1st Test Day 2 ENG (575/9d) v SL (140/1)

SL 140/1

 Karunaratne c Prior b Jordan 38 
 K Silva not out 62
 Sangakkara 32 
 Extras 4w 4lb 8
 Total 140/1

Sri Lanka 140 for 1 (Silva 62*, Sangakkara 32*) trail England 575 for 9 dec (Root 200*, Anderson 9*) by 435 runs

Dip your bread, Joe Root will have been told since childhood on batting days like this. Like Oliver Twist, he dipped his bread and then asked to dip it some more. Sri Lanka did not possess a bowler with the capability to scold him. The outcome was that he became the fourth-youngest England batsman to hit a Test double-century, a poster boy for a new generation.

England's 575 for 9 dec was their highest Test score since they made 591 for 6 declared against India at The Oval three years ago. Sri Lanka responded in kind, losing only Dimuth Karunaratne in the 40 overs to the close, so encouraging the perception that a draw is achievable and that this Lord's pitch will remain a featherbed to the end.

There are a few lurking signs of indifferent bounce, however, and after a run of six successive draws between 2006 and 2008, there have been ten positive results in the last 11.

This was a bountiful Lord's batting surface and the Sri Lanka attack had serious limitations, but Root's response over eight-and-a-half hours was impeccable. He likes Lord's. Last summer, against Australia, he made 180 before missing out on a double century as he attempted a Dilscoop.

There was a uniformity in his progress. He reached his hundred just before the close on the first day. His 150 followed from the last ball before lunch on the second day, another clip through midwicket, an area where he was highly productive, this time off the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. Herath, too, was lapped for the runs that in turn brought up his 200, an immediate declaration, and an infectious grin.

"Grin away," Bill Sikes told Oliver Twist. "Grin away." But Sikes was menacingly brandishing a poker. Sri Lanka's fielders bore only warm congratulations.

Sri Lanka looked so disconsolate they might have turned Lord's, with all its trappings, into a day in the workhouse. 

Their over rate was criminal - 12 overs an hour on the second day as they stretched the game out wherever possible to spare their pace bowlers and generally failed to get on with the job. England were not too much better as seven overs went unbowled. Test cricket cannot afford such liberties.

Sri Lanka's response with the bat will have steeled their nerves. Anderson had Dimuth Karunaratne lbw in the first over, but Paul Reiffel's decision was overturned on review because the ball was too high. Karunaratne also edged Broad between second and third slip before Chris Jordan dismissed him with his third ball in Test cricket.

But Liam Plunkett's fire was extinguished by the pitch and the suspicion of a leg strain and a measured innings by Kaushil Silva survived into the third day after TV replays spared him a catch at the wicket off Broad when 39.

Matt Prior insisted afterwards that it was a clean catch, and cricketing instinct felt that way, but zoomed-in cameras habitually introduce an element of doubt to low catches and this was no different.

England earlier rid themselves of an unwelcome batting statistic when they reached 400 for the first time in 27 innings. As Jonathan Trott and Nick Compton struck hundreds in Wellington only 15 months ago, few would have imagined the canker that would take hold of their batting and the conflicts and personal trauma that would unfold. Back-to-back series against Australia can have that effect.

The jollity of the second day at Lord's had an entirely different feel. England made 129 in the morning session, rattling along at five an over. In no rush to leave the pleasuredome, they piled up a further 102 after lunch.

The new ball was only nine overs old when play resumed on the second morning. But the day was warm and sunny, the pitch sedate and Root and Prior already had 149 runs in the bank from the first day. 

The Middlesex flag flew at half mast in memory of their former coach, Don Bennett; many Sri Lanka players wore black armbands to mourn the death of the wife of their former bowling coach, Champika Ramanayake.

It was not long before Sri Lanka changed tack and started banging the ball halfway down the pitch in the hope of reminding England of their frailties against the short ball in Australia. All they lacked was a Mitchell Johnson. And a quick, bouncy pitch. And a hostile crowd. In fact, come to think of it, they lacked quite a lot.

Shaminda Eranga, short of match practice, had looked out of synch on the first day, but he carried the short-ball fight with resolve. Prior and Chris Jordan both fell to short balls into the body from around the wicket, Prior angry with himself as he fended to short leg, still 14 runs short of a potential century, Jordan looking more mystified as he shot in self-protection arced gently to the wicketkeeper.

That keeper was Prasanna Jayawardene, although he had not taken the field at the start of the day after injuring a hand in the warm-up. While Jayawardene had a scan - which showed no real damage Silva, a regular wicketkeeper, deputised.

Sri Lanka were content to encourage Root off the strike, but when they did so they met a barrage of blows from the lower order, briefly from Jordan and latterly from Broad and Plunkett. 

Broad's gung-ho innings ended on 47 when he slapped Nuwan Pradeep to deep midwicket - he might have been stumped on the same score - and Plunkett looked quizzically upon Sri Lanka's short-ball trap - fine leg, long leg, deep square leg, square leg and short leg, and pulled three boundaries in an over. 

He got out pulling eventually which on the law of averages alone was no surprise.

Root never became involved in such fripperies. He remained sharp of wit and clean of stroke, never rushed (at least not until the closing overs), but always keen enough to keep his innings interesting. It was an innings which might have shaped a career. Whether it will reshape the game remains to be seen. 

Tea Sri Lanka 35 for 0 trail England 575 for 9 dec (Root 200*, Anderson 9*) by 540 runs

Dip your bread, Joe Root will have been told since childhood on days like this. Like Oliver Twist, he dipped his bread and then asked to dip it some more. Sri Lanka did not possess a bowler with the capability to scold him. 

The outcome was that he became the fourth-youngest England batsman to hit a Test double-century, a poster boy for a new generation.

This was a bountiful Lord's batting surface and the Sri Lanka attack had serious limitations, but Root's response over eight-and-a-half hours was impeccable.

There was a uniformity in his progress. He reached his hundred just before the close on the first day. 

His 150 followed from the last ball before lunch on the second day, another clip through midwicket, an area where he was highly productive, this time off the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. Herath, too, was lapped for the runs that in turn brought up his 200, an immediate declaration, and an infectious grin.

"Grin away," Bill Sikes told Oliver Twist. "Grin away." But Sikes was menacingly brandishing a poker. Sri Lanka's fielders bore only warm congratulations.

Sri Lanka looked so disconsolate they might have turned Lord's, with all its trappings, into a day in the workhouse. 

Their over rate was criminal - 12 overs an hour on the second day as they stretched the game out wherever possible to spare their pace bowlers and generally failed to get on with the job. 

Test cricket cannot afford such liberties, and Sri Lanka's captain, Angelo Mathews, should reflect on it.

Root likes Lord's. Last summer, against Australia, he made 180 before missing out on a double century as he attempted a Dilscoop. England, who would surely have declared with nine down in normal circumstances, kept the game running to give him a chance to make amends.

England's 575 for 9 dec was their highest Test score since they made 591 for 6 declared against India at The Oval three years ago. 

Sri Lanka's will have strong hopes that a draw is achievable and that the Lord's pitch will remain a featherbed to the end but, after a run of successive draws between 2006 and 2008, there have been ten positive results in the last 11.

England earlier rid themselves of an unwelcome batting statistic when they reached 400 for the first time in 27 innings on the second morning of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's. 

