Sri Lanka v England: England need Trott to dig in deep

Test previews / Ed Hawkins / 03 April 2012 / Leave a Comment

Jonathan Trott needs to play an innings like the one he did in Galle last week

"So it is with nervousness that one studies the stats for second-innings scores on this ground. Can past records be relevant when we are dealing with such timid minds as England’s collective grey matter?"

England had Sri Lanka in all sorts of trouble early on but failed to pick up the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene and so missed out on a great chance to dismiss the hosts cheaply. Don't bank on England to make a big score when they eventually bat, says Ed Hawkins.

It is fair to assume that at some point on day two of the second Test between Sri Lanka and England at the PSS in Colombo the tourists will have to bat. They are probably dreading it, particularly after a strong sense of déjà vu on day one.

Just as they did in the first Test, England started superbly, and reduced Sri Lanka to 30 for three - Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara have been hopeless so far - but then the heat got to them and Mahela Jayawardene ground them down, eventually breaking their spirit with another century.

The tone had been set once more by the Sri Lanka captain. England, sweltering and knackered, were going through the motions and were just waiting for the new ball. When it did arrive they made inroads and they will probably argue it was their day as Sri Lanka closed on 238 for six. They will need to show spirit and character more consistently when it is their turn to bat.

How likely that is cannot be gauged by the state of the pitch. It looks a good one but so did Galle and England collapsed twice horribly on it.

As we have said before it is unlikely that England will have solved their psychological issues against spin. If anything, they may be suffering more than ever before. Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv are tipped to give them problems once more.

So it is with nervousness that one studies the stats for second-innings scores on this ground. Can past records be relevant when we are dealing with such timid minds as England's collective grey matter?

The average score is 417 in eight Tests since 2002. Given that England have scored more than 300 only once in eight innings in the UAE and Sri Lanka this winter, don't rush to back them for 400 or more on the second-innings runs market. Instead, caution would be advised and it might be worth laying them at around [2.50].

As far as a winner in England's top runscorer market goes, we briefly discussed the qualities of Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell in the match preview. Having seen the conditions, it may be that Trott is best suited for what looks a war of attrition. Cook is not far behind, of course. He can bore with the best of them.

But as well as remembering Trott's second dig ton in Galle, one cannot help but be impressed by his assessment of his innings and, a thinly veiled swipe at his fellow batsmen. "I just played normally," he said. "I didn't try going in with any pre-conceived conceptions." That was a reference to England's obsession with the sweep shot, which they must cut out. Trott doesn't bother with it and might be our man at [4.70].

Sri Lanka are [2.44] favourites with England [2.86] and the draw [4.00].

Recommended bet

Lay England to score 350 or more at [2.50]

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Sri Lanka v England Day Two: Tourists face daunting chase

England Cricket / Ed Hawkins / 27 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Can Andrew Strauss put in an improved display in England's second innings?

"Of the last five fourth innings when a side has been bowled out on this ground, the average score is 174 while England's highest innings total in six attempts in Galle is 253."

England are suffering from a crisis of confidence, says Ed Hawkins, as he considers the reasons for their batting collapse and weighs up their chances of a successful chase...

One can muse for hours about the reasons behind why Englishman go to pieces on a soft, crumbly wicket in the sub-continent against wily, magical spinners. Perhaps it is because they are used to batting on green tops against medium pacers who like an ale and a pie at lunch.

Perhaps they can't see the flight of the ball through the sweat dripping into their eyes.
The collapse of England' top order in Galle on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka could have been down to both of those. More likely it was the result of lingering confidence issues from their 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Yesterday this column discussed why it was difficult to make an assessment on the match and the series until we saw how England coped.

Well, they didn't. They produced a timid, frightened batting performance which was exposed when James Anderson and Monty Panesar swotted the Sri Lankan bowling around the park with ease for 34 runs for the last wicket.

The chronic lack of confidence was most evident in England's obsession with the sweep shot. They view it as their get out of jail shot, a residual comfort blanket which goes all the way back to Duncan Fletcher's time as coach. As soon as they feel susceptible, they cling to the sweep. It has to be played well, though, and Andrew Strauss and Stuart Broad were both guilty of grasping too tightly.

Those two wickets were two of six leg-before dismissals if further proof were needed that this was the Emirates all over again. Matt Prior and Samit Patel, however, perhaps best personified England's mental state. They went back instead of going forward, misjudging the length horribly. Any cricketer will tell you that playing spin is all about judging the flight and these two were not even close. Between them, Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv claimed eight wickets for 100 runs.

Indeed, Graeme Swann's four-wicket super show in Sri Lanka's second innings was bitter-sweet. He ragged it square which will only have added to England's unease as they face the prospect of a daunting chase. With a lead of 209, Sri Lanka probably already have enough.

Of the last five fourth innings when a side has been bowled out on this ground, the average score is 174 while England's highest innings total in six attempts in Galle is 253.
Sri Lanka have won only one Test since Muttiah Muralitharan played his last game in July 2010 and, despite Herath being a pale imitation of the great man, they should make it two here. They are [1.42] with England [3.55] and the draw [42.00]. The best wager, predictably, is to get against England for 250 or more on the innings runs market.

Recommended bet
Lay England for 250 or more at [2.30]

Ed Hawkins, the Betting Writer of the Year for the second year in succession, has all the stats and analysis ahead of the match, which starts on Monday...

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ODI Betting: Jayawardene can steer Sri Lanka to the finals

ODI preview / Andrew Hughes / 01 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Jayawardene can lead the way to the finals

"Sri Lanka have already beaten Australia twice and they are quite capable of doing so again, particularly given that the Aussies do not need to win in Melbourne."

There's a simple equation for Sri Lanka in Melbourne: win the game to reach the finals and Andrew Hughes thinks they can do it.

March 2, Australia v Sri Lanka, Melbourne, Live on Sky Sports 1, 03:20 GMT

Team News
Australia's main selection dilemma is whether to risk captain Michael Clarke as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The signs are that he will be fit, but selectors may decide to give him an extra couple of days rehabilitation. Quick bowler James Pattinson is back in the squad and should come into the side for Ryan Harris.

