England’s bowlers made a positive start on day one of the second Test match at Leeds yesterday, removing openers Kaushal Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne cheaply as the visitors progressed to 74 for two wickets at lunch.
The hosts’ four-man pace attack of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Jordan and Liam Plunkett bowled with speed, swing and hostility, and were unlucksy not to claim more than two victims.
Experienced players Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are to resume after the lunch interval for the visitors.
Photo: AFP
SURPRISE DECISION
Overcast conditions normally help the pacemen, but the Headingley pitch is renowned as a good batting surface, so England captain Alastair Cook’s decision to bowl after winning the toss surprised many.
With sunshine forecast later in the day, yesterday’s best bowling conditions were expected to be in the morning session and Anderson immediately set about building pressure on Silva and Karunaratne with his teasing out-swingers.
Broad, opening the bowling with Anderson, had the first big shout when he cannoned the ball into Silva’s pads, but his fervent appeal was turned down.
England opted not to review the decision, but television replays suggested that the ball would have crashed into the leg stump.
NEVER COMFORTABLE
Silva never looked comfortable against Anderson’s swing and was the first man to go with a faint edge that was gleefully snaffled by wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
Sangakkara, the centurion in the first test, was the next man in and was almost run out for a duck, but Prior could not gather Broad’s throw with the left-hander out of his crease.
Plunkett, one of three Yorkshire men in the England team playing on their home ground, was introduced into the attack and made an instant impact, bowling Karunaratne for 28 with just his second ball.
Jordan coaxed Jayawardene into a loose shot, but his edge bounced short of Cook at first slip, before he was dropped by Ian Bell at leg slip.
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