As Jonathan Trott and Nick Compton struck hundreds in Wellington only 15 months ago, few would have imagined the canker that would take hold of their batting and the conflicts and personal trauma that would unfold. 

Back-to-back series against Australia can have that effect.

The jollity of the second day at Lord's had an entirely different feel. England made 129 in the session, rattling along at five an over. In no rush to leave the pleasuredome, they piled up a further 102 after lunch.

The new ball was only nine overs old when play resumed on the second morning. But the day was warm and sunny, the pitch sedate and Root's sixth-wicket stand with Matt Prior was already worth 149. 

The Middlesex flag flew at half mast in memory of their former coach, Don Bennett; many Sri Lanka players wore black armbands to mourn the death of the wife of their former bowling coach, Champika Ramanayake.

It was not long before Sri Lanka changed tack and started banging the ball halfway down the pitch in the hope of discovering some indifferent bounce and reminding England of their frailties against the short ball in Australia. 

All they lacked was a Mitchell Johnson. And a quick, bouncy pitch. And a hostile crowd. In fact, come to think of it, they lacked quite a lot.

Shaminda Eranga, short of match practice, had looked out of synch on the first day, but he carried the short-ball fight with resolve. 

Prior and Chris Jordan both fell to short balls into the body from around the wicket, Prior angry with himself as he fended to short leg, still 14 runs short of a potential century, Jordan looking more mystified as he shot in self-protection arced gently to the wicketkeeper.

That keeper was Prasanna Jayawardene, although he had not taken the field at the start of the day after injuring a hand in the warm-up. While Jayawardene had a scan - which showed no real damage - Kaushal Silva, a regular wicketkeeper, deputised.

Prior and Root's stand of 171 in 39 was an England sixth-wicket record against Sri Lanka and Root, apart from one gloved pull shot against Eranga which flew close to Kaushal, the stand-in wicketkeeper, pottered along amiably, his appetite for batting far from sated.

Sri Lanka were content to encourage him off the strike, but when they did so they met a barrage of blows, briefly from Jordan and latterly from Broad.

Stuart Broad's relaxed 47 from 38 balls, assisted by some poorly directed Sri Lanka bowling, confirmed England's position of authority on a bountiful morning for batting, He was fortunate not to be stumped - the third umpire reprieving him on a marginal call, also when he was 47 - when Herath beat his defensive stretch, but he slapped Nuwan Pradeep to deep midwicket in the following over without adding to his score.

Sri Lanka's fielding was not short of lapses. Pradeep ran the wrong way at long leg as Jordan's pull at Eranga flew over his head; Eranga dropped a sitter off Pradeep in the penultimate over before lunch as Liam Plunkett, on 2, pulled in front of square. The Fast Bowlers' Union is clearly not what it was. Not many are.

Plunkett can bat. Not many Test No. 10s, though, have been able to observe bowling tactics so quizzically. After lunch Sri Lanka set five fielders for the pull - fine leg, long leg, deep square leg, square leg, short leg. 

Plunkett pulled three boundaries in an over. Until he also fell to a pull, lobbing Pradeep to midwicket, it was the easiest return to Test cricket imaginable. There again, he had to bowl on it yet. 

ENG 575/9d

Lunch England 473 for 8 (Root 152*, Plunkett 2*) v Sri Lanka

England rid themselves of an unwelcome batting statistic when they reached 400 for the first time in 27 innings on the second morning of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's. 

As Jonathan Trott and Nick Compton struck hundreds in Wellington only 15 months ago, few would have imagined the canker that would take hold of their batting and the conflicts and personal trauma that would unfold. 

Back-to-back series against Australia can have that effect.

The jollity of the second morning at Lord's had an entirely different feel. England made 129 in the session, rattling along at five an over as Sri Lanka, criminally, only bowled 24 overs in the session, stretching the game out whenever they could to spare their pace bowlers and generally not getting on with the job.

Stuart Broad's relaxed 47 from 38 balls confirmed England's position of authority on a bountiful morning for batting, but the figure of permanence was Joe Root. Root had reached his hundred just before the close on the first day. 

His 150 followed from the last ball of the session, another clip through midwicket, an area where he has been very productive, this time off the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

The new ball was only nine overs old when play resumed on the second morning. But the day was warm and sunny, the pitch sedate and Root's sixth-wicket stand with Matt Prior was already worth 135. 

The Middlesex flag flew at half mast in memory of their former coach, Don Bennett; many Sri Lanka players wore black armbands to mourn the death of the wife of their former bowling coach, Champika Ramanayake.

It was not long before Sri Lanka changed tack and started banging the ball halfway down the pitch in the hope of discovering some indifferent bounce and reminding England of their frailties against the short ball in Australia. 

All they lacked was a Mitchell Johnson. And a quick, bouncy pitch. And a hostile crowd. In fact, come to think of it, they lacked quite a lot.

Shaminda Eranga, short of match practice, had looked out of synch on the first day, but he carried the short-ball fight with resolve. 

Prior and Chris Jordan both fell to balls into the body from around the wicket, Prior angry with himself as he fended to short leg, still 14 runs short of a potential century, Jordan looking more mystified as a shot in self-protection arced gently to the wicketkeeper.

That keeper was Prasanna Jayawardene, although he had not taken the field at the start of the day after injuring a hand in the warm-up. While Jayawardene had a scan - which showed no real damage - Kaushal Silva, a regular wicketkeeper, deputised.

Prior and Root's stand of 171 in 39 was an England sixth-wicket record against Sri Lanka and Root, apart from one gloved pull shot against Eranga, which flew close to Kaushal behind the stumps, he pottered along amiably, his appetite for batting far from sated.

Sri Lanka were content to encourage him off the strike, but when they did so they met a barrage of blows, briefly from Jordan and latterly from Broad.

Broad's hitting was assisted by some poorly directed Sri Lankan bowling. 

He was fortunate not to be stumped - the third umpire reprieving him on a marginal call, also when he was 47 - when Herath beat his defensive stretch, but he slapped Nuwan Pradeep to deep midwicket in the following over without adding to his score.

Sri Lanka's fielding was not short of lapses. Pradeep ran the wrong way at long leg as Jordan's pull at Eranga flew over his head; Eranga dropped a sitter off Pradeep in the penultimate over before lunch as Liam Plunkett, on 2, pulled in front of square.

The Fast Bowlers' Union is clearly not what it was. Not many are. 

 Cook b Kulasekara 17 
 Robson c P Jayawardene b Pradeep 1 
 Ballance c P Jayawardene b Pradeep 23 
 Bell lbw b Eranga 56 
 Root not out 200
 Moeen c M Jayawardene b Herath 48 
 Prior c K Silva b Eranga  86 
 Jordan c P Jayawardene b Eranga 19
 Broad c Karunaratne b Pradeep 47
 Plunkett c K Silva b Pradeep 39
 Anderson not out 9
 Extras 6nb 10b 14lb 30 
 Total 575/9d

Morning all a summary of where we are in this test

Joe Root scored a composed unbeaten century as England began their recovery from a dismal winter by reaching 344-5 on day one of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's.

In their first Test outing since the 5-0 Ashes whitewash by Australia, an England side featuring three debutants slid to 22-2 and 120-4 after being put in to bat on a green-tinged wicket.

