Prior's nifty footwork and Harmy's wait
Andrew Miller provides the plays of the second day between Sri Lanka and England at Colombo
Andrew Miller in Colombo
10-Dec-2007
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Innings of the day
His resistance at Kandy was heroic but in vain, but Matt Prior said he'd take huge encouragement from that two-and-a-half hour vigil, and today he was true to his word. None of England's batsmen - not Ian Bell in the first Test nor Michael Vaughan on Sunday morning - has looked as assured in their strokeplay as Prior, who strode forward and hopped back with energetic footwork, and aggression foremost in his mind. He set out to dominate and did so impressively, thanks in no small part to yet more obdurate crease occupation from Ryan Sidebottom. And as their eighth-wicket stand swelling, England nudged themselves towards a very defendable total.
His resistance at Kandy was heroic but in vain, but Matt Prior said he'd take huge encouragement from that two-and-a-half hour vigil, and today he was true to his word. None of England's batsmen - not Ian Bell in the first Test nor Michael Vaughan on Sunday morning - has looked as assured in their strokeplay as Prior, who strode forward and hopped back with energetic footwork, and aggression foremost in his mind. He set out to dominate and did so impressively, thanks in no small part to yet more obdurate crease occupation from Ryan Sidebottom. And as their eighth-wicket stand swelling, England nudged themselves towards a very defendable total.
Catch of the day
Talking of footwork, this was a gem. Prior was accused of sluggishness behind the stumps during the India series last summer, particularly in the decider at The Oval when he tipped Sachin Tendulkar, of all people, round the post. Upul Tharanga was not so fortunate today. The bowler once again was Sidebottom, but Prior this time was quite literally on his toes. He took off in the direction of first slip, held the chance comfortably in a single mitt, then had the foresight to close his other glove around it as he landed. Tidy stuff.
Talking of footwork, this was a gem. Prior was accused of sluggishness behind the stumps during the India series last summer, particularly in the decider at The Oval when he tipped Sachin Tendulkar, of all people, round the post. Upul Tharanga was not so fortunate today. The bowler once again was Sidebottom, but Prior this time was quite literally on his toes. He took off in the direction of first slip, held the chance comfortably in a single mitt, then had the foresight to close his other glove around it as he landed. Tidy stuff.
Wicket of the day
Prior's second take was much more routine, but the celebrations were far from it. Another cracking delivery from Sidebottom - on off stump and nibbling away, and Kumar Sangakkara had no option but to offer a shot. Cue pandemonium, with Sidebottom doing his best Monty Panesar impression as he hurtled in the direction of fine leg with his limbs flailing left, right and centre. Sangakkara was gone for 1, the first time in seven innings he had failed to reach at least a half century.
Prior's second take was much more routine, but the celebrations were far from it. Another cracking delivery from Sidebottom - on off stump and nibbling away, and Kumar Sangakkara had no option but to offer a shot. Cue pandemonium, with Sidebottom doing his best Monty Panesar impression as he hurtled in the direction of fine leg with his limbs flailing left, right and centre. Sangakkara was gone for 1, the first time in seven innings he had failed to reach at least a half century.
Relegation of the day
It was the moment we'd all been waiting for. Steve Harmison's first over for England since the last week of June. His date with destiny had been postponed after Michael Vaughan had won the toss (although he'd done his best to hurry the moment along with a first-ball duck) but then, finally, came the innings break. The Barmy Army launched into supportive hymns of praise to "Super Steve Harmy" as he warmed up on the outfield, but against all expectation it was Sidebottom and Broad who were handed the new ball. Harmison's back, but the scars - it would seem - aren't fully healed.
It was the moment we'd all been waiting for. Steve Harmison's first over for England since the last week of June. His date with destiny had been postponed after Michael Vaughan had won the toss (although he'd done his best to hurry the moment along with a first-ball duck) but then, finally, came the innings break. The Barmy Army launched into supportive hymns of praise to "Super Steve Harmy" as he warmed up on the outfield, but against all expectation it was Sidebottom and Broad who were handed the new ball. Harmison's back, but the scars - it would seem - aren't fully healed.
Chant of the day
"He's big, he's bad, he's better than his dad ... Stuart Bro-oad, Stuart Broad." That was how the Barmy Army serenaded young Mr Broad as he came in to bowl his first over of Test cricket. Those who recalled his father's exploits as a cricketer - belting stumps out of the ground in Bicentenary matches and mouthing obscenities in front of the Lord's pavilion, for instance - might dispute that he could possibly be badder than his old man. But two warnings from the umpire within half an hour of his first spell was a pretty rock'n'roll beginning.
"He's big, he's bad, he's better than his dad ... Stuart Bro-oad, Stuart Broad." That was how the Barmy Army serenaded young Mr Broad as he came in to bowl his first over of Test cricket. Those who recalled his father's exploits as a cricketer - belting stumps out of the ground in Bicentenary matches and mouthing obscenities in front of the Lord's pavilion, for instance - might dispute that he could possibly be badder than his old man. But two warnings from the umpire within half an hour of his first spell was a pretty rock'n'roll beginning.
Umpiring incident of the day
After all the kerfuffle about Kevin Pietersen's dismissal on Sunday, Vaughan appealed for the umpires to use their common sense. By luck rather than judgment, that happened today, when Sidebottom was struck on the shoulder by a bouncer and caught low in the slips by Mahela Jayawardene. Umpire Harper's line of vision could not have been obscured during the incident, hence the decision should not have been referred. But up it went anyway - the implication, of course, being that he believed there had been a nick. As it turns out, the catch was clean but Gamini Silva spotted the thud on the shoulder, and ... would you believe it ... common sense prevailed.
After all the kerfuffle about Kevin Pietersen's dismissal on Sunday, Vaughan appealed for the umpires to use their common sense. By luck rather than judgment, that happened today, when Sidebottom was struck on the shoulder by a bouncer and caught low in the slips by Mahela Jayawardene. Umpire Harper's line of vision could not have been obscured during the incident, hence the decision should not have been referred. But up it went anyway - the implication, of course, being that he believed there had been a nick. As it turns out, the catch was clean but Gamini Silva spotted the thud on the shoulder, and ... would you believe it ... common sense prevailed.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo