UKH

After a good start, England collapse to 51-3.

Debuntant Shanaka has taken all three wickets and has only conceded 1 run - that's quite an impressive opening spell !

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Does the first English batting collapse mark the official start of summer?

In reply to Chris the Tall:

I would have said that is a farly steady start going by recent standards.

In reply to Chris the Tall:
Now 5 down. No one told Stokes it was a test not a 20/20?

In reply to Gone for good:

83/5 now, but not sure about "recent standards" - some of us remember what it was like in the 90s !

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Ah...I remember the 90s well enough. Thats when England couldnt win a series against the West Indies or Australia and didnt fare too well against India, South Africa or anyone else for that matter.

I was more thinking about last Summer and Winter when England had a habit of being 3 or 4 down for 30 or 40 runs.
51/3 seems a relative success!!

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Great fightback by Hales and Bairstow though (now watch both get out before Tea!)

In reply to Gone for good:

It's unusual for Root to fail, but the rest of the middle order has been a bit flaky at times, so it's good they have a bit of depth in the line-up. Bairstow could bat higher up - he's been in good form recently.

In reply to Chris the Tall:
Don't want to speak too soon but now making a decent recovery............rain delay.......

In reply to Christheclimber:

Hales just out for 86, shame he couldn't get his ton but he helped steady us yesterday. 225/6 with YJB on 92

In reply to Chris the Tall:

They are certainly a long way on from where I thought they would be. Looked as though they would be skittled for under 200 yesterday. Now they look as though they can at least give themselves something to defend - and bowling last too...

In reply to Graeme Alderson:

YJB? Who is that?

In reply to Tony the Blade:


Yorkshire's Jonny Bairstow

Ooops I put the mockers on them. Ali is out for 0.

In reply to Tony the Blade:

Young Jonny Bairstow of course

Moeen just gone for a duck

In reply to Graeme Alderson:

This scorecard has got a very strange look about it - 3 ducks and two big scores

Can England make 300 ?

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Broad gone now, swinging away. YJB might be marooned in the 90's

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Probably not - Broad out now !

In reply to Graeme Alderson:


Young? And there was me thinking it was Yorkshire's

Doh

In reply to Chris the Tall:

YYJB (new term) now has 100

In reply to Rampikino:



It used to be Young, to distinguish him from his dad but I guess now it can mean Yorkshire's.

Anyway ton up for him

In reply to Rampikino:

I remember his Dad - in fact I've a signed copy of his testimonal programme.
For some reason he was called "Bluey", even though he was just as ginger as his son.

I think that's YJB 3rd ton in 4 innings on this ground this year - impressive stuff

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Reckon we'll see YJB go into big hitting mode now

In reply to Chris the Tall:

YJB out for 140, now 297/9 so 300 isn't dreamland

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Almost made it to 300 !

In reply to Chris the Tall:
Nick and Nick

12-2

Edit to add

Nick again!

12-3

In reply to Rampikino:

All of a sudden 298 is looking like a good score !

3 catches for Bairstow - he's having a good day

In reply to Chris the Tall:



You're not wrong. A lead looks a long way off.

YYJB barely had to move!

In reply to Rampikino:

I wonder what are the odds on Shanaka getting a century? Mind you, he went off the boil a bit after those first 3 overs!

In reply to Chris the Tall:
Great bowling by Jimmy. Perfect conditions for swing and seam bowling and he is swinging it round corners.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Who would enforce the follow on?

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:

Absolutely

They might get the chance 91-9

In reply to Rampikino:

Good, not just me then!

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:

Another couple down before close would be good.

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:
Now they can! And they have.

91 all out

Only 1 winner from here

In reply to Chris the Tall:
Wonder if they may miss a trick with the weather looking dodgy at the weekend?

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Blimey, normally I go and make a cup of coffee and a wicket falls. This time I went and got a haircut and most of the rest of the innings goes!

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:

What trick can they miss. They enforced the follow on which is sensible and attacking.

In reply to Pedro50:

I know that now, Sky immediately told us that they were going to have a bat.. Rule 1) Always stick to Test Match Special.

I do agree, as said before...

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Not one word about the cricket on the BBC 6 0'clock news. But if it was snooker or darts it would be a headline item. This channel just gets worse and worse!

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Superb display yesterday.

I like Grahaem Swann's tweet " Shanaka on debut, three wickets in his first three overs yesterday, out first ball today. Your classic penthouse to shithouse"

In reply to Christheclimber:

What a disappointment Sri Lanka are.
Well done Jimmy for getting the 10 fer but how bad was that batting?

In reply to Gone for good:

Rain stopped play, I blinked and missed it!!!