Sri Lanka had been going well in this competition until their shock defeat by India on Tuesday, so they will not want to change things too much. They will though have to replace the injured Fervez Maharoof and are likely to go with another seam bowler such as Dhammika Prasad rather than a second spinner.

Venue and Conditions
The MCG surface should offer something for quick bowlers prepared to bend their backs but, based on what we saw in the opening game at the venue when Australia raced to 216 in 32 overs, this will be a batting-friendly pitch, with the true bounce enabling the more expansive strokeplayers to express themselves. There will be some cloud around on Friday, but no rain is forecast.

Match Odds
Tuesday's result has turned this final game from a gentle formality to a nail-biting eliminator. Sri Lanka's inability to defend a total of 320 against India will also have dented their confidence. The way that Virat Kohli was able to score at will from the bowling of Lasith Malinga was particularly worrying and both Mahela Jayawardene's use of the Powerplays and his bowling changes have been criticised

But I don't think punters should overreact on the basis of one result. Sri Lanka have played well throughout this tournament and it is in the nature of limited overs cricket that one brilliant performance like Kohli's can decide a game. Sri Lanka have already beaten Australia twice and they are quite capable of doing so again, particularly given that the Aussies do not need to win in Melbourne. At odds of [2.6] I'll be backing the wily Jayawardene to take his team to the finals.

Top Australian Batsman
Shane Watson struggled in his brief innings last Sunday and there have to be doubts over whether Australia will risk their captain for this game, so there aren't too many options in this market. David Hussey scored another half-century, but now that he finally seems to have discovered his touch, the tentative selection is David Warner, who should be suited by the MCG pitch and can be backed at [4.75] or better.

Top Sri Lankan BatsmanI
t was good news for Sri Lanka that Kumar Sangakkara finally got amongst the runs on Tuesday and he can be backed at [4.5] but the men to rely on in this market are the openers. Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a stunning 160 against India, but I'll be siding with Jayawardene. I'd expect him to respond to criticism of his captaincy with a solid batting performance and he is worth backing at [4.5] or better.

Featured Market
With a good batting surface expected at the MCG and some big hitters like Warner and Dilshan in form, the scene is set for plenty of runs. Backing 'Over 82.5' in the Highest Individual Score market at [2.0] is the way to go.

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Back Sri Lanka to beat Australia at 2.6

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India v Sri Lanka 8th Match Betting: India will miss Dhoni

ODI preview / Richard O’Hagan / 20 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Lahiru Thirimanne may get a chance to impress up the order

"Sri Lanka are the form team of the tournament. They have the most dependable top four batsmen and seem to have finally found an attack capable of bowling sides out on Australian pitches."

Sri Lanka are the form side at the moment in this drawn-out competition and the absence of the suspended captain MS Dhoni won't help India's cause one little bit, says Richard O'Hagan.

The past week has seen the fortunes of both sides reverse completely. Sri Lanka followed last Tuesday's dramatic tie against India with a comprehensive victory over Australia, whilst India went the opposite way. Not only were they thoroughly beaten by the hosts, captain MS Dhoni picked up his second one game suspension of the year in the process.

Team News

How India deal with the loss of Dhoni will be vital. Partiv Patel will replace him behind the stumps, but is nowhere near the same batsman, especially as Dhoni has been India's form player of this series.

Virender Sehwag will take over the captaincy again, but he has been having a poor series and with Sachin Tendulkar equally out of form, it is likely that Gautam Gambhir - the one Indian other than Dhoni to have made runs in this tournament - will open with him.

Dhoni's recent pronouncement that having all three senior batsmen in the side will cost the team twenty runs may be the only thing that keeps Ravinder Jadeja in the side; the IPL's most expensive player has been very disappointing in this series and has even fallen behind Suresh Raina as the spinner of choice, it seems.

Sri Lanka may well stick to the same batting line-up as against Australia. Captain Mahela Jayawardene clearly relished the chance to open the batting and with Dinesh Chandimal in fine form as well, it seems unlikely that they will alter their XI. They played four quick bowlers in that game and are likely to stick with that, although Angelo Mathews may still be having nightmares about bowling the 49th over which allowed India to sneak back into the sides' last meeting.

Venue and Conditions

The Brisbane pitch on Sunday was a curious one, appearing to become faster and bouncier as the game went on. Couple that with the two spinners used in that game bowling all of their overs for no reward at all and you can expect to see plenty of work for the fast men, with the slow bowlers being used in a containing role - and, of course, to avoid those slow over rate fines!

Match Odds

Sri Lanka are the form team of the tournament. They have the most dependable top four batsmen and seem to have finally found an attack capable of bowling sides out on Australian pitches. India, on the other hand, seem to be tiring after their long tour and have also had the wearying experience of several close games in this competition. Despite this, Sri Lanka remain outsiders for this match and therefore represent a good bet at [2.06]

Top Runscorer

The loss of Dhoni makes the Indian batting too volatile to consider at the moment. Sri Lanka, though, have four prime contenders in Jayawardene, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Chandimal. A good bet outside of this group might be Lahiru Thirimanne. He hasn't scored many runs in his three appearances (although he wasn't required to bat against Australia), but as an opening batsman in Test matches, he may well find this quicker pitch to his liking and may even be promoted to open instead of Jayawardene, if the conditions are right. He is available at odds of [7.0].

Total Run Outs

This is not the sort of market we would normally single out for a game, but in their four CB Series matches Sri Lanka have effected a remarkable eight run outs and been involved in another five when batting. That is an average of 3.25 per match, which makes the price of [1.7] on there being more than 1.5 in this game look rather attractive.

