First Test: Sri Lanka v England in Galle, 6/11/18.

[meninblue]

Stumps Day 2. England leading by 177 runs with 10 wickets intact. Can they mess this significant position.

Two full days of play. Where is the rain that was being talked about .

[bigfluffylemon]

England's day, to an extent we haven't seen overseas for years.

It's not over, but even 150 in the second innings should be competitive. Rain might still intervene though.

[backfootpunch]

Absolute ripper from Rashid to get rid of chandimal

[Arthur Crabtree]

I suppose about a 350 lead would remove any anxiety from the final equation?

[backfootpunch]

Big time for Jonny bairstows test career

Foakes is a much better keeper and scoring a hundred on debut has surely secured his place for a fair few games

So if fit bairstow will be playing just as a batsmen, previously he has done better knowing he's not just in the team for his batting, that pressure will be fully focused on his batting again now

Hopefully he has been working hard on the serious defensive flaws he was starting to show in the summer

[Durhamfootman]

Jennings scored a 100 on debut, but then struggled. Once teams get a chance to properly scrutinise a new batsman, it can be hard to keep the scoring going

[sussexpob]

Two full days of play. Where is the rain that was being talked about .

So far, it seems its come after play in the evening and in the morning before. The groundstaff have been credited in the press with doing a fantastic job to clear the water from that overnight rain, especially on Day 1, when many journos stated they didnt even think they would bother to turn up for the toss, because there had been so much rain and standing water around, it seemed impossible the game would take place.

I wonder if their efforts may slow down a little with the game in the visitors hands now!!

[Arthur Crabtree]

Last player to score a ton on his first innings in Tests was Prithvi Shaw, all of a month ago.

Last for England was Keaton Jennings, all of two years ago. Before that it was Matt Prior, in 2007.

[meninblue]

Two full days of play. Where is the rain that was being talked about .

So far, it seems its come after play in the evening and in the morning before. The groundstaff have been credited in the press with doing a fantastic job to clear the water from that overnight rain, especially on Day 1, when many journos stated they didnt even think they would bother to turn up for the toss, because there had been so much rain and standing water around, it seemed impossible the game would take place.

I wonder if their efforts may slow down a little with the game in the visitors hands now!!

Good to know that drainage systems have vastly improved in SL as well.

Wish it was also good to see batting quality in test being improved as well. That is going downhill. Batsmen are not even scoring par runs on true batting friendly wickets. Effect of T20 as well as lack of quality batsmen it seems.
No reason why batsmen should have struggled yesterday and today to score runs.

[meninblue]

Wicket keeping of Ben Foakes was up to the mark. First your of Asia so probably he has kept so many overs of spin for first time in his career. Not a single dropped chance. The stumping was executed successfully as well as a catch standing up was taken below knee level.
He looks to be a very well equipped keeper for such surfaces. Will be interesting to see if he can perform to same level when the ball turns like it is expected on Asian day 4 and day 5 wicket. Second innings will be important. So far very good. Obviously he should be given some leeway if he let's byes or misses odd chance when ball starts to shoot or turn sharply off the rough sometime during this series. Even the Asian keepers have not been immaculate when the wickets have deteriorated here. For his better experience he would probably like to have this challenge in this test itself.

Sam Curran too had a dream debut in England. He too will be keen to prove he can contribute in unfamiliar conditions. He did give a handy contribution with the bat.
Even Jack Leach contributed well enough this innings. The debutants have done good without experience of Asia behind them. Three England newbies have stood up.

SL have been flop after thrashing South Africa. How soon the performance has reduced for them.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Happy Diwali by the way, Adi.

[meninblue]

Happy Diwali by the way, Adi.

Thank you, Arthur.

[The Professor]

Comfortable is not a word I have used to describe England abroad in many a long moon

[Durhamfootman]

I hadn't realised that Foakes had the gloves. I thought England had announced that JB2 would have them if JB1 didn't start

England keeping Foakes up their sleevies before the match, or just making it up as they go along?

[Durhamfootman]

Happy Diwali to all our Hindu posters