Andrew Strauss had the English tactics summed perfectly and allowed his side to bat for half the day at pace in order to get enough but not too many runs in front. Jimmy Anderson did what good night watchmen should do by surviving the evening and then scoring quickly or getting out in the morning. Eoin Morgan made another competent half century filling Collingwood's shoes admirably now that the great servant of English cricket watches from the stands but it was Bell who caught the eye with a delightful array of those sweet cover drives and deftly timed cut shots which are the man at his best. Having survived - just - the baptism of fire that was McGrath and Warne in his early career, he has blossomed into a sumptuous feast in the middle order. This was his third Test century in four games, starting with Sydney where he settled some scores against the beaten Australians. Those collywobbles outside the off stump are no more and Warne and Co have created a cross for future Aussies to bear in at least the next three Ashes series. Bell is just as good as some of us thought and more so for the roads he has travelled.
With a lead of 193 and more than 40 overs to bowl on the only sunny day of the this Test and one of the rare ones of the series, England's pace bowlers were sharp and accurate and Graham Swann very probing against a weakened Sri Lankan line up but for once, resistance was shown to the oncoming waves and by stumps, Sri Lanka was far from drowning. Paranavitana lasted an hour before Anderson enticed an edge to Swann who held another fine catch at second slip. If anything marks the improvement in this England side, it is their slips catching which has become, for the first time in ten years, reliable. Dilshan's replacement, Lahiru Thirimanne was impressive, staying until the 38th over in helping Sangakkara add 61 for the second wicket before Tremlett's return forced him to play on his off stump and Strauss held a easy catch at first slip. Its not hard to understand why many rate this debutant highly.
Great to see some aggressive tactics by Strauss; perhaps influenced by the rout that was Cardiff.
ReplyDeleteBell really has turned his career around since getting his chance in the 2009 Ashes. He would have made even more last summer here from a higher position in the order. After watching Trott and Cook playing like corpses it's always entertaining to watch the fluency and range of strokeplay of Bell.
Now I'm really bemoaning not having foxtel with India vs England coming up.
England struggled in only one area last summer: what to do with Collingwood. Clearly past his use by date, let alone his prime, their inability to be pragmatic and kindly ask him to take on a support role, was the one matter which gave them unease in an otherwise ruthless campaign. It's the same problem Australia has with Ponting and yet his decline has been happening for longer and has had more lasting effect on his team. Collingwood at least recognised that it was time to go. Ponting keeps speaking of what he still has to contribute without judging the profit/loss his continuance in the Australia team has. Clearly his batting and fielding contributions will be less, based on his declining form since October 2009. He never was a tactician worth a damn and as a presence he is more error than aura since he lost his mojo. Perhaps he has Ray Bright's joke book to fall back on. As contributions go, he's well in the red and heading for vermilion.
ReplyDeleteSo whilst we need Khawaja batting at three from the Sri Lankan tour on and Ferguson at five or six, Ponting refusal to fall on his sword or even a loaner, makes the transition a longer, slower process and sends that little urn to an even higher shelf.
India v England will be a battle between two of the best three current Test sides, mainly because they are at a later stage in their cycles than Australia and because both countries have gone to school on Lawrie Sawles work in Australia in the eighties and nineties.