Best Bet

Lahiru Thirimanne to be Sri Lanka's top scorer at odds of [7.0]

The tourists are getting their act together while Australia are deteriorating fast and Andrew Hughes can see only one outcome in Brisbane

After their tie against India, it's crunch time for the Sri Lankans, but Andrew Hughes believes they can get the better of the hosts on Friday

Sri Lanka are yet to win a game in this tournament and this could be a good chance to do just that. They'll need a big knock from their skipper Mahela Jayawardene and they might just get that, says Richard...

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ODI Betting: Sri Lanka to edge scrappy contest

ODI preview / Andrew Hughes / 16 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

New boy Forrest can top score

"This match marks the half-way stage of the competition and with just 2 points from 3 games so far, Sri Lanka desperately need a win."

After their tie against India, it's crunch time for the Sri Lankans, but Andrew Hughes believes they can get the better of the hosts on Friday

February 17, Australia v Sri Lanka, Sydney, Live on Sky Sports 1, 03:20 GMT

Team News
Michael Clarke will miss this game with a hamstring injury so Ricky Ponting will take over the captaincy. Ryan Harris had a poor match last time and has been rested, whilst Michael Hussey, Brett Lee and Ben Hilfenhaus have all been called up. If he can prove his fitness, Lee will take Harris's spot and it will be between Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Starc for the remaining fast bowling position.

Sri Lanka have a settled top six but they have plenty of bowlers to choose from. They went with a two specialist spinner strategy against India and it nearly came off, so they will probably stick with that. Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara are fixtures in this format and Thisara Perera's ability with the bat will probably keep him in the side ahead of Farveez Maharoof and Chanaka Welegedara.

Venue and Conditions
Sydney is a tricky ground to weigh up. It can be a high scoring venue by Australian standards, as demonstrated last year when Australia chased down England's total of 333. But whilst a score of 270 is probably about par, there have been some dramatic collapses in recent ODIs at the ground and both fast bowlers and spinners have had some joy there. Interestingly, Sri Lanka have won 4 of their last 6 ODIs at the SCG.

Match Odds
This match marks the half-way stage of the competition and with just 2 points from 3 games so far, Sri Lanka desperately need a win. They have been bowling pretty well, they just haven't done well enough with the bat and key players like Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara just haven't had the impact that we'd expect.

Australia have a couple of wins under their belt already, but they haven't looked convincing in either of their last two games and the fact that they weren't able to defend a total of 269 against India on Sunday was a concern. The return of Brett Lee should sharpen their bowling up, but given that none of the Australian top three are batting well at the moment, the absence of Michael Clarke is a blow.

With neither top order in any kind of form, this is likely to be a low-scoring affair. These two teams fought out a last over thriller the last time they met and I'd expect this to be another closely matched contest, so in the circumstances, the [2.88] about the tourists is far more appealing than the [1.53] on offer for Australia.

Top Australian Batsman
We can't be sure where Matthew Wade will bat and both David Warner and Ricky Ponting are out of form at the moment. This leaves us with new boy Peter Forrest or the Hussey brothers. Forrest hit a solid half-century on debut and is worth a look at tempting odds of [7.5] or so.

Top Sri Lankan Batsman
Neither of the Sri Lankan openers has yet hit form and Kumar Sangakkara doesn't seem himself either. Dinesh Chandimal is the man in form and Angelo Mathews has hit some quick runs from the number six position but there were signs from Mahela Jayawardene that he was finding his touch in the last game and the captain is the one to be on at [6.0] or better.

Featured Market
Since we're predicting a low scoring game, we can capitalise by backing 'Under 82.5' in the 'Highest Individual Score' market at [1.8] or better.

Recommended Bet
Sri Lanka to beat Australia at 2.88

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Michael Vaughan ODI Preview: Sri Lanka are the better team

ODI preview / Michael Vaughan / 27 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

Kevin Pietersen loves batting at The Oval

"Whoever wins the toss will surely bat first so a safe bet may be to back the side who gets first digs on a good track. But if that’s Sri Lanka you will have lost the value so it may be just worth taking a bit of a gamble and backing Sri Lanka pre-match at a very attractive 2.4."

Michael Vaughan hasn't forgotten what happened the last time these two met in an ODI and is confident this England side in transition will once again struggle against Lasith Malinga and co.

I saw no reason why England went into the T20 match on Saturday as favourites and I'll say the same about this match.

The last time these two met was admittedly in Sri Lankan conditions but a ten-wicket defeat in any circumstances represents a huge gulf in quality. England were ok at the last World Cup with inspired performances against both South Africa and India in particular but the brand of cricket they played simply wasn't in the same league as that of Tuesday's opponents or eventual winners India.

The surprise for me is that there doesn't seem to be a definite plan to change the way the team plays. It's almost as if they've decided that there was nothing wrong with the approach at the last World Cup and that, if they carry on doing the same thing again, they'll somehow come good eventually.

The two big areas I think England need to address are in the way they approach their batting. The batsmen have to take more risks in terms of trying to clear the ropes and take more responsibility when it comes to converting good starts into hundreds. Scoring 50 off 70 balls and getting out can be a decent contribution on a low-scoring pitch but, on a wicket where you need to post or chase 300, you need your batsman to turn those good platforms into big scores. We saw Andrew Strauss do it a couple of times over the last year or so before retiring from limited-overs cricket and KP certainly did it when he first broke into the side. But there hasn't been enough of it recently. The best players like Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakkara don't think a half-century is a job done; they appreciate the need to kick on and make the most of the fact they've played themselves in and always target three figures when they get past 50.

The toss wil be important here because if it's a sunny day at the Oval you can post some pretty big scores. Whoever wins the toss will surely bat first so a safe bet may be to back the side who gets first digs on a good track. But if that's Sri Lanka you will have lost the value so it may be just worth taking a bit of a gamble and backing Sri Lanka pre-match at a very attractive [2.4].

Kevin Pietersen loves The Oval - now his home ground of course - and showed both during the Thirst Test and the T20 the other day that he's in good nick so he's my choice for Top England batsman at around [5.3].

