The Lord's Test: Day Four

Day four and England were looking for early wickets. Unfortunately, the weather that haunted them in Cardiff had travelled across to London. 

 Finally, however, play gets under way and England seek Sri Lankan wickets in an extended afternoon session. 

England get the big wicket of Mahela Jaywardene. He edges into the slip cordon...

Where Cook takes the catch. 

England celebrate not only the fact that Jayawardene's gone for 49, but also that Cook actually took the catch.

Samaraweera, finally putting himself out his misery, edges Tremlett behind after going for a ridiculous shot.

Prior takes the catch and Sri Lanka are 394-5.

Maharoof comes in and goes for only 2 as he is rapped on the pads by Stuart Broad.

Broad runs off celebrating like he's bowled him...

But finally turns around and gets his man. 

Maharoof considers a review...

But in the end wanders off to leave Sri Lanka 409-6.

The Other Jayawardene decides to go for it and along with Herath at the other end, they build a partnership.

Here, The Other Jayawardene hits a six off Swann.

Herath joins Jayawardene's party and hits Swann for a six.

He falls over after a very agricultural shot.

However, soon he goes for one big shot too many...

And is stumped by Matt Prior. Sri Lanka are 466-7.

Finn picks up his fourth wicket as the Other Jayawardene edges...

Where Swann dives to take a good catch in front of Strauss at first slip. Sri Lanka are 472-8.

Fernando soon follows. He edges Swann...

And Strauss takes a cracking reflex catch at first slip. 

He celebrates his 100th catch nonchalantly as Sri Lanka are 474-9.

It's soon all over as Welegedara decides to take on Swann too. 

It flies in the air...

But is caught by Broad. 

Sri Lanka finish on 479 all out, England have a first innings lead of 7. Strauss and Cook face a tricky session before tea.

Strauss faces the first over from Welegedara.

However, he only survives two balls as an issue with left arm seamers (apart from Mitchell Johnson)  has been slowly bubbling for the past year.

He decides to review, despite the fact he is absolutely plumb. 

The UDR system supports the umpire's decision and Strauss goes for a second ball duck. England are 0-1 and facing a tricky spot.

In next though is the perfect man for a crisis, Jonathan Trott. He and Cook link up as they have done so many times and build a partnership. 

Trott, clearly annoyed by the criticism of Bob Willis, Nick Knight and weirdly, Geoff Boycott, reaches a 50 at a relatively quick rate for him.

Cook brings up the century partnership with a cut off Lakmal/Quackmal. 

Cook reaches his 50 with a sweet drive through the covers off Fernando.

Which reaches the boundary.

Cook celebrates his 50. 

Trott, facing KP's 'nemesis' of the left arm spinner seems to struggle.

He's bowled and departs for 58. England are 117-2. 

Trott waddles off having helped England out of one hole. 

However, the incoming batsman is Kevin Pietersen and he faces a very tricky session in questionable light. And against the left arm spinner. All eyes are on him. Can he deliver?

Cheers from the Lord's crowd greet any defensive stroke that Pietersen plays off Herath.

England close on 149-2, a lead of 156. 

The Lord's Test: Day Three

Day three started off much the same way that day two ended, with Sri Lankan batting dominance. England continued with their wayward bowling, feeding Dilshan juicy leg side volleys for him to just help to the boundary. Once again, the debate of whether or not England should continue with their four paced attack and add an extra bowler to the team has started to rage. If you're after that kind of debate on this blog, it's probably better to wait until the Test matches are over, because it's pretty much going to be all pictures until June 20th...

The Sri Lankan captain continued in the same vain as the previous day. He reached a superb 150 with a single off Swann.

He celebrates and is well truly deserved of his place on the Lord's honours board.

England wait for the new ball, hoping that it will provide a breakthrough otherwise Sangakkara and Dilshan will bat until the cows come home to cow corner. Luckily for England, Tremlett manages to snare Sangakkara. 

He edges behind to Prior as he goes for 26, certainly not the best of starts to his tour of England.

England celebrate as Sangakkara trudges off with Sri Lanka 288-2. 

 

Broad takes the new ball from the other end, but Dilshan tucks into him with a cracking onside drive.

It beats mid on and goes to the boundary for four. Broad begins to simmer. 

Things get worse for Broad, and for Graeme Swann who was hit on the wing yesterday, Jayawardene edges into the slips...

Leaving Swann with a rather dashing bruise on his leg and Broad with no wicket as the ball did not carry. (I'm an expert at stopping a ball hit off the bat with a shin, but then I've sprained my ankle roller skating before so I'm fairly accident prone...)

England, forgetting that they're bowling to Mahela Jayawardene and not some guy from a village in the nets, continually forget where the off stump is...

Prompting Jayawardene and Dilshan to rack up the boundary count. 

Finn, perhaps the most guilty party, feeds Dilshan a couple of freebies, until...

Finally he is bowled for a fantastic 193. The ball slips between his guard and his his upper duck thigh leg and cannons into the off stump.

England celebrate his crucial wicket, but Dilshan, having broken the very tip of his wing after a Tremlett bouncer yesterday, and then being hit on it again before getting out, takes a deserved standing ovation and finds his name on the board in the dressing room. Sri Lanka are 370-3 as Dilshan walks off.

England almost get Jayawardene as the cloud cover is building, but he does not get an edge on a cracking Broad delivery. 

Then, midway the Broad over, the rain begins to fall, prompting play to be suspended and the 'state-of-the-art hover cover' (shown in fantastic and accurate detail here) comes on. Broad takes cover under his jumper, because, despite being a duck, he's not a big fan of water.

An early tea was taken, but after only five balls the players came off again after a mixture of bad light and the impending doom from above. Finn's second ball of his over proved to be the last of the day. 

Despite the rain, the England dressing room join in with the fun of the Lord's crowd as they join in with the Mexican wave. 

Different ground, different animal as groundsman. 

Sri Lanka closed on 372-3. Tomorrow, providing the weather stays away, will be an interesting one. If there's a bit of cloud and England can remember where the off stump is and get Jayawardene early, then they might look to control a Sri Lankan lead. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will hope to wipe out their 100+ run deficit and build a decent lead, enough to try and entice an England collapse.

Alternatively, it could just be a high scoring draw. But we thought that about Cardiff and then look what happened. Anything could happen in the next two days...