside off and shaping away, Sangakkara went feeling for it, gets the thickish outside edge that settles into Prior's gloves. Horror start from Sri Lanka. Sangakkara c Prior b Anderson 0(1)
2.2 11/1 Anderson to Thirimanne, out Caught by Swann!! Anderson strikes early. This was full and shaping away from outside off, Thirimanne was sucked into the push away from his body, he gets a thick edge that flew to the right of Swann at 2nd slip. Swann does not drop those, he snaffles it cleanly and England have the early breakthrough. Thirimanne did not need to play at those, the inexperience at Test level did him in. Thirimanne c Swann b Anderson 3(12)