I've had huge trouble picking a top Sri Lanka batsman over the past month or so and that's made even more difficult this time because we don't know if Tillekeratne Dilshan is fit to play. So let's turn to the top Sri Lankan wicket-taker market where Lasith Malinga is around [3.3]. He may not lead the respective charts or rankings for whatever reason but if there's a more feared ODI bowler in world cricket, I'd like to know about him. Especially when it comes to bowling at the death when you're not just trying to keep your stumps in one piece; you're also trying to score quickly. Because of his slingy action the ball comes at you from a very low trajectory and it's difficult to get underneath it. The best way to play him at the death is therefore to aim to hit the ball from where it came from: straight back past him, mid-off or extra cover. That's easier said than done though and I fancy "The Slinger" to be their top wicket-taker on Tuesday at [3.3].

Recommended Bets:

Back Sri Lanka to win @ [2.4]
Back Kevin Pietersen to be top England batsman @ [5.3]
Back Lasith Malinga to be Top Sri Lankan wicket-taker @ [3.3]

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Michael Vaughan: Sri Lanka the bet in this format

Twenty20 / Michael Vaughan / 23 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

Lasith Malinga claims the most valuable wicket in cricket as he dismisses Sachin Tendulkar in the recent ODI World Cup final

"England may be the World Champions but there have been some changes to the side since that famous victory and if the recent ODI World Cup is any sort of barometer as to where these two sides are in the limited-overs game, we have to side with the tourists at 2.28."

They're the World Champions but an inexperienced captain and the return of a fresh Lasith Malinga to the fore makes Sri Lanka the bet in this match, says Michael Vaughan.

I've talked about Stuart Broad's appointment elsewhere. I think he has leadership qualities and could go far as an international skipper but there's no doubt he has a hell of a lot to learn. Tillekeratne Dilshan will probably miss the match through injury, meaning Kumar Sangakkara will take over and few know the game better than that man. Fresh ideas and inspiration go a long way in this sport but there's no substitute for experience and on that criteria alone, it's very much advantage Sri Lanka.

There are plenty of other reasons to think they might upset the odds, though. At the moment they're a far better limited-overs side than they are Test team and the presence of Lasith Malinga has a lot to do with that. At his best, he's unplayable. He takes wickets at the start of the innings and at the death and even if he's not doing that, he's making it virtually impossible for you to score runs off him quickly. We should also mention Ajantha Mendis. He had a somewhat low-key Test Series but he's far more difficult to pick with the white ball in his hand. Then there's Sanath Jayasuriya. I was a little surprised that he's effectively been given two testimonials in meaningful competitive matches, before retiring for good. But then he went out and smashed 78 off 60 balls against Worcestershire, so the old fella's clearly still got it!

Bristol is an unpredictable wicket and it's one of those pitches where you never really know what a good score is. But it's a small ground and if someone like Jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Kevin Pietersen or Eoin Morgan gets in and starts finding the middle of the bat, we may see some big runs on the board.

England may be the World Champions but there have been some changes to the side since that famous victory and if the recent ODI World Cup is any sort of barometer as to where these two sides are in the limited-overs game, we have to side with the tourists at [2.28].

Eoin Morgan is England's best batsman in limited-overs and has been for a while. There's always the danger he may come in just a little too low down the order to give us a good run for our money but that's reflected in his price, and he's my pick to top-score for England at [6.0].

Recommended bets:

Back Sri Lanka to win at [2.28]
Back Eoin Morgan to be Top England Batsman at [6.0]

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England v Sri Lanka Live Blog: Day Four

Live Test Match Blogging / Jaymes Monte / 06 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

There was more cheering off the field of play on a rain-affected third day at Lord's.

Sri Lanka's middle order crumbled on day four to leave the tourists with a first innings deficit and everything still to play for in a game that looked to be heading for an inevitable draw. Jaymes Monte, accompanied by a six-pack of Bakewell Tarts, takes you through the day's play.

17:38 England 61-1
The umpires have called the players back out as the light levels improve. As a result the draw has drifted out slightly to [1.07], England are holding steady at [18.0] but these delays are not good for Sri Lanka's chances as they drift out to [46.0]. Cook and Trott need to re-focus and find their rhythm quickly.

17:25 BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY England 61-1
Beefy and Bumble are doing their nut on Sky comms! Despite the floodlights shining brightly the umpires usher the players off the field to a chorus of boos from the crowd. I guess this quashes the argument for day-night Test matches if we can't even have play at this time of day.

Let us know your thoughts by e-mailing us at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk

17:22 England 59-1
The light-meters come out and the umpires are having a chat as somebody from the crowd can be clearly heard shouting, "the floodlights are on." Whilst it's a fair point, I'm fairly sure Messrs. Doctrove and Tucker have spotted that one already. Trott and Cook are muttering, presumably about the light, not sure how much longer we've got here. The draw is in to [1.06].

17:08 England 50-1
Cook and Trott look to have weathered the storm here and are beginning to lay the foundations to what could be an impenetrable lead. The Sri Lankan batsmen certainly won't be looking forward to having to bat out another 50 or 60 overs to save the draw at the end of this Test match, making the [18.0] on an England win worth a few quid at least.

Trott glides one past backward point to bring up the 50 partnership between these two.

16:50 England 32-1
The floodlights are on now and taking effect as the players begin to cast four light shadows on the pitch; a bit like a giant game of naughts and crosses, except without any naughts. Apart from Andrew Strauss, of course. Ba-dum-ch.

Keep sending in your cricket related lookalikes to betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk. We'll be giving away three Betfair Brollies to the best suggestions at the close of play this evening.

16:35 England 22-1
The floodlights have been raised but not switched on yet. It looks particularly gloomy and ideal conditions for bowling. England, though, have their two from batsmen out in the middle and are looking to build a lead that could create a repeat scenario of the one that lead them to an unlikely win in Cardiff.

Trott is [1.8] and Cook [1.7] to get a second innings fifty and both can be backed at [3.15] to be England's top batsmen in this innings.

