I've gone for an England win, I think they'll be more determined than ever after the 1st test performance where they had enough chances to win the match several times over.

The bowlers need to be a little more consistent, but in English conditions in April, our swing bowlers should be able to create enough chances for us to win.

Apparently, the main decision for England is between Panesar and Lewis. I hope they go for Panesar, he was superb in the 1st test and I felt he was under-bowled. England need to show faith in him, picking Lewis would be a backward step.

The biggest danger for England is Lasith Malinga. The Sri Lankans dropped a clanger by not picking him in the 1st test and without Malinga, their bowling attack has no sting. He's seriously fast and has an unusual action which is hard to read, he'll have quite a few of our batsmen hopping around in the crease at his combination of bouncers and yorkers.

The match has started, Sri Lanka have won the toss and have elected to bat first.

England have selected Panesar ahead of Jon Lewis and Sri Lanka have made 1 change, including Lasith Malinga in their squad as expected.

YES !!! England make a breakthrough with only the 2nd ball !!! Vandort gets 3 down the ground off the 1st one and then Hoggard bowls Tharanga for a golden duck next ball !!! 3-1 ! That was a beauty, Hoggard got one to nip back from outside off stump and Tharanga missed the line of the ball.

FANTASTIC !!!

Jayawardene lasts just 3 deliveries !!! With the final ball of the over, Plunkett produces a jaffa, a vicious rising delivery which Jayawardene prods at and edges behind to Jones !!!

What a first over for Plunkett, two wickets and the Sri Lankan captain and best player is gone for a duck.

Now 16-3 and Sri Lanka are on the ropes. The ball is swinging and seaming viciously and their middle order is now exposed after just 45min.

36-4!!!

hoggard takes his second wkt...(SAMARAWEERA)

this is turning into the plunkett & hoggard show

Wow this is an absolutely amazing bowling performance so far from England !

Samaweera never really settled, he was beaten several times by Hoggard and then nearly was plum lbw but was saved by an inside edge. Then he drove at a wide one from Hoggard and edged it to Collingwood at 4th slip. The actual wicket was down to careless play from Samaweera as he should have left that ball and drove with no foot movement. However, it was a result of the build up of pressure created by an excellenrt series of deliveries from Hoggard. Samaweera scored just 3.

In the last 20min, England have almost have Dilshan 4 times. First from Plunkett, the ball swung in, in the air and then moved away off the pitch. That was a jaffa and Dilshan was completely beaten. Plunkett then swung one into Dilshan's pads but Dilshan just got an edge to prevent being lbw. A yorker from Plunkett beat Dilshan but just missed off-stump by a fraction. Then in Plunkett's next over, another beauty caught Dilshan's edge and Flintoff caught it at slip but it was a no ball !!!

Now as I write, England have their 5th wicket !!!! 46-5 !!! The 2nd dangerman Sangakkarra has been dismissed for 25. Plunkett takes his 3rd wicket as he gets one to swing away slightly and Sangakarra edges to Jones !!!

I reckon they could be all out for under 100 at this rate. England are now into the tail !

mkkreuk wrote:

---

Sangakkara had been looking strong and (with a bit fo luck) had notched up 25 runs but Plunkett has just removed him!!! 46-5!!!

---

That was a really key wicket, Sri Lanka were relying on Sangakarra to go on and make a big score to give them a chance of a decent total. Now he's gone, it'll be difficult for them to get more than 150.

Maharoof just survives Flintoff's over, he's hit on the head by a bouncer and that runs away for 4 byes. Then Maharoof edges one to the slips but plays it with soft hands and it goes along the ground.

Dilshan has had his 5th and 6th lives now, he edges to Collingwood but it went fast and hard to his left. Collingwood nearly took the catch one-handed but in the end he dropped it.

Dilshan then survived an lbw appeal which looked plum.