Sky Sports statistician Benedict Bermange is using a cricket simulation to play out a Virtual Test Match of the postponed series between Sri Lanka and England
Friday 20 March 2020 09:12, UK
A spirited England fightback in the evening session left the first Virtual Test Match at Galle evenly poised with Sri Lanka 255-7 at the close of play on day one.
Sri Lanka opener Oshada Fernando remains at stumps, unbeaten on 141 after registering his second Test century in his seventh Test cap.
Sri Lanka's final total depended much on the right-handed opener from Colombo, with only Angelo Mathews - who made 45 - giving him much support.
Indeed, when Mathews and Fernando were sharing in their third-wicket partnership of 110, there was no hint of the struggles which were to follow in the final session.
Dom Bess (4-45) was the pick of England's bowlers, and he will need just one more wicket on the second day to record his second five-wicket haul in Tests.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Sri Lanka started steadily before Stuart Broad trapped Dimuth Karunaratne lbw with a nip-backer in the seventh over of the morning.
Spin was introduced in the form of Bess in the 18th over of the day and it was he who struck next, removing Kusal Mendis, who had struggled to 10 from 35 deliveries - caught by Dom Sibley at silly point.
Lunch was taken at 76-2 and Fernando duly reached his half-century in the third over after the interval. Although England threatened occasionally, the experienced Mathews, who became just the fifth Sri Lankan to score 6,000 Test runs, and Fernando battled safely through to tea as the tourists went wicketless in the afternoon session.
It was Bess who made the crucial breakthrough, 25 minutes into the final session, when Mathews inside-edged onto his pad and to Joe Root at short-leg.
Fernando duly reached his century from 231 deliveries two overs later, striking Jack Leach for a couple of boundaries in an over, but Dinesh Chandimal departed cheaply, falling victim to the classic off-spinner's dismissal - bowled through the gate attempting an expansive off-drive.
Leach was in on the act the very next over when Dhananjaya de Silva edged a tentative prod behind to Jos Buttler, and three wickets had suddenly fallen for just 13 runs in 21 deliveries.
Niroshan Dickwella stopped the rot temporarily but, having already hit Bess for two fours in an over, attempted a third only to spoon a catch to Joe Denly at midwicket.
England's decision to take the second new ball was justified within two overs when Sam Curran swung one back into Dilruwan Perera's pads, with the batsman's hopeful review shown to be futile.
Sri Lanka's hopes of passing 300 are pinned well and truly on the shoulders of Fernando, who has struck sixteen boundaries in his career-best effort.
England will be hoping to put a swift end to the innings early on the second day and start batting on a pitch which doesn't appear to have possessed any demons so far.
Ironically, for a match starting on Rangana Herath's birthday, how much the home side will miss him may become evident on later days.
