At 122-4, a critical point was reached, which in Australia would have resulted in the expected "lower-order" run through by the bowling attack.
Therefore a close of play score of 344-5 seems to suggest a transplant of "backbones and wills of steel" in the middle-order batting. Perhaps a similar transplant in the top order batsmen would be something to supplement matters.
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The fact that by the end of the second day saw England move their score along to 575-9 declared, with Root moving on to an unbeaten double hundred and the tail enders scoring useful runs, Broad with 47 and Plunkett with 39, to build stands with Root, seems to suggest a good batting track.
The fact that in the 40 overs left for Sri Lanka to bat, they scored 140-1 to reduce the deficit, appear to bear out that point.
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Mid-afternoon session on 3rd day...and a wicket finally falls.
Sri Lanka 277-3
Jayawardene falls to Broad for 55 (10x4), but Sangakkara (106 not out) and he added a valuable total of 126 for that last wicket. Broad will be relieved to have finally taken a wicket.
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Sri Lanka had an unexpected first innings batting collapse, fortunately for England, moving from a very strong position of 385-4 to 453 all out, giving England a handy-sized first innings lead, but once again both Cook (20) and Robson (19) are already out, as after 17 overs England have moved on to 63-2 in their second innings.
