SRI LANKA VS ENGLAND
Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralithian made history in the early hours (British times) of this morning on the second day of the Test Match against England as he took four of England's wickets to equal Australia's Shane Warne's world record of taking 708 Test Match wickets. Just one more wicket in this Test match against England would see him break a new world record.
England, though, ended the seond day of this game on top, just two runs behind Sri Lanka, and will surely take the lead tomorrow on the third day (out of five in total). Ian Bell has been England's star man in this first innings with the bat, scoring 83 runs (before being got out by Muralitharan) and England's star man in the field has been Hoggard, taking 4 wickets, whilst Sri Lanka's star man, with the bat, is Sangakkara who scored 92 before getting out by Anderson. England have four more wickets in hand with their overnight score being 186 for 6.
Murali ties mark to hurt England
By Rob Hodgetts
Muralitharan joined fellow spinner, Australia's Shane Warne, on 708 Test wickets, a world record
2nd Day (out of five) of First Test, Sri Lanka VS England
1st Innings
Sri Lanka 188 (59.4 overs)
England 186-6 (63.0 overs)
Sri Lanka lead by 2 runs
Muttiah Muralitharan claimed four victims to equal Shane Warne's Test wicket record as England slid to 186-6 against Sri Lanka in the first Test.
Muralitharan joined fellow spinner Warne on 708 wickets but was hampered in his quest to clinch the record as rain brought an early end to day two.
Ian Bell (83) and Michael Vaughan (37) shared a second-wicket stand of 107.
But Muralitharan's 4-30 turned the match on its head as England lost five wickets for 78 runs.
The visitors were in a strong position after skittling Sri Lanka for 188 on day one and Bell and Vaughan played beautifully for most of the morning as England sought to press home their advantage.
Bell resumed on 36 with Vaughan on 13 but the captain made no secret of his disbelief after being given out to a dubious catch at silly point from Chamara Silva off Muralitharan after TV replays suggested the ball bounced up off his pads.
The bemused Vaughan walked off with 37 but the in-form Bell forged on towards his seventh Test century before falling to a sharp catch by Silva at short midwicket off Muralitharan for 83 off 125 balls including 12 fours.
England edged to 145-3 at lunch but Muralitharan struck again shortly afterwards to trap Kevin Pietersen lbw after a promising knock of 31.
But the fireworks really began in the 59th over.
Kandy local Muralitharan had two big appeals turned down, one against Paul Collingwood in an almost carbon copy of the Vaughan dismissal and another against Ravi Bopara when a close catch was deemed to have hit the ground after leaving the bat.
But it was third time lucky for Murali as his next appeal in the same over was rewarded with the record-equalling scalp of Bopara, who edged a ball down the leg side into the hands of wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene for eight.
The home crowd were desperate to see their favourite break the record and the atmosphere built as England nervously saw out Muralitharan's next few overs.
But Fernando struck shortly after to remove Matt Prior for a duck to leave England two short of Sri Lanka's total before the umpires decided the persistent light drizzle had become too heavy.
An early tea was called with the ground now under torrential rain before play was called off for the day with almost three hours of scheduled play left.
SRI LANKA VS ENGLAND (at Kandy), DAY TWO OF FIVE
Ist Innings
Sri Lanka 188
England 186-6
England resume on 49-1 on day two in Kandy and Ian Bell and Michael Vaughan put on 107 in an impressive morning stand
Muttiah Muralitharan removes Vaughan for 37, caught at silly point, though replays suggest there was no bat involved
Bell nears his seventh Test century but falls for 83 to become Murali's 706th Test victim - two short of equalling the record
Kevin Pietersen forges on and steadies England with a solid knock in the company of Paul Collingwood
England reach 145-3 at lunch but then Pietersen is out lbw for 31 - that man Muralitharan again
England debutant Ravi Bopara faces a baptism of fire as he gets off the mark in Test cricket
But Murali equals the Test wicket record held by Australia's Shane Warne when Bopara edges to the wicket-keeper for eight
The Sri Lanka team rush to congratulate Murali after he equals Warne's record of 708 Test wickets
But any chances of Murali breaking the record on day two end with heavy rain - England on 186-6, two runs behind
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralithian made history in the early hours (British times) of this morning on the second day of the Test Match against England as he took four of England's wickets to equal Australia's Shane Warne's world record of taking 708 Test Match wickets. Just one more wicket in this Test match against England would see him break a new world record.
England, though, ended the seond day of this game on top, just two runs behind Sri Lanka, and will surely take the lead tomorrow on the third day (out of five in total). Ian Bell has been England's star man in this first innings with the bat, scoring 83 runs (before being got out by Muralitharan) and England's star man in the field has been Hoggard, taking 4 wickets, whilst Sri Lanka's star man, with the bat, is Sangakkara who scored 92 before getting out by Anderson. England have four more wickets in hand with their overnight score being 186 for 6.
Murali ties mark to hurt England
By Rob Hodgetts
Muralitharan joined fellow spinner, Australia's Shane Warne, on 708 Test wickets, a world record
2nd Day (out of five) of First Test, Sri Lanka VS England
1st Innings
Sri Lanka 188 (59.4 overs)
England 186-6 (63.0 overs)
Sri Lanka lead by 2 runs
Muttiah Muralitharan claimed four victims to equal Shane Warne's Test wicket record as England slid to 186-6 against Sri Lanka in the first Test.
Muralitharan joined fellow spinner Warne on 708 wickets but was hampered in his quest to clinch the record as rain brought an early end to day two.
Ian Bell (83) and Michael Vaughan (37) shared a second-wicket stand of 107.
But Muralitharan's 4-30 turned the match on its head as England lost five wickets for 78 runs.
The visitors were in a strong position after skittling Sri Lanka for 188 on day one and Bell and Vaughan played beautifully for most of the morning as England sought to press home their advantage.
Bell resumed on 36 with Vaughan on 13 but the captain made no secret of his disbelief after being given out to a dubious catch at silly point from Chamara Silva off Muralitharan after TV replays suggested the ball bounced up off his pads.
The bemused Vaughan walked off with 37 but the in-form Bell forged on towards his seventh Test century before falling to a sharp catch by Silva at short midwicket off Muralitharan for 83 off 125 balls including 12 fours.
England edged to 145-3 at lunch but Muralitharan struck again shortly afterwards to trap Kevin Pietersen lbw after a promising knock of 31.
But the fireworks really began in the 59th over.
Kandy local Muralitharan had two big appeals turned down, one against Paul Collingwood in an almost carbon copy of the Vaughan dismissal and another against Ravi Bopara when a close catch was deemed to have hit the ground after leaving the bat.
But it was third time lucky for Murali as his next appeal in the same over was rewarded with the record-equalling scalp of Bopara, who edged a ball down the leg side into the hands of wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene for eight.
The home crowd were desperate to see their favourite break the record and the atmosphere built as England nervously saw out Muralitharan's next few overs.
But Fernando struck shortly after to remove Matt Prior for a duck to leave England two short of Sri Lanka's total before the umpires decided the persistent light drizzle had become too heavy.
An early tea was called with the ground now under torrential rain before play was called off for the day with almost three hours of scheduled play left.
SRI LANKA VS ENGLAND (at Kandy), DAY TWO OF FIVE
Ist Innings
Sri Lanka 188
England 186-6
England resume on 49-1 on day two in Kandy and Ian Bell and Michael Vaughan put on 107 in an impressive morning stand
Muttiah Muralitharan removes Vaughan for 37, caught at silly point, though replays suggest there was no bat involved
Bell nears his seventh Test century but falls for 83 to become Murali's 706th Test victim - two short of equalling the record
Kevin Pietersen forges on and steadies England with a solid knock in the company of Paul Collingwood
England reach 145-3 at lunch but then Pietersen is out lbw for 31 - that man Muralitharan again
England debutant Ravi Bopara faces a baptism of fire as he gets off the mark in Test cricket
But Murali equals the Test wicket record held by Australia's Shane Warne when Bopara edges to the wicket-keeper for eight
The Sri Lanka team rush to congratulate Murali after he equals Warne's record of 708 Test wickets
But any chances of Murali breaking the record on day two end with heavy rain - England on 186-6, two runs behind
news.bbc.co.uk/sport