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Sri Lanka give England attack of the jitters after Sam Robson century Sri Lanka give England attack of the jitters after Sam Robson century
(about 2 hours later)
Sam Robson has a very efficient forward defensive shot and it is not difficult to imagine English bowlers reclining with their feet up in the dressing room on a sleepy Saturday afternoon, saying: “Play it again, Sam.” England have a new centurion in Robson.Sam Robson has a very efficient forward defensive shot and it is not difficult to imagine English bowlers reclining with their feet up in the dressing room on a sleepy Saturday afternoon, saying: “Play it again, Sam.” England have a new centurion in Robson.
In his second Test match the 24-year-old opener, reared in Sydney but polished in St John’s Wood, reached three figures just after tea with a crunching cover drive. It was not a stroke of great elegance – and we should not expect too many of those from him in the years to come – but it worked just perfectly. He ran two and celebrated modestly by modern standards: a punch of the air, his bat raised to the crowd, with his parents watching, followed by an embrace from his new friend, Ian Bell.In his second Test match the 24-year-old opener, reared in Sydney but polished in St John’s Wood, reached three figures just after tea with a crunching cover drive. It was not a stroke of great elegance – and we should not expect too many of those from him in the years to come – but it worked just perfectly. He ran two and celebrated modestly by modern standards: a punch of the air, his bat raised to the crowd, with his parents watching, followed by an embrace from his new friend, Ian Bell.
Robson has plenty more shots in addition to the forward defensive but he uses them discreetly. At Lord’s, in his first Test, there were signs of nerves as he prodded away from his body at deliveries too wide of off-stump. Robson has plenty more shots in addition to the forward defensive but he uses them discreetly. At Lord’s, in his first Test, there were signs of nerves as he prodded away from his body at deliveries too wide of off stump.
Here, his judgment was much better. He barely missed a ball off his legs and, like the wise opener, he was initially more wary of attacking early in his innings on the offside. But, once settled, Robson gleaned runs with cut shots and cover drives. Twice he used his feet to the spinner Rangana Herath and popped the ball over the infield to the boundary. On the second occasion he registered the sixth six of his career. Like Jonathan Trott, he rarely bothers with such extravagances.Here, his judgment was much better. He barely missed a ball off his legs and, like the wise opener, he was initially more wary of attacking early in his innings on the offside. But, once settled, Robson gleaned runs with cut shots and cover drives. Twice he used his feet to the spinner Rangana Herath and popped the ball over the infield to the boundary. On the second occasion he registered the sixth six of his career. Like Jonathan Trott, he rarely bothers with such extravagances.
Robson accelerated throughout his knock, yet never appeared to be in a hurry. It was a very composed innings, which secures his immediate Test future and, like Gary Ballance’s hundred at Lord’s and Liam Plunkett’s five-wicket haul in the first innings here, his 127 has cheered up the selectors.Robson accelerated throughout his knock, yet never appeared to be in a hurry. It was a very composed innings, which secures his immediate Test future and, like Gary Ballance’s hundred at Lord’s and Liam Plunkett’s five-wicket haul in the first innings here, his 127 has cheered up the selectors.
A Robson innings may not have everyone purring with delight with the same enthusiasm as the bowlers in his dressing room. He is not the tidiest of batsmen.A Robson innings may not have everyone purring with delight with the same enthusiasm as the bowlers in his dressing room. He is not the tidiest of batsmen.
At the start, his shirt was outside his trousers – though it was tucked in by the time he reached his hundred; his pads look a little small for him, though this could be an example of his attention to detail since it is more likely that umpires deliver a “not out” verdict when the ball hits above the knee roll, which is more prone to happen when wearing little pads.At the start, his shirt was outside his trousers – though it was tucked in by the time he reached his hundred; his pads look a little small for him, though this could be an example of his attention to detail since it is more likely that umpires deliver a “not out” verdict when the ball hits above the knee roll, which is more prone to happen when wearing little pads.
He is rigid in his stance with his bat held aloft, and there is no great silkiness in his strokeplay. But this matters not a jot. Scoring runs is the game and, here, Robson did so with marvellous efficiency. His powers of concentration are obvious, his technique sound and unfussy and his reputation for being hungry for runs is growing fast. Eventually he was bowled through the gate by Nuwan Pradeep, when driving against the second new ball. By then England were in a commanding position in this Test, though they managed to squander that advantage in the final hour when three wickets fell for two runs. Even so, they led by 63 by at the close with four wickets in hand. He is rigid in his stance with his bat held aloft and there is no great silkiness in his strokeplay. But this matters not a jot. Scoring runs is the game and, here, Robson did so with marvellous efficiency. His powers of concentration are obvious, his technique sound and unfussy and his reputation for being hungry for runs is growing fast. Eventually he was bowled through the gate by Nuwan Pradeep, when driving against the second new ball. By then England were in a commanding position in this Test, though they managed to squander that advantage in the final hour when three wickets fell for two runs. Even so, they led by 63 by at the close with four wickets in hand.
