Sri Lanka Cricket Team Continues To Struggle Amidst Gloom

It was another rain-filled day at the Rose Bowl, but England did enough to push the hapless Sri Lankan batsmen to the back-foot. England picked up five wickets in little more than 23 overs that were possible on the second day of the third and the final Test match as Sri Lanka slumped to 177 for nine at close of the play.

Chris Tremlett was the star of the show as he got steepling bounce and much carry from the pitch – and from his 6 ft 7 height – as went on to scalp four of those five to take his innings tally to six sticks.

Fortunately for the Sri Lankans, with rain having disturbed both, the first and the second day’s play and with more inclement weather predicted for the rest of the Test match, they have a decent chance of escaping with a draw.

Resuming at 81 for four, Thilan Samaraweera’s fighting stint at the crease was cut short by one that sucked him into attempting a drive but it only took the edge through to gully. Thisara Perera struggled through his six-ball stay at the crease before holing out off a top-edge and when Rangana Herath pulled one from Tremlett into the waiting laps of James Anderson at fine-leg, Sri Lanka were 117 for seven. Tremlett had grabbed five by this time and under assistive conditions, the Lankans seemed like they would be blown away.

The resistance came through Dilhara Fernando and Prasanna Jayawardene – the centurion from the first Test – as the pair added 41. Graeme Swann broke their stand with another of his patented, wickets of his first over, while Tremlett returned to get Suranga Lakmal to edge one to the keeper.

Fernando (33) and Chanaka Welegedara saw the team through to 177 before rain came for the second time in the day and ended the day early enough.

England will look to get rid of the last pair as early as possible on the third day before piling on some quick runs for the next one and a half days or so to put pressure on Sri Lanka. Of course, for that, the rain needs to stay away from the ground.