But Ian Bell (56) and Moeen Ali (48) started the fightback before Root and Matt Prior punished a tiring attack in the evening sunshine.

Yorkshire batsman Root, batting at five in a new-look top six, reached his third Test century in the penultimate over of the day to finish 102 not out and Prior batted with increasing authority for an unbeaten 76. 

1st Test Day 1 ENG (344/5) v SL

England 344 for 5 (Root 102*, Prior 76*, Bell 56) v Sri Lanka

Joe Root accepted the opportunity to put a disrupting Ashes series behind him by marking the onset of England's Test summer with a third hundred once again replete with promise. 

It was a polished affair against a Sri Lanka attack that initially prospered after inserting England, claiming four wickets for 120, but which found the going increasingly arduous as the first day progressed.

As a tinge of green disappeared from the pitch as quickly as a dash across a paint manufacturer's colour chart and the Lord's background hum provided a supportive soundtrack, Root was at ease with his game again, sitting primarily on the back foot and working the ball through the leg side with regularity. 

His drive down the ground against Shaminda Eranga to reach 96, though, told of better balance and his emotional response when he clipped Rangana Herath through mid-on for three was that of a man who had put his doubts behind him.

Sri Lanka will feel they lost control of the day by a few millimetres. England could have been 209 for 6 if Matt Prior, who made a pair at Lord's last summer, had been given out lbw for 0 to his second ball, against the left-arm spinner, Rangana Herath. They reviewed umpire Paul Rieffel's not out decision and failed by the narrowest margin.

By the close, a few millimetres had grown into considerable suffering. Prior finished the day unbeaten on 76 from 103 balls, his sixth-wicket stand with Root worth 135 in 30 overs. All that chest thrusting must put strain on his dodgy Achilles. 

England broke the day with 149 from 36 overs in the final session. For England's new coaching pair, Peter Moores and Paul Farbrace, it made satisfying watching.

By fielding Root at No. 5, England had done everything to release him from the inertia that gradually settled upon him in Australia. He is at his best when there is perkiness in his play and even though his hundred - his second at Lord's - took more than five hours, his decisiveness was evident from the outset.

The order was a source of debate for some all the same. As one armchair critic accused, recalling an old Eric Morecambe piano playing gag, England had picked the right players, they were just playing them in the wrong order. 

There were certainly a few bum notes as Sri Lanka swung the ball persistently before lunch to strike three times and added the wicket of Ian Bell, lbw on review in mid-afternoon, after an otherwise consummate half-century.

Sri Lanka's decision to bowl first had an element of self-protection about it. Fading green tinge or not (more Apple Essence than Cow Pasture even when the toss was made at 10.30am), the surface was dry and the weather settled. 

There can be a lot of difference between mid-May, when they normally visit England, and mid-June.

The originality in their Test attack, such an attraction on their past visits to England, has largely departed. The uniqueness of Murali, slingshots of Lasith Malinga and finger-flicking variations of Ajantha Mendis are all absent from this side. 

Rangana Herath is a throwback, a portly figure tossing up his left-arm slows at less than 50mph, but the pace attack was more conventional and was grateful for early swing and the chance to probe England's uncertainty. 

Sam Robson, making only a single on debut, Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance all perished.

The more you prop up a captain in difficulty, the more you risk the chance that he might fall over when unaided. 

England's managing director, Paul Downton, has made much of the need to provide an environment in which Cook's captaincy can flourish, but such a message can eat away at self-esteem and his first innings of the season was a strangely hesitant affair.

Robson steered his second ball, from Kulasekara, through into the covers for his first Test run, but he progressed no further. 

He knew the Lord's slope, having played his county cricket for Middlesex, but he was drawn all the same into pushing at an outswinger from Nuwan Pradeep which faded down the hill and provided an edge to the keeper. 

On Test Match Special, Geoffrey Boycott dissected his technique on the evidence of seven balls; such are the demands of international cricket.

Cook might have preferred a more physical threat from an out-and-out fast bowler. Instead, Nuwan Kulasekara, playing his first Test for more than a year and one of the slowest bowlers to take the new ball of recent vintage, unbalanced him.

He propped forward to his second ball to play and miss. 

He cagily clanked the last ball of the over to the cover boundary. His second boundary escaped through backward point as he aimed to the leg side. He was fiddly and hesitant. He sought to cut Kulusekara and chopped on to his stumps as he was cramped for room.

Ballance, a compact back footer, had been asked to handle the strains of No. 3, with Kulasekara relishing the Dukes ball's propensity to swing. 

He edged Kulasekara just in front of third slip, larruped a shorter ball perilously close to Kaushal Silva at backward point then fell to a ponderous drive to give the shock-haired Pradeep his second wicket.

Moeen Ali, on debut, began sketchily but, even in those early uncertain moments, for every streaky thick edge to third man there was a stylish riposte; ambition, too, seen in the moment when he deposited his first sight of spin bowling in Test cricket, a gentle delivery from the left-arm spinner Herath, over wide long-on for six. 

His ugliest moment proved to be his last, drawn into a drive at a wide one by Herath, beaten by drift down the slope and edging to slip.

The poise of Moeen gave way to the belligerence of Prior. His Achilles withstood a desperate dive for the crease on 36 when he chanced a second to Kulasekara's arm from long leg. 

But as he despatched Pradeep - and the second new ball - to the extra cover boundary for a half-century in 81 balls, his dirt-splattered shirt was merely a marketing company's dream as he communicated the fact that he was back in business. 

1st Test Day 4 NZ 508/7d & 156/8d beat WI 262 & 216 by 186 runs

New Zealand 508 for 7 dec (Williamson 113, Neesham 107, Watling 89, Latham 83) and 156 for 8 dec (Latham 73) beat West Indies 262 (Chanderpaul 84*, Gayle 64, Southee 4-19, Craig 4-91) and 216 (Shillingford 53*, Craig 4-97) by 186 runs

Tim Southee and offspinner Mark Craig demolished West Indies for the second time in successive days at Sabina Park to record New Zealand's second Test win in the Caribbean. 

Craig took four wickets in the final innings to finish with 8 for 188 in the Test, the best match haul by a New Zealand debutant.

West Indies were left to reflect on another abject batting performance. Their second-innings total of 216 was inflated by an 82-run stand for the last wicket between Sulieman Benn and Shane Shillingford, who swung merrily to score the second fastest Test fifty in terms of balls recorded. It only delayed the inevitable defeat.

After West Indies had been set 403 to win, Chris Gayle began the chase with two boundaries in the first over,from Trent Boult, becoming the eighth West Indian to pass 7000 Test runs. 

He then watched Tom Latham move lithely at short midwicket, diving forward to catch a low flick from Kieran Powell, giving Southee a wicket in his first over. In his second, Southee pitched a delivery on a good length around off and angled the ball away from Gayle. It was a delivery he had beaten Gayle with umpteen times in the first innings before finally hitting the edge. 

He did not have to wait at all this time. Gayle prodded from his crease with poor footwork and edged a low catch to the wicketkeeper BJ Watling, leaving West Indies on 11 for 2.

West Indies' slump took a break for tea and then resumed unabated. Brendon McCullum brought on Craig in the 12th over and the offspinner struck with his second ball, dismissing Kirk Edwards for the second time in the Test, caught at leg gully after the batsman pushed forward too early. 