The one early blot on Saturday was the failure of Alastair Cook to score runs. He was caught at slip pushing forward to Dhammika Prasad within 15 minutes of the start of a day made for batting; the sky was blue and the pitch was barely blemished. At the moment Cook needs runs as much for his own peace of mind as that of the team.The one early blot on Saturday was the failure of Alastair Cook to score runs. He was caught at slip pushing forward to Dhammika Prasad within 15 minutes of the start of a day made for batting; the sky was blue and the pitch was barely blemished. At the moment Cook needs runs as much for his own peace of mind as that of the team.
Robson and Ballance then joined forces in a 142-run partnership, which began warily in the knowledge that batting should become easier as the day progressed. Ballance needed some luck, especially against Herath. On 31 he was given out lbw but reprieved on review and later in the same over he was perilously close to a similar fate. On 61 he gave a sharp chance, which was dropped by Kaushal Silva at forward short-leg off the luckless Herath. In between, Ballance played the spinner with some panache. His innings, another reassuring one, ended on 74 when Angelo Mathews, bowling primarily to give the others a break, found the outside edge. Robson and Ballance then joined forces in a 142-run partnership, which began warily in the knowledge that batting should become easier as the day progressed. Ballance needed some luck, especially against Herath. On 31 he was given out lbw but reprieved on review and later in the same over he was perilously close to a similar fate. On 61 he gave a sharp chance, which was dropped by Kaushal Silva at forward short leg off the luckless Herath. In between, Ballance played the spinner with some panache. His innings, another reassuring one, ended on 74 when Angelo Mathews, bowling primarily to give the others a break, found the outside edge.
A lively crowd then had the pleasure of watching Ian Bell taking guard in his 100th Test match in partnership with Joe Root in the final session. Bell was given a welcome just as resounding as that reserved for the local favourite. And he did not disappoint, driving and gliding the ball through the offside, tapping it through mid-wicket while running skittishly between the wickets as if this was his first outing for his country. A lively crowd then had the pleasure of watching Ian Bell taking guard in his 100th Test match in partnership with Joe Root in the final session. Bell was given a welcome just as resounding as that reserved for the local favourite. And he did not disappoint, driving and gliding the ball through the offside, tapping it through midwicket while running skittishly between the wickets as if this was his first outing for his country.
For a while the boundaries came so thick and fast that the army of Dickie Birds (this was fancy dress Saturday and there were several battalions of Birds in the West Stand) gave up rising to their feet to signal four with happy synchrony. Meanwhile, in the posher parts of the stadium, the real Dickie, proud president of Yorkshire, was explaining the finer points of a rousing day to his guests.For a while the boundaries came so thick and fast that the army of Dickie Birds (this was fancy dress Saturday and there were several battalions of Birds in the West Stand) gave up rising to their feet to signal four with happy synchrony. Meanwhile, in the posher parts of the stadium, the real Dickie, proud president of Yorkshire, was explaining the finer points of a rousing day to his guests.
However, England faltered badly in the final 40 minutes. Bell was out for 64 a little unfortunately, tickling a catch down the legside off Shaminda Eranga, Sri Lanka’s best bowler. Root followed in the next over, opening the face of his bat against Mathews, a tame dismissal for the double centurion at Lord’s. Matt Prior might have been caught and bowled by Mathews before scoring – he has had some luck early in his innings since his comeback – and then Moeen Ali edged Eranga to give Dinesh Chandimal behind the stumps his fourth catch of the innings. However, England faltered badly in the final 40 minutes. Bell was out for 64 a little unfortunately, tickling a catch down the leg side off Shaminda Eranga, Sri Lanka’s best bowler. Root followed in the next over, opening the face of his bat against Mathews, a tame dismissal for the double centurion at Lord’s. Matt Prior might have been caught and bowled by Mathews before scoring – he has had some luck early in his innings since his comeback – and then Moeen Ali edged Eranga to give Dinesh Chandimal behind the stumps his fourth catch of the innings.
Chris Jordan, on 1, was also dropped at short extra cover by Dimuth Karunaratne in the penultimate over. After Robson’s departure, England had acquired the jitters. They still have the advantage but it is nowhere near as significant as it might have been. The England bowlers now have their pads on. Chris Jordan, on one, was also dropped at short extra cover by Dimuth Karunaratne in the penultimate over. After Robson’s departure, England had acquired the jitters. They still have the advantage but it is nowhere near as significant as it might have been. The England bowlers now have their pads on.