BUMBLE ON THE TEST: Jonny Bairstow is being messed about
BUMBLE ON THE TEST: Mark Wood still has plenty of credit in the bank despite just one wicket, Jonny Bairstow is being messed about… and why my scones now rival Betty’s of Harrogate!
- Angelo Mathews hit 107* while England’s bowlers toiled on an unforgiving pitch
- Sri Lanka finished on 229-4 on the first day of the second Test match in Galle
- James Anderson was the pick of the bowlers, but escaped Dom Bess’ reproach
Jimmy Anderson nipped the first three out and didn’t look to swing the ball, just bowled a good length relentlessly.
But can you imagine if the shoe had been on the other foot when he let one through his legs for four off Dom Bess? There’d have been steam coming out of his ears!
Dom Bess (right) let fellow bowler James Anderson off after he let one through his legs for four
England’s squad for the first two Tests in India has been announced and it’s clear to me that in ‘resting’ Jonny Bairstow for two matches, they’re doing all they can to keep him out of the team.
He’s only just been recalled and in the first Test here he had 82 runs for once out, batting at No 3. It’s nonsense. For my money, they mess him about.
Jonny Bairstow is being messed about after he will be ‘rested’ for the first two games vs India
RUNS IN THE BANK, LADS
This is a far better pitch than the first one in Galle. On the first day of the series, there were pieces coming out of the surface and the ball was spinning appreciably.
Not so here and I will lean on the expertise of Kumar Sangakkara to suggest it will be perfect for batting for three days, then start spinning big on day four.
WOOD IS MILES IN CREDIT
Mark Wood ran miles for his first wicket in the series. But has he been effective? Yes, he has. He has given a balance to the attack, kept the batsmen honest, cracked Dinesh Chandimal on the helmet and got the ball reverse swinging.
He gives it everything but it is tough on this pitch and wickets are not always commensurate with effort.
Mark Wood has battled hard and played well despite only taking one wicket so far this match
NO END OF CONFUSION
Nobody seemed to notice but the batsmen went to the wrong ends after the 45th over. Chandimal ran a single, then had treatment between overs. He clearly didn’t fancy facing Dom Bess.
Benedict Bermange, statistician at Sky Sports, alerted the scorer. He’d presumed the one had been a two. No. Four umpires and a match referee all missed it!
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal (right) stayed at the wrong end – he didn’t fancy Dom Bess!
ALL YOU KNEAD TO KNOW
With all the DIY done, I’ve moved on to baking. The fruit scone — rhymes with gone not bone — is my thing. I made a batch and they were magnificent. Cream first, jam on top.
I can’t tell you how good they are. The secret? It’s all in the kneading. They’re coming out a treat. Betty’s of Harrogate watch out, these scones could rival the fat rascal.
ACCEPT MY SOUND EXCUSE
Finally, apologies for my late attendance. I didn’t get on for the first hour. Sound issues. The technical chap from Sky rang and asked me if my codec was functional.
‘I’ve never had any complaints about my codec all these years,’ I told him. ‘It’s certainly never cropped up in conversation before.’
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