Moeen Ali’s four-wicket haul puts England in commanding position of First Test against Sri Lanka
England lead by 177 runs at the end of day two with all of their second innings wickets intact
MOEEN ALI experienced the joyous side of Test cricket as his four wickets helped put England in total control of the First Test.
Moeen’s bonanza with the ball came just 24 hours after he was dismissed for a golden duck when asked to bat at No.3.
He was chiefly responsible for Sri Lanka slumping to 203 all out on day two of the First Test – a lead of 139 runs which England had extended to 177 by the close.
England are bang on course for a much-needed overseas victory having lost ten and drawn three of their last 13 Tests away from home.
It was good to see Joe Root’s side dominating Sri Lanka in the hot conditions and on spinning pitches that are meant to favour the hosts.
Remember, Sri Lanka have won home series against Australia and South Africa in the past couple of years.
At the start of the day, Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes completed a superbly controlled century on his international debut before eventually being last man out for 107.
Then Foakes held a catch from the second ball of Sri Lanka’s innings as James Anderson found the edge of Dimuth Karunaratne’s bat.
Foakes joined Aussie Peter Nevill as the only wicketkeeper to hold a catch from the second ball of his debut innings.
Nobody has done it from the first ball.
Later, Foakes also completed a stumping off Adil Rashid and snared a terrific catch to give Moeen his fourth wicket. So far, he is having the perfect match.
Moeen was asked to bat at No.3 because England’s original choice, Joe Denly, struggled in the warm-up matches.
But his stumps were re-arranged by the first ball he faced and the questions about whether he should bat so high in the order were asked once more.
He more than made up with his bowling, although he watched with alarm when Rory Burns, standing at short leg, was struck by a sweep shot by left-hander Niroshan Dickwella off his bowling.
As Burns ducked, the ball hit him between the shoulder blades near the base of the neck.
He was down for a while, received treatment and tea was taken.
With Denly fielding as substitute, Keaton Jennings took Burns’ position at short leg and held a catch to remove top-scorer Angelo Mathews from the very first delivery after the interval.
Thankfully, Burns was not badly hurt. He was able to return to the field and felt well enough to open the batting in England’s second innings.
Moeen was the most successful of England’s bowlers with his four wickets but there were two apiece for left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who bowled 18 tidy overs, and Rashid.
Anderson and Sam Curran removed the openers.
Apart from when Mathews and captain Dinesh Chandimal, hobbling around with a groin injury, put on 75 for the fifth wicket, England were given few concerns by Sri Lanka’s batsmen.
By the close, Burns and Jennings had put on 38 without being parted.
