England have managed to enter Day 3 without losing a wicket but it is Sri Lanka who will be the happier side walking off. However, they day did not start in the best of fashions for them as they lost the nightwatchman early. Karunaratne and Dhananjaya did score fifties and steady the ship with a 96-run stand but a run out changed the game. How vital will Roshen Silva's knock prove? The wicket is doing a lot and now Sri Lanka will hope their bowlers can step up. Also, they need to bundle England out quickly as they will be batting 4th on a wicket which will be expected to crumble even more. England on the other hand, will want one of their batsman to score a big one and the others to play around him. Anything around 250 can be a competitive score. The match is poised nicely and Day 3 promises to be an exciting day of cricket.
Pitch report: Russel Arnold and Brad Hogg say the wicket is quite dry. Reckon the pitch will open up even more and more turn will be evident. Mention Sri Lankans need to bat well.
Brief Day 1 Report: The story of Day 1 was quite similar to the one of the first day of the first Test. Earlier in the day, England elected to bat after winning the toss. They were in trouble at 89-4 but Buttler's counter-attacking innings took them to safer shores. Sri Lanka did manage to fight back and they once again had England down and out at 171 for 7 but could not capitalize and the tourists, courtesy Curran's brilliance, got somewhere close to 300.
England's session and you can also say it will be the visitors who will sleep better tonight. After Sam Curran's heroics, the English bowlers had 12 overs to have a go at the Lankan batsman today and they haven't come out empty-handed. They have got the wicket of Silva and it is Leach who has provided the breakthrough by bowling a beauty. However, Pushpakumara and Karunaratne then ensured there were no more wickets to fall and played the day out.