TEA England 18-1
A hugely entertaining afternoon session and despite losing the whole of the morning to rain the draw is now looking less likely than it was at the close of play yesterday. The ball is doing plenty and if Sri Lanka can get another wicket quickly after tea they'll heap more pressure on to the weary shoulders of the out-of-form Kevin Pietersen.

The tourists are in to [11.5] to level the series with the draw settling in at [1.2] and England at [12.0]. I can hear the Bakewell Tarts calling me from the cupboard so I'll be back in 20 for the resumption.

15:55 England 9-1
Trott gets a little bit of luck with just his second ball as a thick edge drops just short of the slips. Two balls later he plays a beautiful straight drive past the bowler for four and England's first boundary. Sri Lanka's opening attack are getting the ball to swing plenty and it's very much game on down at HQ.

WICKET AJ Strauss lbw b Strauss 0
Strauss is trapped plumb LBW and Billy Doctrove has no hesitation in raising the finger. England's captain wastes a review by questioning the decision; there was no doubting that one. Strauss goes to another left arm seamer. The ball is definitely nipping round and the draw tumbles out to [1.33]. Still worth a lay?

15:43 England 0-0
Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook are on their way out to the middle. Their first aim will be to still be there at tea which will be taken at 16:10. England are now [10.0] to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

My new favourite in the 'Betfair Brolly Bonanza' comes from 'fatboyrams' who likens a cricket stump to Peter Crouch.

WICKET UWMBCA Welegedara c Broad b Swann 6
And that is that. Graeme Swann takes the final wicket and Sri Lanka are all out for 479, seven runs short of England's first innings total. The visitors have added just 107 runs for the loss of seven wickets today. They'll be disappointed with that.

We'll be back in 10 minutes when England's openers will have a few overs to negotiate before tea.

15:27 Sri Lanka 477-9
Talking of short-priced backers there's been a couple of grand matched at [1.14] and lower on Sri Lanka getting 500 runs or more while Welegedara's heave down to deep mid-on gets those backing 475 runs or more out of jail.

England are in to [11.0] for the win, Sri Lanka are [17.0] and the draw is hovering around [1.16].

Meanwhile, news coming in from South Africa is that AB de Villers has taken over from Graeme Smith as the Proteas' limited overs captain.

WICKET CRD Fernando c Strauss b Swann 5
Stunning reactionary catch from Strauss in the slips. Swan finds the edge and the captain sticks out a mit and that's out. Sri Lanka are falling way short of where they would have hoped and those aforementioned [1.03] backers are in trouble. This hasn't been a series for short priced backers so far. Sri Lanka are 473-9 and 13 runs short of England's total.

WICKET HAPW Jayawardene c Swann b Finn 40
Another Jayawardene falls short of his 50, again to the outside edge and again from a very good Steven Finn delivery. The only difference is that this time Swann takes the catch in the slips.

Having been backed into [1.03] to take a first innings lead Sri Lanka are still 14 runs short of England's total. Finn is looking to get his name on the honours board now after taking his fourth wicket.

WICKET Herath st Prior b Swann 26
One shot too many for Herath as he comes down the track to Swann, makes no connection and is stumped by Prior. However, a quick fire 26 and a 50 partnership with P Jayawardene has nudged things back in Sri Lanka's favour in terms of either side getting a result.

14:51 Sri Lanka 453-6
Herath is going after Swann and Broad here hitting the former for six before lifting Broad towards long-on for an aerial four. He goes for a wild swipe off Swann in the next over but it lands safely between mid-on and mid-off. Sri Lanka are closing in on England's first innings total of 486 and are a [1.1] chance to surpass the hosts.

14:37 Sri Lanka 434-6
P Jayawardene has moved quickly on to 29 with the aid of those boundaries and is now available to back at [2.4] to go on and make his fifty. That looks a decent value bet.

Don't forget to e-mail in your cricket related lookalikes to betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk for your chance to win a Betfair umbrella. Ryan Sidebottom and Mick Hucknell certainly made me chuckle, if not the most accurate.

14:26 Sri Lanka 425-6
Graeme Swann is brought into the attack and, as is now tradition, nearly gets a wicket in his first over when Herath plays one aerially towards KP at cover. Broad has an LBW appeal that he, unsurprisingly, wants to review in the next. Strauss, wisely, agrees with the umpire and decides not to. P Jayawardene hits the next ball for a picturesque boundary before clearing the ropes behind midwicket in the next over from Swann.

WICKET MF Maharoof lbw b Broad 2
And with the final ball of that Broad over he gets one to duck in and strike Maharoof's pads. Maharoof considers the appeal but is convinced otherwise by P Jayawardene at the other end. A decision that replays prove to be wise. That's going on to hit middle.

England are in to [13.0], Sri Lanka out to [20.0] and the draw is [1.14].

14:11 Sri Lanka 409-5
Just as I praise Tremlett and Finn for their improved lines they each send a wild one down the legside adding more extras to the Sri Lankan total. Stuart Broad is brought into the attack and entices a wild shot from P Jayawardene that could of gone anywhere. It goes over the keepers head for four.

14:00 Sri Lanka 400-5
After an inauspicious start to the day those two quick wickets have, understandably, given the England bowlers plenty of heart. The line and length is a lot better from both Finn and Tremlett and England's 6ft 7in duo suddenly look a couple of inches taller.

Sri Lanka move on to 400 with a quickly taken single from the bat of P Jayawardene. The [1.3] on Sri Lanka making 500 that was being backed at the start of the day is now out to [2.17].

WICKET TT Samaraweera c Prior b Tremlett 9
A double breakthrough for England as Samaraweera plays a poor shot to Tremlett's first ball of the over. There was no footwork from the batsman there, he wafts at one and the edge goes through to Prior behind the stumps. Two new batsmen at the crease and England are back in this match.

Both sides can be backed at odds of [19.0] in the match odds with the draw lengthening slightly to [1.11].

