TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Dom Bess and Jack Leach write Test history
TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Dom Bess and Jack Leach become first pair of England spinners to take five-wicket haul in same Test since 1981-82… while Stuart Broad concedes less than a run an over in a Test innings for first time
- Dom Bess and Jack Leach took five-wicket hauls as England edge closer to win
- They are the first England spinners to both do so in a Test since 1981-82
- Stuart Broad conceded less than a run an over in Test for first time in his career
Despite a more testing day for England they now need just 36 runs to beat Sri Lanka on day five as Jack Leach and Dom Bess took centre-stage. LAWRENCE BOOTH looks at the main takeaways from the action in Galle…
Dom Bess and Jack Leach have become the first pair of England spinners to take a five-wicket haul in the same Test since 1981-82.
John Emburey (six for 33) and Derek Underwood (five for 28) last achieved the feat, in Sri Lanka’s very first Test, at Colombo’s P. Sara Oval.
Dom Bess (L) and Jack Leach (R) became first England spinners to take five-wicket haul in the same Test since 1981-82
The lowest total any team has failed to chase in Test cricket is 85, way back in 1882.
On that occasion, England were dismissed for 77 by Australian fast bowler Frederick ‘Demon’ Spofforth, but there was one consolation: out of their implosion arose the Ashes, played for ever since.
Stuart Broad’s second-innings figures of 17-11-14-0 were the first time he has conceded less than a run an over in a Test innings.
His previous meanest analyses had both come in the UAE against Pakistan in 2015-16: 8-5-8-1 at Abu Dhabi and 13-8-13-2 at Sharjah.
Stuart Broad conceded less than a run an over in a Test innings for the first time in his career
According to CricViz, Sri Lanka’s slow left-armer Lasith Embuldeniya became the first spinner in Test history to both opposition openers for single figures twice in the same Test.
He removed Dom Sibley for four and two, and Zak Crawley for nine and eight.
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