Bad day for England

By Sam Hathaway
May 14 2006

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene set out to make sure England weren't going to control the day for a fourth time. Sri Lanka dominated the three sessions in which England would want to forget in a hurry.

England woke up this moring knowing they were in the driving seat. It would take an unlucky day to dampen Englands hope and thats exactly what happend.
England's bowling was outstanding for much of the day, with three slips in place for much of it.
But the fielders were to blame for two missed chances that gave hope to both Jayawardene and Maharoof.
In the very next over it was Matthew Hoggard who was livid as Andrew Strauss dropped his second chance of the match with Jayawardene on 58.
Jayawardene eventually got his century after 191 balls and did this while constructing a brilliant partnership with 'night watch man' Maharoof.
Maharoof played well to get within distance of his fifty, before hitting from Liam Plunkett for four and six to get to milestone in 133 deliveries.
Maharoof played well to get within striking distance of his fifty, before hitting successive deliveries from Liam Plunkett for four and six to get there in 133 deliveries.
However Plunkett had improved alot on his bowling performance on Friday. Mostly down to the change of ends.
England finshed the day on a high though after Jayawardene fell for 119 before bad light hit day four with Sri Lanka 381-6, leading by 22.

Sri Lanka 2nd Innings
Runs Balls 4s 6s
J Mubarak b M J Hoggard 6 14 0 0
W U Tharanga c G O Jones b M S Panesar 52 126 7 0
K C Sangakkara c G O Jones b M S Panesar 65 156 6 0
D P M D Jayawardene c G O Jones b A Flintoff 119 220 12 0
M F Maharoof c K P Pietersen b S I Mahmood 59 145 7 1
T T Samaraweera c G O Jones b S I Mahmood 6 12 1 0
T M Dilshan not out 39 93 6 0
C K Kapugedera not out 5 18 0 0
Extras 4nb 2w 9b 15lb 30
Total for 6 381

Bowler O M R W
M J Hoggard 32.0 5 72 1
A Flintoff 31.0 5 86 1
S I Mahmood 21.0 1 81 2
L E Plunkett 19.0 4 69 0
P D Collingwood 6.0 1 12 0
M S Panesar 21.0 6 37 2
Fall of wicket
10 J Mubarak
119 W U Tharanga
178 K C Sangakkara
291 M F Maharoof
303 T T Samaraweera
371 D P M D Jayawardene