I've never been much of a fan of him at Test level either but to be fair to him he's done well this Series. I just can't see him and Stokes regularly playing in the same side when both are fit.

yeah thats kinda my concern, can we afford to have those two as the 3rd and 4th seamers behind broad and anderson

thing is finn has been pretty disappointing so unless we bring in someone like ball or footitt as 3rd seamer we are waiting for wood to get fit again

A good day to relax off and listen to TMS. Is there a better commentary partnership than Boycott and Aggers? The real odd couple.

I am in the perverse position of wanting Sri Lanka to have a good innings to make a game of it.

No point in reviewing that.

one of the quirks of umpires call , that was hitting less of the stumps than the bairstow one yesterday but he is out and bairstow survived

best spell of the series for finn and the 5th wicket taken by england this morning, couldn't really have hoped for a better session

new ball will be due not long after lunch so hopefully can mop up the tail quick

that looks a really sore one for cook , square on the kneecap

Looks like a chance for Compton and Vince to show something

I also prefer England to win good games.

good bowling performance for england to bowl sri lanka out for under 300 after being 162-1 overnight

lead of 128 so hopefully bat for around 3 sessions and get sri lanka in again around tea tomorrow

Watching so many things and lots of channel hopping, I didn't realise that Cook had gone to hospital after being struck on the knee whilst fielding:


That wicket is also going to lead to an early tea, after which England will get started with their second innings. Word is that Alastair Cook has still not returned from hospital after going for an X-ray on his bruised knee - so will that mean Nick Compton opening the batting?

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-...ch/913617.html

been the same , it looked like it could be a bad one when it hit him , he took the impact full on the knee, not just a glancing blow

Hales and Compton opening the innings

cracking little trivia question there on SKY

when was the last time before today that 2 right-handed batsmen opened for england ?

Atherton and Stewart ?

that was my guess but was wrong

rob key and michael vaughan in 2002

and that is probably the last we'll see of Nick Compton batting for England

compton fails to reach 20 again

thats got to be the end for him

Didn't realise that Rob Key had opened

14 years is a helluva long time though

root gone cheaply again, maybe a little unlucky as it kept a bit low

cook wont bat today they were saying so need to be careful here

Not a great game for Joe Root. Two poor dismissals but shows even the best of them can have an off game

Bloody hell I thought that was a replay

and a first-baller for vince

i always hate seeing players get out leaving the ball like that

Pradeep on a hat trick as Vince forgets he has a bat in his hand

Game on.

Is Root's place under threat.