New Zealand's fielding and catching had made West Indies' efforts in the field look lethargic all through the Test, and two outstanding catches gave Craig two more wickets in the space of three balls. 

The wicketkeeper BJ Watling adjusted to the high bounce of an offbreak and caught the outside edge from Darren Bravo near his shoulder, and Latham dived quickly to his left at short leg to hold an inside edge from Marlon Samuels, who bagged his second two-ball duck of the Test. West Indies were 54 for 5.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin began to form a partnership but there was a sense of futility to their efforts, given the magnitude of the task ahead. Unlike in the first innings, when Chanderpaul was solid all through his unbeaten 84, he played shots and edged a couple of his early deliveries. 

And when he padded up to the legspinner Ish Sodhi, and the New Zealanders went up in prolonged appeal, umpire Rod Tucker gave him lbw. It was a marginal decision, because Chanderpaul had taken a long stride forward and the ball was turning big, but replays predicted it would have clipped the top of leg stump. A broken innings now lay shattered.

It was left to the new West Indian captain, Ramdin, to avert a four-day defeat, but when he missed a slog sweep and was bowled by Sodhi not long before stumps, New Zealand took the 30-minute extension to knock over the tail. 

What seemed a certain four-day finish, however, began to seem unlikely as Shillingford and Benn frustrated the bowlers with free-spirited, no-pressure hitting. One over remained in the day, and McCullum gave it to Kane Williamson. He needed four balls to have Benn caught behind; Watling capping a phenomenal match behind the stumps.

Before their batsmen failed for the second time in the Test, West Indies' bowlers had produced a much-improved performance to slow New Zealand's attempt to build on an overnight lead of 260. In the second over of the day, Jerome Taylor hit the back pads of nightwatchman Sodhi and Ross Taylor with consecutive deliveries. 

Both were dead lbw.

Ramdin brought on his spinners from the 10th over of the day, and while Benn was economical, Shillingford took a while to find a good length. 

Once he began to toss it up fuller, he became more effective, and eventually spun one through McCullum's defences. New Zealand were 55 for 5 at that point.

Jimmy Neesham came out and played with the fluency that had brought him his first-innings century, and even charged Shillingford to hit him over the straight boundary. 

West Indies could have had Latham's wicket had they reviewed an lbw appeal from Benn that was turned down. 

He was on 25 at the time, and gave West Indies no more chances.

New Zealand were slow in the first half hour after lunch, scoring only five runs. 

The partnership for the sixth wicket had grown slowly to 63 when Neesham miscued a loft against Shillingford and holed out to long-on.

The tempo picked up after Watling joined Latham. The batsmen rotated strike almost every other ball and Watling went on the offensive straightaway, sweeping and cutting Samuels for boundaries. 

In the first over after drinks, Latham played an uncharacteristically flamboyant drive and was caught at slip for 73, the first sign that the declaration was near.

Craig clobbered his first ball in Test cricket over the long-on boundary, and moments later McCullum called his troops in. 

He had given his team a little over four sessions to bowl West Indies out, a little over three if they wanted to watch the first match of the football World Cup, and a little over two if they wanted to catch the opening ceremony as well. Southee, Craig and Sodhi needed less time than that. 

1st Test Day 3 WI (262) V NZ (508/7d & 14/2) NZ lead by 260 runs

New Zealand 508 for 7 dec and 14 for 2 lead West Indies 262 (Gayle 64, Chanderpaul 84*, Southee 4-19, Craig 4-91) by 260 runs

The pitch at Sabina Park did not behave too differently on the third day. The pace, turn and bounce on offer was not significantly more than when New Zealand had batted in their first innings. The West Indian batsmen were woeful, and Tim Southee and debutant offspinner Mark Craig exploited their loose techniques and lazy footwork to secure a 246-run lead. 

Brendon McCullum, however, chose to bat again and set the home side a large target on a surface that could deteriorate on the fourth and fifth days.

New Zealand inflicted the worst of the damage in two overs, on either side of lunch. 

Craig struck twice in three balls to raze the foundation built by a watchful opening partnership, and Southee also took two in three deliveries - ending Chris Gayle's half-century - to reduce West Indies to 104 for 5 in the second session. It was left to Shivnarine Chanderpaul to whittle at the inevitable deficit and he played his shots, and gave the tailenders opportunities to play theirs too. 

That approach brought West Indies some boundaries, but it also brought New Zealand wickets, and Chanderpaul was stranded on 84 when Southee ended the innings with the second new-ball to finish with figures of 16-2-9-19-4.

The visitors' second innings got off to a poor start when Peter Fulton nicked an outswinger from Jerome Taylor to depart for a duck, his second failure of the Test. Run scoring was slow once again, as Taylor and Kemar Roach bowled accurate spells, moving the new ball at pace. 

Kane Williamson thought he had off stump covered when he shouldered arms to a Roach delivery, but he did not. He had been bowled not offering a shot in the first innings too, to Sulieman Benn. New Zealand were 7 for 2, and though the day's last half hour might not have indicated it nightwatchman Ish Sodhi and Tom Latham were battling for survival - they were well ahead in the Test.

At the crux of New Zealand's dominance was Southee, who bowled a faultless opening spell in which he sent down 29 dots out of 30 balls to Gayle. Most of those deliveries pitched around off, on a length that had Gayle prodding from his crease without moving his feet, and several angled across the left-hander to beat the bat. 

Gayle was fortunate to edge only one, and that did not carry to the cordon. To his credit, he did not play too far away from his body, and after 4.5 overs of dots from Southee, Gayle got a full and straight ball that he clipped off his pads for a single.

McCullum soon brought on his spinners in tandem. Craig got the ball to spin and bounce away from the left-handers and bowled 15 dots at Gayle, beating him on the cross-bat swipe a couple of times before getting pulled for four. Sodhi's lengths were erratic; Gayle cut hard when it was short and drove straight when the bowler overcompensated.

The slump began after West Indies had reached 60. Powell prodded forward against Craig but played the wrong line, anticipating turn away from him. The ball slid on and hit him plumb in front. Two deliveries later, Kirk Edwards poked tentatively off the back foot and edged an offbreak to first slip. In the next over, Darren Bravo chipped a half-volley straight back to Sodhi. West Indies had slipped to 61 for 3 in 11 balls.

Gayle immediately launched his offensive. He swept and cut Craig, got a firm leading edge off Sodhi that went along the ground to the straight boundary, and punched Boult uppishly through cover to reach his half-century.

Southee had better luck after lunch. All morning he had gone past Gayle's outside edge, and early in the second session he produced a delivery identical to many he had previously beaten the batsman with. This time Gayle nicked it, and his first dig in his 100th Test ended on 64. Southee then produced a big inswinger that Marlon Samuels was hopelessly late on to be lbw for a two-ball duck.

Chanderpaul's unorthodox technique worked for him on this surface and he initially attacked the spinners with slog-sweeps and lofts over the leg side. Denesh Ramdin cut and swept, and wasn't shy to drive despite the ball not coming on to the bat. 

They had put on a partnership of 72, repairing some of the damage, when Southee gave New Zealand more joy in the final over before tea by strangling Ramdin down the legside with a slower ball. West Indies were 133 away from making New Zealand bat again, and Chanderpaul only had the tail for company.

