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Gujarat will face the winner of the game between Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir in the semi-final

Shashank Kishore11-Feb-2025Urvil Patel, who had smashed the second-fastest T20 century in November last year, carried his fine form into the red-ball format to hit a maiden first-class hundred in Gujarat’s innings-and-98-run victory over Saurashtra in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final match in Rajkot. Gujarat will play the winner of the ongoing fixture between Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir in the semi-final.Urvil top-scored with 140 in Gujarat’s massive total of 511 in the first innings, which gave them a 295-run lead over Saurashtra, who managed only 216 after being sent in. Urvil was supported by Jaymeet Patel (103) and Manan Hingrajia (83) as they wore out a competent Saurashtra attack by batting out 159.1 overs.But Saurashtra were in the game at one stage when Gujarat were reduced to 78 for 3 early on the second day. Then Hingrajia and Jaymeet put together a 144-run stand to set the foundation for a mammoth score.Saurashtra began the fourth day trailing by 262 runs with all ten wickets in hand but were bowled out in under two sessions. Left-arm seamer Arzan Nagwaswalla picked up three wickets for Gujarat, while seamer Priyajitsing Jadeja got four – including the big strike of Pujara. Ravi Bishnoi, who had linked up with the squad following his return from national duty, picked up two crucial wickets in the second innings.Saurashtra eventually made just 197 in the second innings, with Harvik Desai top-scoring with 54. Cheteshwar Pujara finished a modest season with scores of 26 and 2. Barring the 234 against Chhattisgarh in the second game and 99 against Assam last week, Pujara’s highest score in the eight other innings was the 26 he made in the first innings against Gujarat.Saurashtra’s exit marked the end of a decorated career of their batter Sheldon Jackson, one of their stalwarts. He finishes his first-class career with 7283 runs in 174 innings at an average of 45.80. Jackson hit 21 hundreds and 39 half-centuries in all, with the high point being the Ranji Trophy win in 2019-20.

With Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel missing, Central Zone will rely on Rajat Patidar’s experience to challenge West Zone

Ashish Pant03-Sep-2025

Big picture: Iyer, Jaiswal, Thakur in action

A strong West Zone side led by Shardul Thakur will take on Central Zone in the semi-final of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy at Ground B of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.While Central qualified on the basis of a first-innings lead in the quarter-final against North East Zone, they are up against a much stronger West Zone side, which includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tushar Deshpande.Related

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West will be without Sarfaraz Khan, though, after he suffered a quadriceps injury in the pre-season Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai. On the bowling front, Thakur and Deshpande will lead the fast-bowling attack, while Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian are the premier spinners.Central, meanwhile, will be without Kuldeep Yadav, who has been named in India’s Asia Cup squad. They will also be without their captain, Dhruv Jurel, who had also missed the quarter-final with a groin niggle. Vidarbha wicketkeeper-batter Akshay Wadkar has been added to the squad in Jurel’s absence, while Rajat Patidar is expected to lead the side.The Central batters had a decent outing against North East Zone, with Patidar and Shubham Sharma cracking centuries, while Danish Malewar scored a double-ton. Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar and Harsh Dubey will be key in restricting the West batters.West made a direct entry to the semi-final by virtue of playing the Duleep Trophy final the last time the tournament was played in the zonal format in the 2023-24 season. The semi-final will not be televised.

In the spotlight: Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar

The Duleep Trophy semi-final will be Shreyas Iyer first competitive game since the IPL 2025 final. He didn’t find a place in India’s Asia Cup squad despite a superb batting performance for Punjab Kings. Now, with a busy domestic and international season ahead, he will want some red-ball runs to strengthen his case for a return to India’s international squads.Rajat Patidar began his 2025-26 domestic season with a 96-ball 125 in the first innings of the Duleep quarter-final and followed up with a 72-ball 66 in the second. Against a more challenging West Zone bowling unit, Patidar will be one of Central’s most important batters.

