Sri Lanka 229 for 4 (Mathews 107*, Dickwella 19*) vs England
Day one at Galle was a battle of attrition between the most-experienced players from either side.
James Anderson, masterful with the new ball, miserly with the old, claimed two wickets in his third over of the day to have Sri Lanka tottering at 7 for 2, before nicking off another batsman the over after lunch. He bowled with near supernatural control throughout, probing incessantly outside that off stump, extracting swing and seam where he could, but ensuring that his overs were like a closed fist if not - giving nothing away. Of his 19 overs, 10 were maidens; his economy rate down at 1.26. Although Sri Lanka rarely scored quickly (on a flatter surface than had been in evidence during the first Test), no other bowler was anywhere near as good. Mark Wood took England's only other wicket.
But as earnestly as Anderson toiled, it was Angelo Mathews' arm-wrestle of a hundred that most imposed itself on the day. Mathews was respectful of Anderson, but quelled Wood's pace to excellent effect, frequently taking on the short ball, even when Wood was operating near 150kph/93mph. The spinners barely bothered Mathews at all on a track that is yet to take even slight turn. Mathews batted out many quiet periods, hitting only 11 fours off his 228 balls, but at no stage did he seem rushed. The focus was on batting time - keeping England in the field, allowing the sun to fall on this pitch and the wind to dry it out so that when England go in to bat the surface might offer something. Completed in the last hour of play to muted celebrations, this was his 11th Test hundred, and first in Galle. He finished 107 not out.
Through the course of the day, Mathews struck up three productive partnerships. The first was with Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka's centurion from the first Test. In the early going, Thirimanne was the more confident of the two batsmen as they attempted to rescue Sri Lanka from the possibility of another abysmal collapse. Thirimanne drove through the covers with confidence, and picked off the bowlers - particularly Wood and Sam Curran - who bowled too straight. He was on 43 at lunch - the first time he'd made successive 40-plus scores since 2015 - but was tempted into a stroke at an away-swinging Anderson ball soon after the break, which he edged to the wicketkeeper.
It was Mathews' partnership with Dinesh Chandimal, however, that was most beneficial for the team, the two ultimately putting on 117 for the fourth wicket, Chandimal making 52 of those runs. Like Mathews, Chandimal was unthreatened by the spinners, even coming down the track to launch Dom Bess down the ground for six midway through the second session. Against Wood, however, Chandimal was less comfortable, wearing several snorting short balls on the body, and occasionally being struck on the glove. He faced 26 Wood deliveries, before the bowler finally got him out with an angled ball that reversed into his pads, and struck him in front of middle stump. Chandimal reviewed the out decision, but the ball was shown to be crashing into leg. It was Wood's first wicket of the series, having had no reward in the first Test.
That wicket, which fell part way through the third session, was the last England would claim for the day. No. 6 batsman Niroshan Dickwella began his innings resolutely (by his standards at least), occasionally venturing an expansive drive, but largely choosing to follow Mathews' lead. The two played out seven overs of the second new ball without major incident, as both Anderson and Curran found swing through the air in the last half hour of play. Dickwella finished not out on 19 off 60, hitting only one four - a cover drive off Curran.
Although Sri Lanka may feel they had the better of the day, their slow progress (they scored at 2.63 runs across the 87 overs bowled), means England will still hope they can restrict Sri Lanka to a below-par total if they claim early wickets on Saturday. Chances are, though, their seamers will again have to provide the impetus for breakthroughs, this track having neutered spin so far.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
India v England: Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer return to Joe Root's squad for first two Tests in Ahmedabad
Last updated on21 January 202121 January 2021.
All-rounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer have returned to the England squad for the first two Tests of the tour of India.
Both Stokes and Archer were rested for the current series in Sri Lanka.
Batsman Rory Burns, who has been on paternity leave, also returns, but Ollie Pope is yet to fully recover from a shoulder injury.
Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Sam Curran will all be rested for the first half of the four-Test series.
The series begins on 5 February, with the first two Tests taking place in Chennai. The third match, a day-nighter, and fourth Test are in Ahmedabad.
England have only named a squad for the first two Tests, with further players due to be rested for the second half of the series as workloads are managed in a year that is set to include 17 Tests and a T20 World Cup, potentially all in bio-secure conditions.
