http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 – 2nd Test – Match Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TT-Samaraweera-c2712 steadied with a 52-run stand as the hosts ended the first session on Day 1 of the second Test at 82 for 3, being played at
the P Sara Oval, Colombo, April 3, 2012.
It remained a crucial game for England, whose fate as the no.1 ranked team looked shady following an abysmal time on their tour of the sub-continent. After losing the first Test match, their batters remained under the spot light but it was Jayawardene,
who won his second consecutive toss and opted to bat first in a bid to give his spinner’s ample chance of exploiting the dry nature of the track.
However, the Lankans were again caught off guard with Anderson doing the damage early on. After the opening pair of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691 had added a quick 21, the pacer struck to remove Dilshan in an eventful fifth over.
After being hit for two boundaries, Anderson made some alteration in his line – pitching the ball slightly back of a length, which resulted in Dilshan getting an outside edge that was pounced on by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Prior-c1984, low to his right.
Kumar Sangakkara’s poor run continued after he was again dismissed on the first ball he faced from the 29-year-old seamer, who produced another jaffer which caught the outside edge of the left-hander’s bat and flew to the first slip where http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964
caught the ball at the second attempt.
Jayawardene entered the frame and negotiated the hat-trick ball but it was Anderson who struck for the third time as he dismissed Thirimanne, after the left-hander misread an in-swinger and was caught padding in front of the stumps.
It left the hosts reeling at 30 for 3 but the skipper and Samaraweera then managed to steady the ship, adding a patient 52 – weathering out the threat of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 and the remaining Poms bowlers.
Earlier, both sides had made changes to their lineup with hosts welcoming back all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/UWMBCA-Welegedara-c2735.
The tourists also opted to axe http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SCJ-Broad-c2465.
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