Chanderpaul was watchful against Southee, but scored freely against the other bowlers. He picked off Craig and Sodhi square of the wicket when their lengths were short, and very few of his runs came between mid-on and mid-off. He did not farm strike, though, and the tailenders attacked and perished. 

When McCullum took the second new ball as soon as it was available, Chanderpaul hit Boult for three fours in an over, and gave Southee a crack at Shane Shillingford. That contest lasted only two balls. 

1st Test Day 2 WI 19/0 (trail by 489) V NZ (508/7d)

West Indies 19 for 0 trail New Zealand 508 for 7 (Williamson 113, Taylor 55, Neesham 107, Watling 89) by 489 runs

West Indies were one wicket away from having a crack at New Zealand's tail during the morning session of the second day at Sabina Park. 

They did not take it for 60.3 overs. The visitors' last line of recognised batsmen, allrounder Jimmy Neesham and wicketkeeper BJ Watling, took advantage of tiring bowlers and a placid pitch to put on 201 runs for the sixth wicket, and all but erase West Indies' hopes of winning Chris Gayle's 100th Test.

Neesham was the first to attempt an aggressive approach on a sluggish surface and his methods made him the ninth batsman to score hundreds in his first two Tests.

His partnership with Watling - complied at 3.32 an over - was the fastest of the match, discounting the flurry from Tim Southee as New Zealand declared on 508 for 7 late in the day. The turnaround in tempo was remarkable, for New Zealand had scored only 59 in the first session for the loss of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum.

There were shots played after lunch, which was a drastic change from New Zealand's morning. Watling was strong square of the wicket, cutting and pulling, while Neesham's preferred region was between long-off and wide long-on. Early in the session, he stepped out and hit Suliemann Benn flat over the fielder at mid-on.

A standout feature of Neesham's innings was his inclination to use his feet on this slow pitch. He stepped out twice to hit Shane Shillingford over the straight boundary for the innings' first sixes in the 138th over, and continued advancing against Shillingford and Marlon Samuels, targeting the wide long-on boundary. Neesham passed 50 off 103 balls and then accelerated, getting to 100 off 159.

Between the boundaries, Neesham and Watling rotated strike comfortably, taking advantage of fatigued fielders. With Benn and Shillingford having bowled more than 40 overs each, West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin turned to Chris Gayle, who had last bowled in a Test since November 2012, but had no luck.

After scoring 129 runs in the second session, New Zealand were slow initially after tea. Neesham was approaching his century and eventually got there with graceful cover-drives off Benn and Jerome Taylor. His average after three Test innings was 138.50.

His partner Watling was so adept at scoring behind and square of the wicket that he had got to 72 without scoring a single run in the V. He then pushed one to mid-on, before charging Shillingford and hitting him for a straight six. Watling's success through point and square leg was an indication of the shorter lengths West Indies bowled to him. The quicks Taylor and Kemar Roach, in particular, had flagged after probing first spells.

Neesham's attempt at slogging after his century was short-lived; he was caught behind off Benn for 107. West Indies finally had their breakthrough but got hit around by Southee until Watling holed out to deep midwicket and the declaration came.

The morning had been so different for the home side. They had controlled the run rate and taken crucial wickets. Williamson had overestimated the turn and shouldered arms to a delivery from Benn, only to hear his off stump take a hit. Williamson had been so good at leaving the fast bowlers, but eventually added only 8 to his overnight score.

New Zealand were still in a healthy position at 259 for 3 but they lost their most experienced batsmen quickly. Shortly after reaching his fifty, Taylor chipped a flighted delivery from Shillingford straight to midwicket. In the next over, Benn got one to spin and bounce sharply on McCullum; the ball took the outside edge and bounced off Ramdin's chest towards first slip, where Gayle took the catch. New Zealand had slipped to 279 for 5.

Neesham and Watling methodically batted out the remainder of the session, giving little indication of the dominance they would exert for the remainder of the day.

West Indies' openers, Gayle and Kieran Powell, had nine overs of flat-out intensity to negotiate from New Zealand's bowlers. Powell was lucky to survive, when he edged Tim Southee to third slip where Peter Fulton put down a simple catch. Gayle had no such scares, and it is him that most fans will flock to watch on Tuesday, hoping for a memorable innings in his 100th Test. 

1st Test Day 1 WI V NZ (240/2)

New Zealand 240 for 2 (Williamson 105*, Latham 83) v West Indies

The first Test match after two high-profile Twenty20 tournaments - the World T20 and the IPL - got off to a slow start at Sabina Park, as New Zealand's run rate stayed below 2.65 an over throughout the day. The visitors, however, had the better time of it after Kane Williamson and Tom Latham adjusted to the pitch, whose strongest characteristic was its sluggishness, and put on a 165-run stand for the second wicket.

The spectators who came to the ground to see Chris Gayle bat in his 100th Test had to wait after West Indies' new Test captain, Denesh Ramdin, lost the toss. Instead, they were witness to the comebacks of four bowlers from layoffs of varying lengths, and the discipline of two young New Zealand batsmen, who played with a patience that is becoming increasingly rare in international cricket.

Jerome Taylor, whose last Test was in November 2009, opened the bowling with Kemar Roach, who had been out of action for more than a year. Neither bowler hit the speeds they used to before their injuries, but that was probably due to the pitch. Moving the ball away from both the right and left-hand openers, Taylor was more effective than Roach, but on the whole they could have made the batsmen play more than they did. Their lengths too were shorter than ideal on this surface, whose slowness made it easy to play on the back foot.

New Zealand were cautious in the opening exchanges, with their newest opening combination Peter Fulton and Latham barely playing a forceful shot. Fulton was beaten by a couple of deliveries from Taylor that seamed away from off stump, and when one did not move as much, his poor footwork resulted in an edge to the wicketkeeper. It was the ninth consecutive innings in which Fulton had failed to pass 15.

In the 11th over, Ramdin made a surprising bowling change. Darren Bravo had never bowled in any form of international cricket - he had bowled only 100 deliveries in first-class cricket - and yet here he was bowling medium-pace in a Test. His lengths were horrible and the experiment lasted only one over.

Benn, playing his first Test since December 2010, came on in the 12th over and immediately found turn and bounce to keep his two slips alert. New Zealand scored only 22 in the first hour.

Shortly after drinks Ramdin deployed spin from both ends, but it was Marlon Samuels that he turned to and not the other specialist Shane Shillingford. Samuels thought he had Latham lbw first ball and reviewed the umpire's not-out decision, only to find the ball had hit both the inside edge and then the pad outside off stump.

Benn bowled five maidens in his first six overs and had a bat-pad appeal upheld shortly before lunch, but Latham successfully challenged it. New Zealand went into the break on 62 for 1, scoring at just over 1.90 an over.

In the first over of the second session, Latham drove loosely at a full and wide Taylor delivery and edged to Samuels at gully. He was on 39, and his partnership with Williamson was worth 55, but both received a lease of life when replays showed Taylor's back heel was not behind the crease.

In the next over - the 34th - Williamson cut Benn for four to take the run rate above two for the first time. It had taken Williamson 84 balls to hit his first boundary. He and Latham swept the spinners when they bowled fuller lengths, and when it was short they had enough time to go back and play square of the wicket. Every now and then, though, the odd delivery spun sharply past the outside edge.

Benn bowled 19 consecutive overs either side of lunch, far more than any other bowler. When he had finished his 16th, Shillingford was coming on to bowl only his fourth. Shillingford ripped an offbreak from leg and middle past Latham's defensive prod but the batsman got to his maiden half-century a couple of balls later, off his 126th delivery.

Until the 54th over, not a single ball had been hit in the air, and then Williamson cut Roach over gully. He got to his half-century in the same over, by edging a drive through the same region. By tea time Williamson and Latham were using their feet, and the depth of their crease, with ease. They had scored 102 runs in the second session.

The old ball began to do things after tea. Taylor reversed it a bit, but Shillingford got it to spin big. Latham, on 83, closed the face too early to an offbreak and the ball lobbed back to the bowler off the leading edge.

It could have been tricky for the new batsman but the hard toil told on the West Indies bowlers, whose line and length were shoddy. Williamson moved into the 90s by cutting a short and wide one from Roach for four, but then stopped scoring for 33 balls. During that time, Taylor kept New Zealand going, and when West Indies took the second new ball in the 85th over, he cut three wide ones from Roach for boundaries.

Just when it seemed Williamson might go into stumps a few short of a century, he snapped out of his scoreless trance and late-cut successive deliveries from Benn to bring up his sixth Test hundred. 

Tour Match Northamptonshire v Sri Lanka (all 4 days in this post)

Day 1: Sri Lankans 358 for 3 (Silva 152*, Thirimanne 120*) v Northamptonshire

Kaushal Silva and Lahiru Thirimanne both scored centuries as Sri Lanka made 358-3 on the opening day of their four-day warm-up match against Northants.

Opener Silva recovered from the early loss of partner Dimuth Karunaratne to score 152, while Thirimanne, who was dropped off his first ball, hit 120.

Both Kumar Sangakkara (28) and Mahela Jayawardene (46) made starts before being dismissed.

Silva and Thirimanne had put on 238 for the fourth wicket at the close of play.

Sri Lanka were 1-1 when Karunaratne edged Steven Crook onto his thigh pad and was caught at gully by Kyle Coetzer.

Veteran Sangakkara looked comfortable until he hit a long hop straight to Chad Barrett at deep long leg.

Crook claimed his second wicket when Jayawardene, who had made a near run-a-ball 46 before, picked out Matt Spriegel at gully.

Northants wicketkeeper Ben Duckett dropped Thirimanne off the next ball and was made to pay. 

Day 2: Sri Lanka 558-8 v Northants 146-5

Sri Lanka continued to dominate Northants on the second day of their only tour game before the first Test against England.

Resuming on 358-3, the tourists pushed their score to 558-8 before declaring.

Lahiru Thirimanne moved from 120 to a career-best 156, while Dilruwan Perera added impetus before lunch with 59.

Northants were then reduced to 146-5 by the close, Richard Levi making 64 before becoming pace bowler Dhammika Prasad's second victim.

The first Test against England at Lord's begins on Thursday. 

Day 3: Sri Lanka 558-8 v Northants 146-5 

The third day of Sri Lanka's tour match against Northamptonshire was washed out without a ball being bowled.

Play was called off shortly after mid-day due to a sodden outfield, meaning Northants remain 146-5 in response to the tourists' 558-8 declared.

The hosts announced on Twitter that those who purchased tickets for Saturday will gain free entry for Sunday's final day.

The first Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's begins on Thursday. 


Day 4: Sri Lankans 558 for 8 dec (Thirimanne 156, Silva 152, Dilruwan 59) and 99 for 4 drew with Northamptonshire 345 (Keogh 120, Levi 64)

Sri Lanka will head into the first Test at Lord's generally fortified in their hopes of scalping England at home for the third series in a row and a little wiser about their starting line-up after a gentle workout in one of the quieter corners of the county circuit. 

Dinesh Chandimal, promoted to open the second innings, managed only a single-figure score but Dimuth Karunaratne's scratchy 38 did not quite cement the batting order. Four wickets for Dhammika Prasad, however, suggested at some clarity in the bowling.

Karunaratne was dropped at slip on 32, slashing hard at David Willey, and then played a delivery from Matthew Spriegel on to his stumps shortly before Sri Lanka called a halt to their batting practice and the game was declared a draw. The decision to send in Chandimal ahead of Kausal Silva, whose 152 on Thursday assured his place for Lord's, suggested at a final opportunity to stake a claim but neither he or Karunaratne managed to build an unequivocal case.

Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka's Test vice-captain, said afterwards that there were still some decisions to make on the final XI, while indicating he would bat in the middle order rather than return to opening. Neither Thirimanne, who also made a first-innings hundred, or Silva were required to pad up again in the 31 overs the tourists were afforded on the final afternoon, with only Kumar Sangakkara hinting at fluency before holing out short of a half-century.

"Batters had the chance to bat through the innings and the bowlers did well, because it was not a bowling-friendly wicket," Thirimanne said of the match, which became a three-day contest after Saturday was washed out. "Dhammika bowled really well, good areas and he bowled with some good pace. We have some experienced bowlers but we don't have that extra pace."

That Sri Lanka's second innings became a rather desultory affair was down to Northamptonshire's unexpected resistance, as they passed 300 for only the second time this year. 

Rob Keogh made an impressive century before falling to Prasad, who was more threatening than his seam-bowling colleagues largely thanks to an effectively deployed bouncer. Shaminda Eranga, who did not feature against Northants, is already pencilled in as a member of the Test attack, with Chanaka Welegedara and Nuwan Pradeep seemingly contesting the third seamer spot.

"It's really tough [in England] because this is the early summer and we haven't had that much practice. We'll expect some tough conditions in the Test matches," Thirimanne said. "We have to take 20 wickets to win matches, that's the main thing we have to work on.

"Confidence levels are really high. We haven't had much luck in the past, we want to win a Test series here so that is the main concern. Boys are really confident."

There were a couple of encouraging firsts for Northants, two months into a season that has repeatedly given optimism a cold-water dunking. 

Keogh reached three figures, the first Northamptonshire batsmen to do so in first-class cricket in 2014; and Willey took his first senior wicket since September, bowling with encouraging pace and swing. He also clubbed 48, including a couple of sixes, before impetuosity got the better of him and he was stumped.

Keogh's landmark was indicative of the club's travails in Division One, as much as his own promise. 

A broken finger - inflicted by another man who could be playing in the Lord's Test, Liam Plunkett, during pre-season - had ruled him out of the early fixtures but he should have earned himself a run in the first team with this innings, notable for regular appearances of a vengeful cover drive, against an attack with 41 Test caps between them.

Having navigated his way steadily from an overnight 26, Keogh was on 80 when the eighth and ninth wickets fell to Dilruwan Perera. Confident that first-class debutant Chad Barrett had the minerals to hang around, Keogh took his time before opening up with three fours through the off side against Pradeep to bring up the second hundred of his career. 

Barrett, initially nudging and blocking before becoming emboldened, hung around to help add 64 in little more than 12 overs.

Sri Lanka had already expressed a preference for batting again ahead of the Test series, despite Northants starting the day well adrift of passing the follow-on target of 408. 

The hosts were not quite as accommodating as they had been in the first half of the match, however, with Keogh gluing together the lower order and 119 runs coming for the loss of just two wickets during the morning session.

Dilruwan bowled an extended spell, tossing the ball up but extracting little turn, while Thirimanne rotated his seamers. Welegedara's left-arm angle of attack appeared to test Keogh the most but he watched the ball well, picking up boundaries driving square of the wicket, to pass fifty in first-class cricket for only the third time.

His stand with Spriegel was worth 86 when Dilruwan made the breakthrough - though it was more like leaning heavily on a partition wall than battering down the front door at Fort Knox. 

Spriegel had survived the only chance of the first hour when a nick off Prasad skipped low past Prasanna Jayawardene but he eventually fell chipping tamely to mid-on, giving Sri Lanka their first wicket in more than 30 overs. 

5th ODI ENG (219) v SL (222/4, SL win series 3-2)

England lost the deciding one-day match of the Royal London series amid controversial circumstances after Sachitra Senanayake ran out Jos Buttler for backing up too far during the home side’s innings.

The act, which left Sri Lanka to chase a modest 220 for victory , soured a close series and Buttler was warned by the umpires after having words with Angelo Mathews, after Sri Lanka’s captain had been booed all the way to the crease.

Not that the sledging or the ire of the home supporters put the visitors off their task, after fine half-centuries from Lahiru Thirimanne and Mahela Jayawardene enabled them to win by six wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Senanayake has already courted controversy after being reported for a suspect bowling action in the game at Lord’s, but the boos rang out around Edgbaston after he took the bails off with Buttler out of his crease.

As dismissals go, running a batsman out while backing up has been considered poor form in cricket ever since India’s Vinoo Mankad did it to Bill Brown in the Sydney Test of 1947-48. But that has not stopped the odd churlish bowler from doing so and this was the eighth occasion in international cricket that a batsman has been dismissed by such means.

Covered by Law 42.15 as well as ICC’s playing conditions, it was a legitimate dismissal providing the bowler had not begun his delivery stride or the swing of his bowling action, which Senanayake appeared not to have done. 

Yet as most cricketers know from village green to Test arena, taking wickets by such means are against the spirit of the game, though even that had entered a grey area given the off-spinner had already warned Buttler previously about leaving his crease before the ball had been bowled.

The wicket, which left England 199 for seven in the 44th over after they had won the toss and batted first, meant that a big score was unlikely. Chris Jordan found the boundary with some fine strokes but when he went, run out for 30, England’s tail failed to see out the overs and they were dismissed for 219 with 11 balls left.

Sri Lanka will no doubt argue that Buttler was attempting to gain an advantage by leaving the crease at the bowler’s end before the ball had been released. One thing that was unambiguous, though, is that Senanayake flexed his arm more than 15 degrees to break the wicket.

Sri Lanka once had Thirimanne run out in similar fashion by Ravichandran Ashwin when they played India two years ago in Australia.

On that occasion Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s captain, called Thirimanne back, some
thing Mathews, the batsman at the other end when Dhoni made his gesture, chose not to do.

The incident recalled the poor relations between the teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. These things can create friction between players for years and should ensure a feisty Test series when it begins next week.

With the reporting of his action, Senanayake and Sri Lanka clearly feel slighted. Not selected for Sri Lanka’s Test squad, the bowler must now have his action filmed for closer scrutiny in the next 18 days.

Buttler, who had flayed 121 off 73 balls off Sri Lanka’s attack on Saturday, certainly felt hard done by. But his initial incredulity, after umpire Michael Gough raised his finger, eventually gave way to anger and he left the ground swishing his bat angrily.

If you are of the persuasion that Buttler was dozy then he was not the only England player to get out in a soft manner. Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Eoin Morgan and Joe Root were all out in ways in which the bowler could take little credit.

Cook top-scored with 56 off 85 balls but making his first half-century of the series did not prevent Alec Stewart from suggesting he should be dropped in favour of Alex Hales – who made 167 for Nottinghamshire on Tuesday in the championship – in preparation for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Working for BBC’s Test Match Special, Stewart would have based some of his reasoning on England’s batting performance, though that would have been unfair given the pitch was more Mumbai than MCG.

England were undone by India on an Asian-conditions pitch in the final of the Champions Trophy here last year. But if there was an excuse for that, it being the end of a three-week tournament played at just three grounds, there was no excuse for this surface to offer so much succour to Sri Lanka’s spinners.

They were able to call upon four spinners who bowled 28 overs between them whereas England were able to summon just two, James Tredwell and Root. Tredwell took the first two wickets to fall, cuts that looked to turn into major inroads when James Anderson had Kushal Perera lbw.

But Jayawardene, with his touch play and Thirimanne took the sting out of England’s surge by adding 98 for the fourth wicket.

England might have done better had Jayawardene been caught on eight off Harry Gurney, but the edge split Buttler, who should have gone for it, and Jordan at slip. Jordan later got him, caught at mid-off for 53, but the damage had been done and Thirimanne, aided by 42 from Mathews, reached the total without further alarm. 

SL 222/4 

FOW: WICKET - Dilshan c Root b Tredwell 28 (SL 55-1)

James Tredwell has got the knack, hasn't he? His first ball is dispatched with interest to the off side boundary by Tillakaratne Dilshan and his second is smashed into the grateful hands of a diving Joe Root at short extra cover.

WICKET - Sangakkara c Jordan b Tredwell 2 (SL 59-2)

Classy stuff, England. James Tredwell pitches one into the rough and it squares up the left-handed Kumar Sangakkara and the Lord's centurion edges to a diving Chris Jordan at slip. Is there anything Jordan can't do on a cricket field? What an athlete.

WICKET - Perera lbw b Anderson 19 (SL 62-3)

Since the very first over of the innings, James Anderson has been setting Kusal Perera up with a stock delivery which swings away, ready to smash one into the opener's pads. The review shows the ball was just clipping the top of off stump, meaning the umpire's original decision is upheld. Game on.

WICKET - Jayawardene c Anderson b Jordan 53 (SL 160-4)

They can't, can they? They won't, will they?

Chris Jordan again makes things happen for England as he induces Mahela Jayawardene into a steepling shot which ends with James Anderson taking a good catch at mid-off.

 Dilshan c Root b Tredwell 28 
 K Perera lbw b Anderson 19 
 Sangakkara c Jordan b Tredwell 2 
 M Jayawardene c Anderson b Jordan 53 
 Thirimanne not out 60 
 Mathews not out 42 
Extras 12w 6lb 18 
 Total for 4 222

ENG 219

FOW: WICKET- Bell c&b Mendis 37 (Eng 76-1)

A horrible dismissal for Ian Bell. After twice playing shots in which he didn't seem in total control, the opener pops a very strange, and very simple, return catch to mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis.

WICKET- Ballance c&b Malinga 10 (Eng 98-2)

Further proof that this pitch is a slow 'un. Lasith Malinga is brought back into the attack and his first ball - a cutter from back of a length - is popped straight back to him by a puzzled Gary Ballance.

WICKET- Root c Sangakkara b Priyanjan 10 (Eng 116-3)

And Joe Root is indeed sent packing - a good referral from Sri Lanka, with replays showing the bowler Ashan Priyanjan got a bit of extra bounce, hit the batsman's gloves as he tried to sweep and Kumar Sangakarra did the rest. Over and out, Joe.

WICKET- Cook c Sangakkara b Senanayake 56 (Eng 136-4)

Another dismissal, another catch which pops up to the fielder. Alastair Cook tries to sweep Sachithra Senanayake but he gets a top edge straight into the air and wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara has the simple task of running back and taking the dolly of a catch.

WICKET- Morgan c Jayawardene b Mathews 17 (Eng 142-5)

What a crazy over! First Ravi Bopara is almost run out, then Eoin Morgan is almost run out, then Eoin Morgan is out - caught at deep backward square after playing a lofted shot around the corner off Angelo Mathews.

WICKET - Bopara b Mendis 17 (Eng 170-6)

If footballers hate being 'megged', cricketers certainly hate it - Ravi Bopara is a little red-faced as he hauls himself off the field after being bowled through his legs while aiming a horrible slog into the leg side at Ajantha Mendis.

WICKET - Buttler run out 21 (Eng 199-7)

Controversy at Edgbaston. Sachithra Senanayake, who had warned Jos Buttler about backing-up at the non-striker's end in his last over, takes off the bails in his delivery stride and appeals to the umpire for a run out. The umpire asks Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews if he would like the appeal to stand, he appears to say yes and the finger is raised. England are livid, as are the supporters inside the stadium.

WICKET - Tredwell b Malinga 0 (Eng 201-8)

Full, fast and straight. Bowled. Off you pop, James.

WICKET - Jordan run out 30 (Eng 218-9)

Yes. No. Yes. No. Doh! Chris Jordan pays for a mix-up between himself and James Anderson, and he's run out for a well-constructed 30 runs.

WICKET - Anderson b Malinga 5 (Eng 219 all out)

Lasith Malinga is the master of skittling the tail, and he takes his third wicket of the innings by bowling James Anderson, who was aiming a wild slog into the leg side.


 Cook c Sangakkara b Senanayake 56
 Bell c and b A Mendis 37
 Ballance c and b Malinga 10
 Root c Sangakkara b Priyanjan 10
 Morgan c M Jayawardene b Mathews 17
 Bopara b A Mendis 17
 Buttler run out Senanayake 21
 Jordan run out K Perera 30
 Tredwell b Malinga 1
 Anderson b Malinga 5
 Gurney not out 0
 Extras 1nb 12w 2lb 15
 Total all out 219

IPL Final KXIP 199/4 V KKR 200/7 (KKR win by 3 wkts)

Kolkata Knight Riders 200 for 7 (Pandey 94, Karanveer 4-54) beat Kings XI Punjab 199 for 4 (Saha 115*, Vohra 67) by 3 wickets and 3 balls to spare

In a high-intensity final contested in flawless spirit by two teams full of top-billed cricketers, the five headlining performances came from Indian players without international Twenty20 experience. Four of those efforts were for Kings XI Punjab, in search of their maiden IPL title in seven seasons, but the defining one was played by Manish Pandey and he ensured Kolkata Knight Riders' unbeaten run of eight matches leading into the final culminated in their second championship.

Pandey's 94 off 50 balls, an innings fuelled by an urgency that did not abate, pulled off the highest successful chase in any Twenty20 final. He lit up the Chinnaswamy Stadium, as Kings XI legspinner Karanveer Singh picked off three of his team-mates, and as left-arm spinner Akshar Patel displayed outstanding composure to concede 5.25 an over, while most bowlers on both sides bled at more than 10. 

Pandey's gutsy salvo came in response to Wriddhiman Saha scoring the first hundred in an IPL final, and Manan Vohra compiling a half-century, to lead Kings XI to 199. Knight Riders were left needing to achieve their highest score of the season; they did it with three balls to spare. 

Pandey, however, did not see the chase through. He was Karanveer's fourth wicket and when he walked off the field, raising his bat to acknowledge cheers at a venue he calls home in the Ranji Trophy, Knight Riders needed 21 off 18 balls. Through singles the equation came down to 11 off seven, and Mitchell Johnson, who had bowled a succession of yorkers in his final over, signed off with a half-tracker. 

Piyush Chawla hooked it for six. Kings XI captain George Bailey was out of options and had to give the final over to Parwinder Awana, who had conceded 38 in three previous overs. His third ball was a full toss outside off stump, and Chawla carved it to the backward-point boundary, triggering off a Knight Rider pitch invasion.

At no stage during the chase of a daunting target did Knight Riders fall far behind the asking rate, which was 10 per over at the start. 

Pandey watched Robin Uthappa drive the first ball of the innings to the extra-cover boundary and then perish off the fourth, and when he took strike for the next delivery, Pandey whipped a short of a length offering from Johnson through midwicket with perfect timing. Knight Riders took 10 off the first over and Pandey said later, after the game, that he had realised then how to go about the challenge.

Knight Riders did not hit a six during the Powerplay, and yet they scored 59. Pandey and Gautam Gambhir placed several drives through the infield but the highlight of their 53-run stand was the running between the wickets, which allowed Kings XI only eight dot balls in the first six overs - the fewest of the season. Gambhir then holed out to Karanveer's first ball off the seventh over; Pandey responded to that setback by driving the next over cover for the innings' first six.

With Yusuf Pathan at the crease, the sixes began to flow. He carved Karanveer over extra cover and long-off off consecutive deliveries, and punished a long-hop and a full toss from L Balaji over the leg-side boundary. In between those sixes, Pandey tore into Awana's shoddy lengths, pulling repeatedly to help take 18 off the 11th over. Patel began to bowl during this acceleration and dried up one end, conceding only five runs in his first two overs.

After adding 71 in 43 balls for the third wicket, Yusuf skied Karanveer to Maxwell at long-on. Pandey countered by clouting the next ball over the same fielder's head. 

When Ryan ten Doeschate also holed out to long-on, leaving Knight Riders with 32 to get off 21, Pandey once again smashed the next ball for six in that same direction. Only after he fell did the chase get nervy for Knight Riders, but Chawla held it together to thwart a spirited Kings XI campaign.

Unlike the Knight Riders' chase, which motored along at a nearly constant pace, the Kings XI innings was a story of two unbelievably different halves. The first half was a blur of flailing arms and aimless bats as the Knight Riders bowlers - fast and spin - exerted control. Sehwag failed against the extra pace of Umesh Yadav and George Bailey's promotion to No.3 lasted two balls. After six overs, Kings XI had made 32, their lowest Powerplay score of the season. They were only 58 after ten.

Just when it seemed Kings XI had blundered by holding Glenn Maxwell and David Miller back to Nos. 5 and 6, Saha and Vohra orchestrated a jaw-dropping turnaround in tempo. Saha hit 35 runs off the 18 balls he faced from Narine - mostly on the leg side - and took 32 off 13 balls from Chawla. Morkel suffered too, as Vohra's one-handed carve carried over the third-man boundary and Saha hooked for six to take 20 runs off the 15th over. Vohra got to his 50 off 42 balls; Saha needed only 29 and did not let up. They added 129 in 12 overs.

By the time Saha lofted Narine to long-on, where the boundary rider parried the ball for six, to bring up his century off 49 balls, the clamour of wanting to see Maxwell and Miller had long died down. Kings XI's previous best in three innings against Knight Riders this season had been 149. 

They got to 199 tonight, despite their three overseas guns and Sehwag contributing only nine runs. In their last ten overs, Kings XI had scored 141 runs. Those first ten overs cost them in the end.