Dilruwan gone, LBW 226-7
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Covers getting ready to come on, it’s raining, and that’s it, they’re off the field
Umpires call he’s out
And I am not even watching the game 
This is a pity. Doesn’t look too heavy though. Hopefully they’ll be back out.
Commentators not optimistic on weather 
Play officially abandoned for the day
England win by 57 runs
Leach gets 5 wickets.
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Great performance in a top Test.
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Business as usual. Win toss (8th in a row) bat, lose OPENERS cheaply.
36-2
25 overs gone SL have blown both reviews on really bad calls.
98-2 “England rallying” at a decent pace. Pitch not spinning as much as Mandy but baking in the sun…
Soaked brought an umbrella on as well as drinks to give batsmen some shade!
Let’s not get carried away, pitch is pretty dead, and high scores are the norm in Colombo. Burns & Jennings were both out to rash shots (again)
But neither Rory Burns or Keaton Jennings were able to take advantage. Burns, making room to cut, was bowled by one from Dilruwan Perera that clipped the top of off stump, while Keaton Jennings turned one from the left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara directly to leg slip.
Both will be frustrated. Burns had looked in fine touch, taking two boundaries off Suranga Lakmal - one a clip off his legs and the other a flowing cover drive - and may feel his attempted cut was just a bit impatient. The swish of the bat he gave after he was bowled certainly gave that impression.
Jennings, meanwhile, appeared not to notice a fielding change the ball before he was bowled. Roshen Silva, who had been at short leg, moved to leg slip moments before Jennings deflected the ball directly to him.
In other shock news, an England Top 3 batsman has just reached his 50 117-2 just after lunch, extremely hot plenty of problems for 'taters, power problems A/C on and off monitors dropping out.
136-3 Root goes for 46 change of tactics change of field top edge to midwicket 100 run partnership
Stokes was out plumb LBW caught in the crease on the back foot. Umpire said Not Out, SL wasted their reviews.
Phew he has struggled to get started so far.
Uh oh.
Bairstow looks to be hobbling - possibly his ankle again 184-3 YJB 78 Stokes 28 48 run partnership
(This is a lousy job but @PhilippineSaint is oiling himself in the sun by now)
Major dark clouds came over all expected to drown but may pass by. Checked the forecast - damn that is steamy
Batting in a sauna equally IF they can keep going it will wear out their spinners for our tail to have a bash later
Bairstow still struggling
197-3 at Tea
61 runs partnership 95 in the session
Bairstow 81 NO
Stokes 38 NO
Covers came on at start of tea just in case
Final session, after 2 balls and a 6 minute delay to get the covers off
200 up for England. (for 3 wkts)
Sun is back out
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Perera to Stokes, 2 runs, on the stumps, worked away through the leg side, they’ll come hustling back for two… that’s a half-century for Stokes , grafting hard after a difficult start
Ton for Bairstow!
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Sandakan to Stokes, OUT , draws him out, flighty wristspinner and it grips, slides off the edge - gobbled up at slip! Stokes swishes his bat in frustration, it wasn’t a fluent knock but he ground them out. Second wicket for Sandakan, gave this plenty of air and then the turned suckered him as he pushed out at the ball
BA Stokes c de Silva b Sandakan 57 (88b 5x4 2x6) SR: 64.77
–
235/4
Bairstow out for 110
254-5 is a good position BUT the lower order really need to push on, 450 1st innings is below par for this pitch/ground
And Buttler goes C&B for 15.
Didn’t see that coming at all, no siree…
266-6
A pitch you REALLY have to get in on before attempting to play your shots, Burns & Buttler a bit too aggressive probably.
312-7
Perera to Ali, no run, skidding on past the bat, hits the front pad - given by umpire Ravi! But Moeen reviews again! This is close to a front-foot no-ball, before we even get into the mechanics of the dismissal; Marais Erasmus gives Dilruwan the benefit of the doubt, so on to the lbw… Looks like a chunk of inside edge on this, which would explain Moeen’s swift review. Yep, another one overturned! Moeen isn’t for budging
Cheers Phil,
The first couple of days offshore are utter mental and I had completely forgotten this was being played 
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Ali & Broad haven’t hung around 33 & 1 respectively
332-9