Early wickets leave Sri Lanka struggling

dambulla—England’s fast bowlers set up a series-levelling chance by making productive use of the new-ball under the floodlights at Dambulla. Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad snared two apiece to make early inroads into Sri Lanka’s top order as they hunted down 235. England’s total grew in significance with each strike and Sri Lanka were looking towards Mahela Jayawardene to produce a repeat of Owais Shah’s superb innings earlier in the day.
Sidebottom struck with his second ball when Upul Tharanga drove loosely and Alastair Cook snaffled the catch at second slip. The same combination should have accounted for Kumar Sangakkara two balls later, but this time Cook couldn’t hold onto a chance which came higher and slightly quicker to him. Sangakkara continued to live a charmed life when Phil Mustard palmed a top edge off James Anderson, but England refused let the missed opportunities get them down.
Sidebottom’s probing line didn’t let Sanath Jayasuriya escape to a flying start and, trying to find a gap through the covers, picked out Ian Bell against a rare delivery which did deserve to go to the boundary. England had an opening and, as in the opening match of the series, the conditions were conducive to seam and swing bowling under the lights.
Sangakkara never settled at the crease despite his two lives, spending 37 balls over 9 before edging the final ball of Broad’s first over low to Mustard, who made amends for his earlier mistake with a neat catch. England’s bowlers were revelling in a situation that allowed them to operate to their natural styles and Broad dispatched Chamara Silva first ball. The delivery bounced from back of a length and took the shoulder of Silva’s bat, looping to backward point for a comfortable catch. Sensing a chance to go for the kill, Paul Collingwood went on the attack and bowled Sidebottom for eight overs off the reel before returning to Anderson for a second burst. Jayawardene battled to get himself settled, but slowly he and Tillakaratne Dilshan began locating the boundary although there is a long way to go.
England battled to a respectable total in the second one-day international at Dambulla with Owais Shah marshalling a recovery from 61 for 4. His 92-ball 82, adding 70 off 69 balls with Graeme Swann, lifted England to 234, which appeared unlikely as the top order floundered against an impressive Sri Lankan attack. Farveez Maharoof added three more scalps to his four from Monday, but all the bowlers played their part in keeping England under wraps.
It was the third innings in a row during which barely registered on the Richter Scale, with England collected 13 fours and a paltry one six during their 50 overs. The bulk of the batting was tip-and-run and, but for large periods it was all they were allowed to do by the excellence of the Sri Lankan bowlers. However, Shah’s sparky effort - helping bring 151 runs from the second 25 overs - has given them something to defend under the lights, when conditions could encourage the fast bowlers.
The surface was much like the first match, slow with only a hint of movement, but the new-ball bowlers made life tough for the batsmen from the first over. There were no freebies on offer and only two runs were on the board in the third over when Alastair Cook pushed limply at Chaminda Vaas and Mahela Jayawardene pouched a sharp catch, diving to his right at slip.—Agencies