SRI LANKA v ENGLAND SECOND TEST
SINGHALESE SPORTS CLUB, COLOMBO 9 – 13 DECEMBER 2007

DAY 1

Back from the hills of Kandy to the stifling heat and humidity of Colombo where England must try, where many have failed before, to come back from a 1-0 deficit in Sri Lanka. At least England have history, managing to do exactly that in 2001.

But to do so they have to find a way to dismiss the new world number one ranking batsman Kumar Sangakkara. And take another 18 wickets. And ,at least here in Colombo, without their most successful bowler so far this tour, Matthew Hoggard. Oh, and then the batters have to find a way of hanging around long enough to score a few off the world number one (current and all time) bowler Muralitharan. Easy peasy.

Both teams have changed from the first test. England are forced to change their bowling attack bringing in Harmison for Hoggard. But Stuart Broad also gets the nod, making his Test debut in place of Anderson.

Sri Lanka's change is brought about by the retirement (from Test cricket) after the Kandy test of Sanath Jayasuriya. Interestingly the English-speaking local press have been hinting that the retirement was a case of jumping before he was pushed, some feel somewhat prematurely. Whatever. Tharanga, a thorn in England's intercostals during the warm up matches, steps into the openers spot whilst Jayasuriya gets his debut cap up in the commentary box. Some things are the same the world over.

Yesterday the cricket association announced that the start of play would be brought forward by half an hour to 10am. Hopefully this will mean a full day's play is possible. The weather is warm and humid when we reach the ground, but there is a lot of cloud about and a gentle breeze. As with Kandy the ground isn't full, with the Sri Lankan to English ratio about 50:50. It seems that the locals will not turn out in force for the longer form of the game, particularly now the record breaking is done and dusted.

First cheer of the day as Michael Vaughan wins the toss and gifts the England bowlers a chance to put their feet up for the day. Of course it also gives Alistair Cook the chance to try to last longer than the first over. Some have said as a left hander he should have an advantage playing Murali. Would be nice to find out. Perhaps we will – Cook plays out the first over by Vaas for two runs.

Malinga opens from the other end. Vaughan seems to be picking his low slingy action better than at Kandy. Neither bowler is getting much movement off the seam, with only a little in the air, and the batters seem fairly comfortable. Vaughan in particular is leaving the ball well – a good sign I feel. Fernando replaces Vaas in the 11th over; it proves to be a double change as Murali comes on for Malinga at the other end. But England progress comfortably to drinks at 46-0 off 15 overs.

In the second over after drinks Cook has a heart in the mouth moment when he edges Fernando. It is too far from second slip to reach, but in diving across he obscures the view of first and the catch is missed. Not sure if it would have carried to first though. Make it count.

The 50 arrives of the last ball of the 18th over. Vaughan has been the biggest contributor by far to this partnership and takes three boundaries off the hard-done-by Fernando in the 19th to reach, and pass, his 50 (75 balls; 6x4). Jayawardene brings Vass back on to switch Murali to the other end but with no change in fortunes and England will eat lunch content on 97-0 off 29 overs, Vaughan 75 and Cook 21.

Vaas and Malinga continue after lunch. The clouds present at the start of play have multiplied and coalesced, producing a heavy sky over a heavy, humid atmosphere. One would think ideal conditions to swing the ball around corners but that doesn't seem to be the case and within half an hour of resumption, with England having passed 100, Murali is back on again. The sticky atmosphere is matched by sticky cricket – the stroke play from the morning session seems to have halted and its grinding stuff going on out there. Of course, if he bowls at you enough Murali will eventually get you and that is the case for Vaughan when, in the 40th over, he flicks him off his pads on the leg side. At just the right time Mubarak at short leg clamps his knees together, managing to trap the ball between his legs before retrieving it and claiming the catch. Unlucky, but out all the same. Vaughan gone for the Aussie bogey-number 87 and England 133-1. The first century opening partnership since Strauss and Trescothick's exploits against Pakistan at Headingley 2006.

Fortunately one wicket doesn't lead to another and Bell stays with Cook who reaches a painstaking 50 (139; 6) whilst the Barmy Army amuse the locals, the TV cameras but admittedly mainly themselves with a few songs, a few melodies on the trumpet and a juggling competition with a box of oranges. At tea England are 167-1 off 58 0vers – Murali has bowled 21 out of a possible maximum 29.

Straight after tea Bell is out – more skill than luck in this second catch by short lag Mubarak, reaching high to his right. England's best batsman from Kandy is out for just 15 and England are 168-2. A good platform to display the talents of one K Pietersen. But it is not to be – on just a single he drives at a wide ball from Vaas, the thick edge going to Silva at third slip. He fails to take the catch but Sangakkara at first slip is quick to snaffle the rebound. Pietersen stands his ground whilst the umpires confer but Darryl Harper soon sends him on his way. A forlorn Pietersen lingers after crossing the boundary rope, his worst fears confirmed by the dissent from the English part of the crowd as they see the replay on televisions dotted around the stands – there is more than reasonable doubt that the ball carried to Silva in the first place. But there is no coming back – not until the ICC bring in some sort of appeal system anyway (personally having seen this at home last summer I'm not convinced). England are 171-3.

One chap who'd obviously had too many arracks chose to display his displeasure with a solo pitch invasion “au naturale”. He did not originate from the Barmy Army section of the ground, but was obviously English (white bits nicely contrasting with a bit of second degree sunburn). Most interestingly this was all new to the local ground security staff – no-one in a fluorescent green anorak to give chase and rugby tackle the miscreant to the ground, no waiting heavies to frog march him to the headmaster for a strict talking to. He seemed to be met by his mate behind the sight screen and handed back his clothes. However, a bit of a kerfuffle on the hill about ten minutes later suggested the suspect had been spotted and was about to be evicted. Not sure what the penalty is for streaking out here, but would be concerned that a 1000 rupee fine would be the least of it.

England pass 200 in the 71st over – slow afternoon, slow pitch, slow scoring rate. Sri Lanka are only too pleased to take the new ball as soon as it is due, with probably about half an hour's light left in the day. Malinga comes up with the goods with his second over of the new ball, and umpire Harper has little doubt when the ball hits Cook's pads. The ball may have pitched outside leg, or possibly just in line, but was surely going on to miss leg stump. But Cook is cut off at the pass on the way to a hundred, out for 81. Sensibly England decide against sending in a nightwatchmann in the gloom against the new ball, but Bopara should consider himself unlucky to get a cracker of a first ball yorker from Malinga which extracts his middle stump. Cant be easy trying to pick the ball out of his hand in the gloom after sitting around all day. England 237-5 in the 83rd. Prior safely negotiates the hat trick ball.

Murali is back on with the ball just four overs old but without the devastating effects he had with a new ball in Kandy. Less than a quarter of an hour later, at 5.10pm, the light is offered and off we go.

258-3 would have looked a great day for England. But at 258-5 they need a good start tomorrow morning, Collingwood, who has gone unmentioned and unsung on to 49 not out overnight, and Prior (10*) need a decent partnership and contributions down the lower order are important. At tea I was suggesting a first innings score of 500+ would be needed to put 'scoreboard pressure' on the home team to aid the bowlers. I don't think events after tea have changed this, just made it much more difficult to achieve. Will England's seam attack prosper where Sri Lanka's have failed? Will Monty bamboozle the batters where Murali, on the whole, did not (despite bowling 34 out of 87 overs). Will the added height of Broad and Harmison manage to extract bounce where today there was none.

And finally, will the umpires get it right?