James Anderson and Stuart Broad had not enjoyed much success in Leeds before this Test but, as the Analyst explains, that all changed over a game of golf
So far this match has conformed to expectations.
England’s fallible batting unit still looks faulty with only two players – Bairstow and Hales – scoring more than 20 in their first innings.
But the hosts’ top-class new-ball attack were far too good on a tricky Headingley surface for a very inexperienced Sri Lankan batting line-up.
Lacking the retired Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara – the mainstays of their batting for a decade – they have only passed 300 once in 11 Test innings.
Four hours of decent weather today and tomorrow and the match will be over with a probable innings win for England.
The pitch at Headingley is dry but has areas of quite tufty grass for the fast bowlers to aim at.
The bounce and movement off these patches is difficult to negotiate – especially for visiting batsmen who play little first-class cricket – if the length is right.
There is a well-known rule amongst seam bowlers in England: You have to bowl a yard fuller up north because the pitches are that bit slower.
Oddly this message had not transmitted itself to James Anderson and Stuart Broad before this Test.
Neither had enjoyed a particularly impressive record in Leeds with Anderson’s 20 Test wickets at Headingley coming at an average of 43.
Yet while playing golf before the start of this series the pair resolved to set this record straight.
They changed ends – so Anderson came up the hill and Broad came down it – and sought a full length. The rewards were almost instant.
Broad had two wickets with balls of a perfect length and a hint of movement and Anderson one with a well-directed bouncer – and Sri Lanka were suddenly 12-3.
The only two reputable players – Angelo Mathews who averages 50 in Tests and Dinesh Chandimal – held England up briefly, but when Anderson came back he made the ball bend, jump and whistle goodbye to the batsmen.
From a perfect full length he took 4-1 in five overs and Sri Lanka were routed for 91.
He ruefully admitted afterwards that “it’s a shame its taken us nine years to figure it out,” but better late than never.
So you can teach an old dog new tricks.
With overcast conditions and the pitch growing more uneven by the hour – not to mention the next Test being played on a similar surface in Durham – this does not bode well for the plucky tourists.
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