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Hales and Root underpin England but catching lifts Sri Lanka
- Updated: May 27, 2016
England 310 for 6 (Moeen 28*, Woakes 8*) v Sri LankaScorecard and ball-by-ball details
Sri Lanka might have feared the only thing they could catch in Durham would be a cold, but instead they caught a collection of stunners to keep England just about in sight on the opening day of the second Test. Four of the wickets would easily fit into a ‘classic catches’ compilation and though the final score of 310 for 6 was healthy enough for England – and given the fragility of Sri Lanka’s may already be enough – there was a wastefulness about the dismissals.
Both England’s openers missed milestones; Alastair Cook left waiting a little longer still to reach the 10,000-run milestone which he has been on the cusp of since January and Alex Hales throwing away the chance of a maiden century for the second innings running. Joe Root’s iffy conversion rate did not improve when he fell for 80 and shortly before the close the in-form Jonny Bairstow, after adding 70 in 19 overs with Moeen Ali either side of the new ball, bottom edge Nuwan Pradeep who finished the day with a worthy 3 for 69.
Sri Lanka struck each time partnerships started to form. Hales and Joe Root added 96 for the third wicket, the highest stand so far after Nick Compton’s lean run had continued when he was spectacularly caught at long leg by Suranga Lakmal from a top-edged hook. Hales moved to his fifty off 102 balls, clumping Rangana Herath over mid-on, but fell the ball after lofting Milinda Siriwardana straight for six when he tried to cut the left-arm spinner and Angelo Mathews held a stinging catch to his right at slip.
To have worked hard against some decent pace bowling in consecutive Tests and then fall attacking the spinner during May Tests will have left Hales cursing. He had played confidently, boosted by his 86 at Headingley, with another astute display of attack and …
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