England In Charge

The writing was on the wall from the first exchanges of the 2nd Test with Tillakaratne Dilshan winning the toss and bowling at Lords after the last day debacle his batsmen provided at Cardiff. Its always the sign of a captain nervous of his batting line up when he bowls rather than bats when given the right to choose. So it was here, Dilshan winning the flip of the coin and with a side bolstered with fast medium men for the usual seaming Lords deck, deciding to bowl.

After eight overs it looked a damned fine decision with Andrew Strauss, Jonathon Trott and Kevin Pietersen putting their batting pads away for another day and England looking sick at 3-22. The man with the longest name in international cricket, Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanga Welegedara struck first, getting a ball to jag back at Strauss from outside the off. The first ball of the same over had taken a similar course at the England Skipper and he whipped with the movement to square leg for four. This time, the ball was slightly fuller and marginally wider of the off stump and although struck above the knee roll, commentary box replays confirmed Strauss was lbw.

A few overs later, Suranga Lakmal trapped the Cardiff double centurion Trott in front of middle and leg and he was on his way for an exceedingly rare under ten score. His replacement, Pietersen was out in Lakmal's next over, with a lazy drive to gully so reminiscent of dismissals last summer down under. It was a poor shot but typical of Pietersen's current mindset and a confirmation that he is England's only weak link at present. It's his good fortune that the England side is so strong and can afford to carry him but with India only six weeks away, Strauss won't be able to maintain a supportive stance for long.

Enter Bell and all the good work of Dilshan's opening attack was at first blunted and then reversed as he and Cook pushed back solidly, adding 108 at three an over. To be honest, Bell has played better innings and nervously edged too often in front of the slips before finally making one carry. Cook was again that wonderful combination of immovable object and punisher of loose deliveries. Eoin Morgan joined Cook and played as good an innings as he has played for the Three Lions. Perhaps the permanency afforded him by Collingwood's retirement and Pietersen's poor form offers him helps. He was excellent in a stand of 71 with Cook and even better after Cook threw away a hundred, over confidently attempting a hook shot which got in too close to him and instead batting the ball miles into the air for Maroof to advance on it from mid on and take the catch. It would have been his third Test century in as many innings.

Cook left during another extended session after tea during which first Morgan and then Matt Prior got on top of the spinners. Prior continued his battery with 45 runs coming from the new ball, after Lakmal had success in his first over with the new cherry, trapping Morgan in front. The benefit of technology in decisions such as these which would once have been a shake of the head by umpires are now returning rewards for bowlers. Prior raised his 50 off just 63 balls and the day ended with England more than three hundred better than their dreadful start and with only three additional wickets lost.

Sri Lanka tired badly by mid afternoon and looked a dejected side. England, on the other hand, are playing unbeatable cricket, with no situation seeming untenable.