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[justforkix]

SL win the toss first and bat 1st on a dry pitch !!

SL going in with 3+Murali. Eng give debut to Bopara.

Sidebottom gets Sanath early - great catch by Pietersen.

27/1

[justforkix]

Doggy gets Vandort !!! - 29/2 - in trouble 

He gets Jayawardane also : 40/3 !!!!!!!!

Two more for Hoggard - 42/5 !!!!!!!!!!!

Hoggard gets a 4-fer - SL in deep trouble - great bowling display

[pieterSAN]

Hoggard's bowling a dream spell here. Line and length with a little bit of away swing to get the right handers Jaya and Chamara - absolute beauties.

[justforkix]

Yes, and Sangakara playing on a differnt pitch/conditions 

[keep-it-cool]

England gets a very crucial 89 run lead ... this is one exciting match. If the Lankans can get to upto 175-200 ahead, it will be game on with Murali in ripping form.

[keep-it-cool]

Haha.. Jayasuriya takes Anderson to the cleaners .. 6 4s in one over.

[dhruvdeepak]

Haha.. Jayasuriya takes Anderson to the cleaners .. 6 4s in one over.

he is going to make his last inning in Tests a memorable one!!

[keep-it-cool]

Haha.. Jayasuriya takes Anderson to the cleaners .. 6 4s in one over.

he is going to make his last inning in Tests a memorable one!!

are they playing only one test??

[dhruvdeepak]

Haha.. Jayasuriya takes Anderson to the cleaners .. 6 4s in one over.

he is going to make his last inning in Tests a memorable one!!

are they playing only one test??

no but he is retiring after this match

[keep-it-cool]

Haha.. Jayasuriya takes Anderson to the cleaners .. 6 4s in one over.

he is going to make his last inning in Tests a memorable one!!

are they playing only one test??

no but he is retiring after this match

What??? Why in between a series??

[justforkix]

Haha.. Jayasuriya takes Anderson to the cleaners .. 6 4s in one over.

he is going to make his last inning in Tests a memorable one!!

are they playing only one test??

no but he is retiring after this match

What??? Why in between a series??

SL Selectors apparently told him after the Aussie tour that they are going to drop him now and are willing to give him one last test as his farewell test.

[keep-it-cool]

What duffers!!! Why not a last series?? Why just one test??

[pipsqueak]

60.5 Sidebottom to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, a pearl, angled across Jayawardene who fends at the ball which narrowly skims past his outside edge 


how does a pearl compare and contrast with a peach? anyone?

[broadbat]

60.5 Sidebottom to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, a pearl, angled across Jayawardene who fends at the ball which narrowly skims past his outside edge 


how does a pearl compare and contrast with a peach? anyone?

A peach would have taken the edge.......I suppose.

[keep-it-cool]

SL slowly taking this game away from England .. David Lloyd was mentioning at the start this morning that the Lankans think any lead over 200 should give them a comfortable win on this surface.

Sanga is in the form of his life .. too bad he didnt play the first test against Aus

[keep-it-cool]

KC Sangakkara (lhb) 135 235 19 0 57.44

Still going strong ... damn .. amc07 has him as trump!!!!!

[keep-it-cool]

Andrew Miller: "Since surrendering the gloves last summer, Sangakkara has racked up 1529 runs in 14 innings, at the staggering average of 152.90. He's made seven centuries in that time, including a career-best 287, and of those times he's reached three figures, he hasn't been dismissed for less than 152."

WHAT A RUN!!!

 

[keep-it-cool]

Jayawardhane declares .. sets England 350 to win in 110 overs ... sporting declaration!!

Of course, he has Murali .. that makes a difference!

[dhruvdeepak]

60.5 Sidebottom to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, a pearl, angled across Jayawardene who fends at the ball which narrowly skims past his outside edge 


how does a pearl compare and contrast with a peach? anyone?

peaches grow on trees. pearls are more difficult to come by

[justforkix]

Jayawardhane declares .. sets England 350 to win in 110 overs ... sporting declaration!!

Of course, he has Murali .. that makes a difference!

That is showing an intention to win and not worrying about losing etc. - A captain with brains and common sense unlike his Indian counterpart(s) 

Well, Kumble too has 578 wkts and is the 3rd highest wicket taker in the world in tests !!! - Brainless batting by us in both innings and poor captaincy by Kumble cost us a win in Calcutta.