WICKET DPMD Jayawardene c Cook b Finn 49
Mahela Jayawardene falls one short of his fifty as Finn finally aims one at the stumps, finds the outside edge and Alastair Cook does the rest. More importantly we don't have the problem of having to deal with two Jayawardene's at the crease as Prasanna comes out to replace his namesake.

13:33 Sri Lanka 390-3
England's bowlers continue with their consistently inconsistent lines; very few being bowled at the stumps and far too many drifting down the leg side. Another one down the leg side from Finn beats a diving Matt Prior and goes for four byes taking Sri Lanka's extras for the innings over the fifty mark!

13:23 Sri Lanka 379-3
England are looking spritely in the field but not a lot happening so far. Steven Finn continues from the Pavilion End in tandem with Chris Tremlett. Jayawardene is edging closer to what would be his 39th Test match fifty as he moves on to 44.

13:10 Sri Lanka 372-3
As Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera stride out into the middle Sri Lanka are priced at [1.33] to pass the 500 mark with their first innings total and it is [1.9] that they break the 550 barrier.

The draw is still a short [1.09] in the match odds market with England at [50.0] and Sri Lanka at [15.0] to level the series.

13:04 Sri Lanka 372-3
We're all set for a 13:10 start. Weather permitting we'll have three hours play through to tea, which will be taken at 16:10 until 16:30, then the evening session will run officially until 19:00 with another 30 minutes available if needed (it will be) and if the light is good enough (it might not be). Steven Finn will finish the over that he started yesterday, after that we'll have another 83 overs. So, not far off a full day of play in terms of overs to be bowled.

The best entry for our 'Betfair Brolly Bonanza' so far is Matt Prior and Jason Statham. England's wicketkeeper could have played quite an appropriate roll in Snatch.

LUNCH Sri Lanka 372-3
Looks as though we should be ready to resume play after lunch at 13:10, providing, of course, there is no more rain.

I'm off for a ham and mascarpone ciabatta (I'm classy like that) before getting stuck into these Bakewell tarts. Join me at 13:10 for the resumption. Hopefully.

Don't forget to send your cricket related lookalikes in to betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk for your chance to win a Betfair brolly.

12:16 Sri Lanka 372-3
Still no news from the middle but with lunch being taken at 12:30 we certainly won't be seeing any play until 13:10 at the earliest.

If you're craving some live sporting action then the first major grass court tennis tournament of the year is underway at Queen's Club and BBC coverage begins shortly. Rafael Nadal is made the betting favourite to follow up his French Open success with another tournament victory; Andy Murray is the [6.0] second favourite.

11:45 Sri Lanka 372-3
The latest news is that an early lunch will be taken at 12:30. Umpires will inspect again at 12:10 before lunch, so hopefully we can restart straight after the interval. The forecast is better for this afternoon.

11:33 Sri Lanka 372-3
It's still drizzling at Lord's so the umpires did not go out to inspect the pitch at 11:30 as planned. The draw has now dipped to a match low of [1.08], England are out to [55.0] and Sri Lanka remain at [15.0].

11:26
Okay, here we go. It's time for the first 'Betfair Brolly Bonanza' (copyright) giveaway. To win an uber-cool Betfair umbrella you're going to need to make us laugh, or at least smirk, on this dreary and grey morning.

Send us your best cricket related lookalikey, and if we like it, if we really like it, then we'll send you an umbrella. The more original, the better; you won't be winning any prizes for telling us Daniel Vettori looks like Louis Theroux or likening Ricky Ponting to George W. Bush.

Send your entries to betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk

11:04 Sri Lanka 372-3
In keeping with the traditional British summer - the glories of which have been experienced in full at Lord's over the past few days - we've a few snazzy Betfair umbrella's to give away over the course of today. Details on how you can win one will follow shortly.

Latest news from out in the middle is that we'll have an inspection at 11:30. We'll let you know what comes of that.

10:53 Sri Lanka 372-3
The rain has stopped. The umpires are out in the middle and groundstaff are doing their thang. No official word yet but it is looking a little more promising for some play this morning.

10:40 Sri Lanka 372-3
Good morning and welcome to the fourth day of the second Test between England and Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately the covers are on at HQ and the word on the street is that the rain may hang around until at least midday. When we do get underway Sri Lanka will resume with their first target being to eliminate a 114 run deficit. If you didn't see yesterday's limited amount of play Andrew Hughes has summarised things nicely here.

The draw is currently trading at [1.1], Sri Lanka are the most likely force a result at [15.0] with England at [34.0].

Sri Lanka fought back well on Day Two but they are still a long way behind and England will be hoping for another collapse of Cardiff proportions. Andrew Hughes is following all the Sunday action at the home of cricket

England fought back well after a shaky start on Friday. Can Sri Lanka fight back on a good batting wicket? Fuelled by tea, cake and the occasional cucumber sandwich, Andrew Hughes will be talking us through Saturday's action

We can't have another repeat of the drama we witnessed in the First Test, can we? Well why not? Looking out for the next 1000.0 shot coming good, talking us through all the action and briefing us on his choice...

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England v Sri Lanka Live Blog: Day five in Cardiff

Live Test Match Blogging / Andrew Hughes / 30 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

It's raining in Wales. There's a surprise...

Rain has stopped play getting under way on the final day of the first Test but Andrew Hughes is on hand with the updates should we see some action

WICKET Perera c Bell b Broad 20
Feisty innings from Perera ended by a brilliant catch at short leg from Bell. England are on the brink of something extraordinary.

17:22 Sri Lanka 72-8
Slapstick from the England fielders, Bell and the substitute Walters both going for a catch and colliding with each other. Both are okay, Perera survives with a rather fortunate single to his name. Mendis digging in as best he can.

17:15 Sri Lanka 64-8
Perera is fighting back, three stinging boundaries, although the last was ushered over the ropes by the England substitue fielder, to keep Mendis on strike. 36 runs required to make England bat again.

WICKET Herath lbw b Swann 3
Horrible horrible shot. Swann has another wicket without even trying. Looks like Sri Lanka have somewhere to be this evening.

