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Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 2nd day
Kandy made to wait another day
Andrew Miller in Kandy
December 2, 2007
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Ian Bell played magnificently before falling for 83
© AFP
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Shot of the day
Ian Bell's response to Dilhara Fernando's first ball of the morning.
It was full and straight, and Bell creamed it straight back down the
ground, past the non-striker's off stump by a whisker, and all the way
to the rope. Last night Matthew Hoggard has spoken of England's desire
to hit the ground running in this match. With one shot, Bell showed
that England were determined to live up to that promise on a daily
basis.
Catch of the day
Chamara Silva's outstanding snaffle at short midwicket. Bell had been
batting with determination and poise, but his desire to remain
positive in the face of Muttiah Muralitharan's onslaught eventually proved his
undoing. It needed a massively alert fielder to take advantage of his
miscued drive, however, as the ball squirted in the air off a thick
inside-edge and Silva at full stretch to his left ended an excellent
innings and carried Murali ever closer to destiny.
Stonewaller of the day
The free-flowing Michael Vaughan is not used to being entrenched while
batting... except, of course, when he's playing a Test in Kandy. Three
years ago, Vaughan led England's rearguard on this ground with a
seven-and-a-half hour 105. Today, he dug in with the determination of
a captain with four days in which to capitalise on an outstanding
first-innings bowling effort. Muralitharan kept him pinned down at the
press-box end of the ground, and by the time he was dismissed (much to
his chagrin) for 37, he had occupied the crease for a further
two-and-a-half hours.
Over of the day
There was only one bowler who mattered today. A feverish crowd chanted
and drummed in appreciation, and Murali did not disappoint, as he
reeled his way towards the world record with a mesmeric performance.
The zenith came in his 18th over of the day - six deliveries, every
one a live hand-grenade. Paul Collingwood fenced a ripper inches short
of a sprawling silly point; Ravi Bopara turned one tentatively off his
toes and into the hands of short leg, but replays showed he'd just
managed to jab it into the turf first. But Murali's eyes were
twinkling with anticipation, and sure enough, Bopara's maiden Test
innings ended with a leg-side strangle next ball.
Anticlimax of the day
Kandy hasn't known such heights of reverence and worship since the
Buddha's tooth was last paraded through town. The world record was at
his mercy, as Ryan Sidebottom took guard in preparation for the ordeal
he was about to face. Six deliveries were negotiated but none of them
comfortably, but then the weather closed in from the surrounding
hills, and the quest had to be put on hold for another 24 hours.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
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