Sri Lanka v England: Rain spoils the party as Lord’s Test ends in a Draw – Third Test to be played at http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rose-c86842 Bowl
After a nail-biting first Test at Cardiff, the Lord’s Test ended on a dull note as rain spoiled the party, finishing the game without any result.
The Sri Lankan side suffered a humiliating innings and 14-run defeat in the first Test and stepped into the second game with a determination to level the series.
The newly-appointed Sri Lankan skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tillakaratne-Mudiyanselage-Dilshan-c93947, won the toss and decided to field first. The decision turned out into an incorrect move when the home side posted a mighty total of 486 in the first innings.
While http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Matthew-James-Prior-c75192 smashed an outstanding knock of 126 and dashed Sri Lanka’s dream of restricting England to an under-par score.
In the Lankan bowling department, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ranasinghe-Arachchige-Suranga-Lakmal-c83928, bowled reasonably well, claiming four and three wickets respectively.
The tourists responded in style with the bat and piled up a decent score, thanks to Dilshan’s brilliant innings of 193.
Although, the two openers, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lions-c808 with a fantastic start by exhibiting a thrilling 207-runs partnership for the first wicket, the middle-order failed to carry the momentum forward.
England’s side bowled the Lankans out for 479, getting a mini lead of seven runs. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Clayton-Anderson-c65552 in the playing XI, emerged as the pick of the English bowlers with impressive figures of 4/108 in 33 overs.
The rain kept on falling at regular intervals and the ground-staff were kept on their toes. After a tough struggle against inhospitable weather at Lords, England started their second innings with an aim to set a safe total for the visitors.
However, the visitors made a stunning start with the new ball and sent http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 back to pavilion in the very first over of the innings.
Cook and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ian-Ronald-Bell-c63974 and Trott scored their half-centuries, Cook smashed his 18th Test hundred and led his side
to an imposing score.
The Poms declared their innings at 335/7 and asked the islanders to save the game.
A broken-thumb injury did not allow http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758’s first-innings hero, Dilshan, to come out to bat in the second innings. It was an impossible task for the islanders to achieve 336 in less than 60 overs.
On the other hand, English side also failed to produce match-winning intensity in the field. After trying all his options and failing to pick up quick wickets, Strauss finally decided not to waste any further energy.
Both captains decided to finish the affair when Sri Lanka’s total was 127 for 3 after 43 overs.
After five hectic days, the Lord’s Test eventually petered out into a draw. The tourists are now in a do-or-die situation as they have to win the next Test, scheduled to be played at the Rose Bowl from June 16 to June 20, 2011.
On the contrary, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013’s side will play either for a win or a draw, since they will win the series in both cases.
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