[keep-it-cool]

Getting back to some action on the field (after all the diversions provided by fantasy leagues and quotable quotes and monkey men) ... what odds that England will escape with a draw or get a win?

I think Murali can win this for SL .. however, if England can get through the first session without losing any wicket other than Anderson, we may have an exciting finish on our hands.

[justforkix]

The 2 key men IMO are Bell and Colly.

KP and Doggy will bat only if required. KP will bat at no. 7 or lower.

But with virtually 1 batsman short and if you include Bopara and Prior, 3 batsmen short, I don't see much hope for Eng other than a miracle. Again, Bell and Colly stand between SL and a win.

[keep-it-cool]

Dont count Vaughan out.

What is wrong with Doggy? (who is doggy btw?)

[keep-it-cool]

Vaughan goes .. to Vaas! England - 22/2

[keep-it-cool]

I hope the pacers allow enough for Murali to mop up!!

And, as I type that, Vaas gets Anderson.

[keep-it-cool]

Now, what is this rule supposed to mean??

Just to confirm for all of you asking, Kevin Pietersen can bat in his normal position (or No.5 today because of the nightwatchman) because he suffered an external blow to his finger. If he'd suffered an internal injury (eg a muscle strain) he'd have had to wait until No. 7 or the amount of time he was off the field. Hope that clears it up.

[keep-it-cool]

And, a lot of action in the stands as well ...

"Some evacuation of the stand at the far end as the corrugated-iron roofing starts to separate itself from the girders holding it in place."

[justforkix]

Dont count Vaughan out.

What is wrong with Doggy? (who is doggy btw?)

Oh, Hoggard - In the Mumbai test last year, fans were chanting Hoggy is a Doggy 

Hoggard has back spasms and extremely doubtful for 2nd test. KP is also doubtful for 2nd test with fracture as is Harami with back injury!!!

Vaas gets 3 now !!! - YESSSS - but that pretty much means Sanga gets MoM unless Murali gets a 4-fer or more.

[justforkix]

Now, what is this rule supposed to mean??

Just to confirm for all of you asking, Kevin Pietersen can bat in his normal position (or No.5 today because of the nightwatchman) because he suffered an external blow to his finger. If he'd suffered an internal injury (eg a muscle strain) he'd have had to wait until No. 7 or the amount of time he was off the field. Hope that clears it up.

Hmmm. Till today, I thought it was injury suffered on the field vs. off the field !!

Anyways KP gone bowled Fernando !!

[justforkix]

17.2 Fernando to Pietersen, OUT, the biggie but nothing Pietersen could have done ... nothing Bradman could have done ... the ball barely gets nine inches off the ground and clunks into his off stump as he is left groping in a desperate attempt to get his bat down 
KP Pietersen b Fernando 18 (33b 4x4 0x6) SR: 54.54 

Imagine VVS/SRT in KP's place and their expression after this dismissal 

[keep-it-cool]

Damn .. 4 wickets down and none for Murali so far

[justforkix]

As I already predicted, Bell and Colly stand between SL and victory. And both are going for their shots, even against Murali - Test cricket at its best !!

Colly gone.... All Over for England.

[broadbat]

SL showing how to do it on a 5th day track!

[keep-it-cool]

As I already predicted, Bell and Colly stand between SL and victory. And both are going for their shots, even against Murali - Test cricket at its best !!

Colly gone.... All Over for England.

And, there goes my lead in the league ... nothing can stop Sanga from getting the MoM now!!!

[justforkix]

Bopara played very positively, but is GONE now lbw Sanath !!!!

[LosingNow]

MM 0 for 49 after 18 overs!!!

[keep-it-cool]

Cricinfo: Spots of rain have been found on the TV cameras, and I did see a couple of umbrellas in the crowd too

England may yet hold out!!!!

[justforkix]

Eng may hold on even without rain - brilliant batting by Bell with great support from Bopara and Prior !!

[keep-it-cool]

Without rain, there are still around 40 overs to go .. a really big ask, especially given that the tail is unlikely to be able to read Murali .. you can keep the master out for a while but not for ever!!

Remember the first innings ... the collapse, when it came, was rapid - twice in fact during that innings.

[justforkix]

But Doggy and Roundbottom are some of the better tailenders - decent bats. But yes, Murali on a 5th day is a toughie.