WICKET H Jayawardene c Prior b Tremlett 3
Wild shot, a hook and the faintest deflection off the glove. England go for the review and get the wicket. 32 overs to go and it could be all over. Sri Lanka are playing like it's a Twenty20 game.

WICKET Maharoof c Prior b Swann 0
Unbelievable! Maharoof plays a nothing shot and gets caught behind. Sri Lanka are throwing it away. The England win is now shorter than the draw at [1.74]

WICKET K Sangakkara c Strauss b Swann
Beautiful delivery from Swann, but not a great shot from Sangakkara, tentative and gets the edge. Sri Lanka are folding under pressure.

16:50 Sri Lanka 37-4
Big shout for a catch, but ball missed bat. Tremlett causing all sorts of problems here. [4.8] about an England win and the draw is creeping up to [1.26]

WICKET T Samaraweera b Swann 0
Another one! Samaraweera has been far too aggressive in his approach and then plays a shocker, slashing off the back foot to a fullish ball. Crisis time for Sri Lanka.

16:37 Sri Lanka 33-3
Sri Lanka are really struggling now and it should be remembered that they have a longish tail. Plenty of overs left, although they are only 62 runs behind. Having started the day at [180.0] an England win is down to [11.5]

WICKET M Jayawardene c Strauss b Tremlett 15
Great delivery from Tremlett, Jayawardene gets the edge and the game is really on. Samaraweera comes out to bat and he's carrying an injury

TEA Sri Lanka 33-2
The two old hands have survived until tea, but their work is not yet done. Another 39 overs in the day, potentially and the game has become interesting. I'm off for a cup of tea and a slice of Battenburg. Back in 20.

15:54 Sri Lanka 21-2
Tense cricket, not before time. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are battling hard to survive to tea. Possibly 44 overs left in the day for England to take another 8 wickets. But they need to separate this partnership.

WICKET Dilshan c and b Tremlett 10
Unlucky from Dilshan, the ball balloons off glove, thigh pad and loops back towards the bowler who scoops it up gratefully. Now it's really getting interesting. England win plummets to [16.0]

WICKET Paranavitana c Strauss b Tremlett 0
Now then. Good delivery from Tremlett, pushed at by Paranavitana. England win price collapses to [36.0]

15:20 Sri Lanka 0-0
Right, here we go. Sri Lankan batsmen coming out. 50 minutes to go till tea. If the miracle is going to happen, England need 3-4 wickets before then. Broad will have the new ball. We've waited a long time for some interesting cricket.

15:07 England 492-5
Bell gets his hundred, they all run off and England have declared. Slightly odd. Why not lash a quick 30-40? 96 runs the lead. If you're interested, an England win can be backed at [100.0]

15:00 England 491-5
Cricket at last! First item on the agenda: Bell's century. He needs three.

14:50 England 491-5
Groundstaff are out on the pitch and we could be 10 minutes away from the start of play. If it doesn't rain again, the two teams can't agree a draw before 6 pm. We could be in for some (more) turgid cricket. Let's home England are in a mood to put on a show.

14:30 England 491-5
Few spots of rain around but nothing serious and that 15:00 start is looking good. On the subject of county cricket, there was a revealing comment by former Glamorgan player and now journalist Steve James at the weekend, defending Cardiff's Test match status on the grounds that it is vital to Glamorgan's survival. Clearly county cricket depends on the national team and not the other way round.

14:00 England 491-5
Ah, apparently we might start at 15:00. Optimistic, but still, you never know. Elsewhere, Sussex are piling up the runs against Yorkshire, currently on 430-3. The south coast county are currently going well in the four day game and available at [9.8] for the Championship.

13:55 England 491-5
Technically it isn't raining at the moment. Water is everywhere though, some of the groundstaff mopping up, but the ground is deserted spectator-wise. Still no news on any inspection. We must be getting close to play being called off for the day.

13:30 England 491-5
Still raining a little and no news on when play might start. Tomorrow's forecast is for a clear day with no precipitation.The weather gods clearly have a sense of humour. Perhaps the next Cardiff Test should be played at the Millenium Stadium with its handy roof.

13:05 England 491-5
Much talk about KP in the papers this morning. Apparently he works hard at his game, spends a lot of time in the nets, and yet has not ironed out his weakness against left-armers. I can remember him being dismissed by Shakib Al Hasan last summer, playing all round a straight one. A year on and he still hasn't sorted it out.

12:45 England 491-5
Lots of cricket elsewhere today, not least in Belfast where Ireland have made a solid start in the second one day international against Pakistan are currently 131-2. If you fancy the Irish to pull off another shock and give the ICC a timely reminder of their claims to be part of the next World Cup, you can back them at [3.5]

12:24 England 491-5
Afternoon. Apologies for the slightly delayed start to today's blog but absolutely nothing is happening in Cardiff. Early lunch on its way at 12:30 with a reasonable chance of some play after that. There is some debate over what England should do today: thrash the ball around and go for a declaration or play out time. I know what most spectators would prefer. Get in touch at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk and let me know what you think England's tactics should be today

Centuries from Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook on day three mean any chance of Sri Lanka winning the match are gone and an acceleration in the run rate may actually give England a chance of winning the match. Andrew Hughes...

England will have to bat all day and score relatively quickly if they're to have any chance of forcing a win in the First Test. In between the stats, the betting and meticulous description of cakes and refreshments, Andrew Hughes...

Two late wickets saved England's blushes to an extent late on in proceedings yesterday but there's plenty of Sri Lanka batting still to come and England will have to strike early on day two. Follow all the action throughout the...

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Michael Vaughan: Only rain can save Sri Lanka in the First Test

England Cricket / Michael Vaughan / 25 May 2011 / 1 Comments

James Anderson can have a big role to play as ever if the ball is swinging early on

"Andrew Strauss has far fewer things to worry about. This is virtually the same side that won the Ashes a few months ago and these are of course conditions that should suit this side even more."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan gives us his take on the challenges Sri Lanka face in this Series, why Kevin Pietersen can come good this summer and how to approach the betting for the First Test.

