Sri Lanka need to face their demons
Shortly before stumps on the third day, Monty Panesar snared Kumar Sangakkara to dent the Sri Lankan fightback that had been built by half-centuries by Upul Tharanga and Sangakkara
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Shortly before stumps on the third day, Monty Panesar snared Kumar Sangakkara to dent the Sri Lankan fightback that had been built by half-centuries by Upul Tharanga and Sangakkara. Read what the papers have to say about day's play.
Sri Lanka's struggle in English conditions was expected and Aravinda de Silva tells us why in The Observer.
Sri Lanka will always struggle in England whenever they do not play a Test in August because our batsmen from schoolboy level upwards are not exposed to an adequate preparatory syllabus. On our wickets, yes, even Geoffrey Boycott's mum could make runs. But with our coaching system and cricket set-up, not even Michael Holding could become a champion fast bowler.
Sri Lanka, having shown all the grit and fight of a lap dog in the first two days of the match, at last exhibited something akin to tenacity. Sinhalese bulldog, say. They will lose all the same, writes Stephen Brenkley in The Independent.
Stephen Brenkley also says that Alastair Cook, Panesar and Sajid Mahmood are picks of potential as England plan for the Ashes in Australia.
In his first spell in Test cricket, Mahmood earned rave reviews by ripping through the Sri Lankan middle order. Stephen Fay writes in the The Independent that he is a promising sign of the Cooley legacy.
Mike Atherton also has words of praise for Mahmood's pace and potential. Atherton writes in the The Sunday Telegraph that Mahmood can thrive in all conditions.
More praise for England's youngsters. Vic Marks writes in The Observer that Cook has all the right ingredients.
Matthew Hoggard became the tenth English bowler to take 200 Test wickets. Mike Brearley says he's "utterly reliable, willing to take any role, never injured or unavailable" in The Observer.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo