Anderson inspires England to victory over Sri Lanka

Omnisports

May 21, 2016 9:12 AM

James Anderson bamboozled Sri Lanka with a brilliant display of seam bowling as England eased to victory in the first Test.

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James Anderson tore through pitiful Sri Lanka once again to claim his third 10-wicket haul as England won the first Test by an innings and 88 runs on Saturday.

Anderson produced a seam-bowling masterclass to take his first five-wicket haul at Headingley and Stuart Broad also starred as the tourists were skittled out for just 91 in reply to 298 on day two.

Sri Lanka were tormented by Anderson, now the sixth-highest wicket-taker in Tests, again as he charged in from the Rugby Stand End to claim 5-29 - and match figures of 10-45 - as Sri Lanka were all out for only 119 following on.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow took nine catches in the match after making a sublime century on his home ground, while Steven Finn claimed 3-26 on a gloomy third day in Leeds.

Kusal Mendis (53) took advantage of being dropped twice to score his maiden Test half-century, but that was scant consolation on another embarrassing day for Sri Lanka.

England could be without Ben Stokes when they head to Chester-le-Street for the second game of the three-match series due to a knee injury that kept him off the field for much a day in which just over two hours was lost due to rain.

Dimuth Karunaratne (7) was trudging off in the third over after nibbling at a probing delivery from Anderson to give Bairstow his sixth catch of the match and reduce the tourists to 10-1.

Mendis avoided a pair by driving his second ball from Anderson towards the Western Terrace for three before launching the Lancastrian to the mid-on boundary after both England openers passed his outside edge on more than one occasion.

Kaushal Silva (14) also succumbed to the magnificent Anderson, with Bairstow hanging on to another fine catch away to his left just before the floodlghts came on.

Mendis produced the shot of the morning when he punched Finn down the ground for four and there was more frustration for the England quick when he drew an edge from the 21-year-old, but Bairstow put him down on 29.

Broad was also holding his head after the fortuitous Mendis edged him to James Vince at third slip when on 47, but the debutant spilled a straightforward catch off the last ball before heavy rain led to an early lunch with the tourists 77-2.

Moeen Ali wasted no time in striking following a lengthy delay, with Dinesh Chandimal (8) chopping the spinner's fourth ball into his stump in the first over after the restart to prompt another collapse.

Mendis brought up his maiden Test half-century off only 62 balls with an elegant boundary off Anderson through midwicket, but Broad had captain Angelo Mathews (5) caught behind after replacing Moeen.

Sri Lanka were 93-5 - still trailing by 114 - when Mendis played on to Anderson, who also had Dasun Shanaka (4) caught behind before as the startled tourists folded once again.

Finn got in on the act by sending Rangana Herath on his way before tea, then got rid of Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Thirimanne (16) just after before Anderson aptly finished off the job by bowling Nuwan Pradeep.

Omnisports

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