National selector Ed Smith has confirmed that Jos Buttler will leave the tour after the first Test, meaning Ben Foakes will keep wicket in the second.
"It's a huge year of Test cricket and also a World Cup, a lot of one-day cricket alongside. We're going to have to look after players," said Test captain Joe Root. "With the climate and environment we're in, resting players is going to be vital."
Root expects stronger Sri Lanka challenge
Vice-captain Stokes, 29, has not played a Test for England since the first match against Pakistan in August.
Like Archer, he played for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League in October and November and was part of the squad for three T20s against South Africa. Both men were rested for the one-day series against the Proteas, which was subsequently postponed.
"You speak to any side in the world - those two guys coming back into it would give the squad a huge boost and it's certainly the case for us," added Root.
"I'm very excited to see them back in and around the squad, hopefully they are full of energy and ready to go when they get here."
Surrey batsman Pope has not played since dislocating his shoulder while fielding in the third Test against Pakistan at the end of August.
He is with the squad in Sri Lanka and played in England's only day of on-field preparation, but while he is fit enough to bat, he is still working towards being able to spend long spells in the field.
Of the trio to be rested for the first part of the India tour, all-rounder Curran and fast bowler Wood are the only England pace bowlers who will play both Tests in Sri Lanka. Batsman Bairstow has had little break from bio-secure conditions since June, having been part of England's home summer, the IPL and the tours of South Africa and Sri Lanka.
As well as a 16-strong main squad, England will also travel with six reserves, one fewer than in Sri Lanka, with Somerset pace bowler Craig Overton not included.
England won 2-1 in India in 2012-13, their first series win there in 27 years and India's most recent defeat on home soil.
In 2016, the tourists were beaten 4-0 in what proved to be Alastair Cook's last series as captain.
Even if England win the second and final Test against Sri Lanka, which begins on Friday, they are likely to need a big victory in India to stand any chance of reaching the final of the World Test Championship.
England squad for first two Tests in India: Joe Root (Yorkshire) (captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).Reserves: James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Amar Virdi (Surrey).
Day one at Galle was a battle of attrition between the most-experienced players from either side.
James Anderson, masterful with the new ball, miserly with the old, claimed two wickets in his third over of the day to have Sri Lanka tottering at 7 for 2, before nicking off another batsman the over after lunch. He bowled with near supernatural control throughout, probing incessantly outside that off stump, extracting swing and seam where he could, but ensuring that his overs were like a closed fist if not - giving nothing away. Of his 19 overs, 10 were maidens; his economy rate down at 1.26. Although Sri Lanka rarely scored quickly (on a flatter surface than had been in evidence during the first Test), no other bowler was anywhere near as good. Mark Wood took England's only other wicket.
But as earnestly as Anderson toiled, it was Angelo Mathews' arm-wrestle of a hundred that most imposed itself on the day. Mathews was respectful of Anderson, but quelled Wood's pace to excellent effect, frequently taking on the short ball, even when Wood was operating near 150kph/93mph. The spinners barely bothered Mathews at all on a track that is yet to take even slight turn. Mathews batted out many quiet periods, hitting only 11 fours off his 228 balls, but at no stage did he seem rushed. The focus was on batting time - keeping England in the field, allowing the sun to fall on this pitch and the wind to dry it out so that when England go in to bat the surface might offer something. Completed in the last hour of play to muted celebrations, this was his 11th Test hundred, and first in Galle. He finished 107 not out.
Through the course of the day, Mathews struck up three productive partnerships. The first was with Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka's centurion from the first Test. In the early going, Thirimanne was the more confident of the two batsmen as they attempted to rescue Sri Lanka from the possibility of another abysmal collapse. Thirimanne drove through the covers with confidence, and picked off the bowlers - particularly Wood and Sam Curran - who bowled too straight. He was on 43 at lunch - the first time he'd made successive 40-plus scores since 2015 - but was tempted into a stroke at an away-swinging Anderson ball soon after the break, which he edged to the wicketkeeper.