There's only ever been one Test match played at Cardiff - the First Test of the 2009 Ashes series - so we don't have a huge amount to go on as regards assessing the wicket over five days. I did play a few county matches there over the years though and my memories of it are that it's a good batting track that doesn't really deteriorate so I'm expecting plenty of runs. If we cast our minds back to that Test in 2009 where England hung on for a priceless draw, it was more the pressure of the situation that saw wickets fall on the final day rather than any gremlins in the pitch. That said, if there's a bit of moisture in the air on the first day the new ball could swing and that obviously means James Anderson could become a huge factor; if England bowl first they'll need the Lancashire man to be on the money early on if they're to put Sri Lanka under pressure from the start because I suspect batting will become easier.

You have to feel for Tillakaratne Dilshan. In his first-ever Test series as captain he's going to have to do what no Sri Lankan captain has had to do for almost two decades: try and win without Muttiah Muralitharan in the side. Admittedly the spinner didn't take quite as many wickets in England as he did in other countries but there was always that fear factor about him and even on the flattest of tracks you always suspected a wicket was never too far away. To make matters worse Dilshan is also without Lasith Malinga, who has retired from Test cricket due to ongoing injury concerns. But some would say that, because the pace bowler has played so little Test cricket, he's not nearly as much of a loss as Murali.

Without those two and Chaminda Vaas, who also retired a while ago, I simply can't see Sri Lanka bowling England out twice, especially as it will take them some time to get properly used to conditions over here. That said, they do bat quite deep and in Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene they have three fabulously talented batsmen who can occupy the crease for long periods. England will have to make the most of any chances that come their way as regards getting that trio out.

Andrew Strauss has far fewer things to worry about. This is virtually the same side that won the Ashes a few months ago and these are of course conditions that should suit this side even more. The one player who Strauss may have a few concerns about is Kevin Pietersen, who by his own very high standards has been somewhat out-of-sorts. In the Surrey man's defence though, he did have a double hernia operation which is always tough to recover from, and his Test form has actually been pretty good. Pietersen's still averaged over 40 in the longest format of the game over the past two years. If you offered that to most Test batsmen around the world they'd bite your hand off. It's actually been in limited-overs cricket that he's struggled somewhat in but, if I know KP, he'll play his best cricket now that he's under a bit of pressure. He's just that sort of guy.

The forecast isn't great for the first couple of days with showers expected and that's the only thing that's putting me off taking the [2.08] on England. So the best way to play this is to back the draw now at [2.66] and lay off your bet if it goes odds-on. When you do that it may be best to keep most of your profit on England and a small green position on the draw with no loss (or win) on Dilshan's side. The weather could possibly save the tourists, as could an inspired second innings batting performance from one of those three I mentioned earlier, but I simply can't see them winning the match.

Recommended bet:

Back-to-lay the draw at [2.66]

Michael Vaughan tells us why England were right to go with Eoin Morgan over Ravi Bopara ahead of the First Test....

Michael Vaughan tells us why Andrew Strauss will be so keen to make an impact in this First Test and how Mahela Jayawardene is the obvious choice to top score for Sri Lanka in the first innings....

Betfair is delighted to announce that Michael Vaughan has signed up to become our full-time cricket ambassador....

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World Cup Betting: Sri Lanka v Kenya

Match Previews / Ed Hawkins / 28 February 2011 / Leave a Comment

Lasith Malinga could return

"There have been reports of discord in the Kenya camp with players squaring up (idealogically) to coach Eldine Baptiste. "

It's back to the one-sided contests as Sri Lanka host Kenya in Colombo on Tuesday. Ed Hawkins analyses this one. Follow him on Twitter here

London start time: 09.00

Team news
From the sublime to the ridiculous. Following the thrilling clash between India and England in Bangalore, Sri Lanka meet Kenya in a potentially soporific affair.

It would be good if the hosts could unleash Lasith Malinga, the wild fast bowler, to help ensure proceedings are wrapped up quickly. Malinga is yet to play and it would be wise if he was given a cosy route back. Game time for one of their most potent weapons is important.

The very least we expect of an associate team is pluck. But that may be missing from Kenya. There have been reports of discord in the camp with players squaring up (idealogically) to coach Eldine Baptiste.

"The coach has his own way of doing things which did not go down well with some senior players," Kenya chief Samir Inamdar said. "But ultimately, the coach has a duty to do and the players as well have a duty. I hope they will overcome those differences and play well."

Venue and conditions
The RPS in Colombo is a good batting wicket, as proved by the 543 runs scored between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Pakistan won that game as the toss bias proved to be reliable.

The side that bats first has now won 15 of the last 19. That shouldn't concern Sri Lanka this time, however.

Kenya have been bowled out for 112 (against Pakistan) and 69 (against New Zealand) so far. They may improve slightly but it would be a surprise if they breached 200.

Match odds
Kenya are as big as [36.00] and when a side is so massive it takes very little for them to shorten enough for a worthwhile back-to-lay. On the flip side, it will not take must for them to double in price especially if Sri Lanka bat first.

Top batsman - Sri Lanka
Mahela Jayawardene is [5.10] for honours and he may be the best bet in this market. Of course openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan are favoured to go well - they are around [2.40] - but they have looked a little cumbersome so far.

Top batsman - Kenya
Collins Obuya (61) has almost twice as many runs as Seren Waters (33). Both men can be backed at [4.00]. Steve Tikolo is the same price.

Featured market one
There were only three sixes in the previous match at the RPS. And there were only two struck by Sri Lanka against Canada. Between 0-4 sixes is the jolly at [1.40]. Between 5-7 and eight or more are both around [1.70].

Featured market two
Malinga will be included under Any Other for top Sri Lanka bowler if you reckon pace will be Kenya's undoing as it was against New Zealand. The problem is spin was their undoing against Pakistan. And you might have heard that Sri Lanka are well stocked in that department.

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