It was Mathews' partnership with Dinesh Chandimal, however, that was most beneficial for the team, the two ultimately putting on 117 for the fourth wicket, Chandimal making 52 of those runs. Like Mathews, Chandimal was unthreatened by the spinners, even coming down the track to launch Dom Bess down the ground for six midway through the second session. Against Wood, however, Chandimal was less comfortable, wearing several snorting short balls on the body, and occasionally being struck on the glove. He faced 26 Wood deliveries, before the bowler finally got him out with an angled ball that reversed into his pads, and struck him in front of middle stump. Chandimal reviewed the out decision, but the ball was shown to be crashing into leg. It was Wood's first wicket of the series, having had no reward in the first Test.
That wicket, which fell part way through the third session, was the last England would claim for the day. No. 6 batsman Niroshan Dickwella began his innings resolutely (by his standards at least), occasionally venturing an expansive drive, but largely choosing to follow Mathews' lead. The two played out seven overs of the second new ball without major incident, as both Anderson and Curran found swing through the air in the last half hour of play. Dickwella finished not out on 19 off 60, hitting only one four - a cover drive off Curran.
Although Sri Lanka may feel they had the better of the day, their slow progress (they scored at 2.63 runs across the 87 overs bowled), means England will still hope they can restrict Sri Lanka to a below-par total if they claim early wickets on Saturday. Chances are, though, their seamers will again have to provide the impetus for breakthroughs, this track having neutered spin so far.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
India v England: Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer return to Joe Root's squad for first two Tests in Ahmedabad
Last updated on21 January 202121 January 2021.
All-rounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer have returned to the England squad for the first two Tests of the tour of India.
Both Stokes and Archer were rested for the current series in Sri Lanka.
Batsman Rory Burns, who has been on paternity leave, also returns, but Ollie Pope is yet to fully recover from a shoulder injury.
Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Sam Curran will all be rested for the first half of the four-Test series.
The series begins on 5 February, with the first two Tests taking place in Chennai. The third match, a day-nighter, and fourth Test are in Ahmedabad.
England have only named a squad for the first two Tests, with further players due to be rested for the second half of the series as workloads are managed in a year that is set to include 17 Tests and a T20 World Cup, potentially all in bio-secure conditions.
National selector Ed Smith has confirmed that Jos Buttler will leave the tour after the first Test, meaning Ben Foakes will keep wicket in the second.
"It's a huge year of Test cricket and also a World Cup, a lot of one-day cricket alongside. We're going to have to look after players," said Test captain Joe Root. "With the climate and environment we're in, resting players is going to be vital."
Root expects stronger Sri Lanka challenge
Vice-captain Stokes, 29, has not played a Test for England since the first match against Pakistan in August.
Like Archer, he played for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League in October and November and was part of the squad for three T20s against South Africa. Both men were rested for the one-day series against the Proteas, which was subsequently postponed.
"You speak to any side in the world - those two guys coming back into it would give the squad a huge boost and it's certainly the case for us," added Root.
"I'm very excited to see them back in and around the squad, hopefully they are full of energy and ready to go when they get here."
Surrey batsman Pope has not played since dislocating his shoulder while fielding in the third Test against Pakistan at the end of August.
He is with the squad in Sri Lanka and played in England's only day of on-field preparation, but while he is fit enough to bat, he is still working towards being able to spend long spells in the field.
Of the trio to be rested for the first part of the India tour, all-rounder Curran and fast bowler Wood are the only England pace bowlers who will play both Tests in Sri Lanka. Batsman Bairstow has had little break from bio-secure conditions since June, having been part of England's home summer, the IPL and the tours of South Africa and Sri Lanka.
As well as a 16-strong main squad, England will also travel with six reserves, one fewer than in Sri Lanka, with Somerset pace bowler Craig Overton not included.
England won 2-1 in India in 2012-13, their first series win there in 27 years and India's most recent defeat on home soil.
In 2016, the tourists were beaten 4-0 in what proved to be Alastair Cook's last series as captain.
Even if England win the second and final Test against Sri Lanka, which begins on Friday, they are likely to need a big victory in India to stand any chance of reaching the final of the World Test Championship.
England squad for first two Tests in India: Joe Root (Yorkshire) (captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).Reserves: James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Amar Virdi (Surrey).
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?