Team news

Baroda’s Shivalik Sharma replaced Sarfaraz in the West Zone squad. He is likely to bat in the middle order, with Jaiswal, Gaikwad, Iyer and Harvik Desai in the top four.West Zone (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Harvik Desai (wk), 3 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Shivalik Sharma, 6 Jaymeet Patel, 7 Shardul Thakur (capt), 8 Shams Mulani, 9 Tanush Kotian, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja/Arzan NagwaswalaAryan Juyal retired hurt after scoring 60 in the first innings of Central’s quarter-final and didn’t return to the field for the rest of the match, with Railways wicketkeeper-batter Upendra Yadav filling in for him. If Juyal doesn’t get fit in time, one of Upendra or Wadkar could get a chance. Rajasthan left-arm spinner Manav Suthar is also expected to come in for Kuldeep.Central Zone (probable): 1 Aayush Pandey, 2 Danish Malewar, 3 Shubham Sharma, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Upendra Yadav/Akshay Wadkar (wk), 6 Yash Rathod, 7 Deepak Chahar, 8 Harsh Dubey, 9 Manav Suthar, 10 Aditya Thakare, 11 Khaleel Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at Ground B of the BCCI’s CoE was excellent for batting for the quarter-finals, and a similar surface could be expected for the semi-final too. There has been rain in and around Bengaluru for the last few weeks, and while rain isn’t forecast for the opening day, it is expected to be cloudy, which could aid fast bowlers.

The two boards have agreed to add an extra match to the original schedule

Andrew McGlashan07-Dec-2024Australia will play three Tests on their tour of West Indies next year after the two boards agreed to add an extra match to the original schedule.It will be the first time the two sides have faced each other for three Tests or more since 2015 and the first time in the Caribbean since 2012 when Australia won 2-0. The series will be the first in the next cycle of the World Test Championship for both teams, which brings a minimum requirement of two Tests.The previous series between the teams played in Australia earlier this year finished 1-1 after Shamar Joseph inspired West Indies to a seven-run win at the Gabba. It was West Indies’ first victory over Australia in 21 years.Initially reported by newspapers, the extension of the Test series was confirmed by Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley on Saturday.”I am really glad that is going to manifest,” he told radio. “We’re still waiting for an official announcement from the West Indies Cricket Board around precise dates and precise locations but it will be a three-Test series which is obviously big.”It’s another great opportunity. The World Test Championship prescribed that we needed to play two, at least two. But really, for the fans and for the players, you don’t want to be stuck in the position when it’s one-one and everyone is feeling unsatisfied.”Hockley, who will step down in March and be replaced by Todd Greenberg, has previously stated a preference for a minimum of three Tests in a series. “We’ll keep advocating and championing that. Really advocating for three-Test series as an absolute minimum,” he said earlier this year.ESPNcricinfo understands that Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica are possible locations for the three matches which are expected to take place from late June. On the current Future Tours Programme, the schedule also includes three ODIs and three T20Is.Australia are in the race for a place in this year’s WTC final which will take place at Lord’s from June 11-15.

Chopra will lead UAE at the ICC CWC League 2 tri-series in Oman in November

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2024Muhammad Waseem has stepped down as UAE men’s ODI captain after 26 matches in charge between 2023 and 2024. Wicketkeeper-batter Rahul Chopra has been named the new captain, and will lead UAE at the next round of ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) League 2 games in Oman against the hosts and Netherlands in early November.”I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format,” Waseem, who remains part of the ODI squad, said. “My best wishes are with the new captain, I will be giving him my full support.”Chopra, the new captain, has played just seven ODIs to go with six T20Is.Waseem, the 30-year-old top-order batter, took over the ODI captaincy from CP Rizwan during the 2019-23 CWC League 2 for UAE’s match against Nepal in March 2023. Under him, UAE won just seven ODIs and lost 19, with Waseem the standout performer for the team in the matches they won – he averaged 64.28 in those seven games, hitting his only century in the format,119 vs Papua New Guinea, and three half-centuries in those games.In the 19 they lost, Waseem’s average was 21.10, closer to his career number of 25.44.UAE are currently playing the 2024-27 edition of the CWC League 2, where they lost their last game – Waseem’s final game as captain – to Namibia by eight wickets after folding for 190. UAE are bottom of the eight-team table at this stage after playing seven games – of which they have won only one – which might have contributed to Waseem’s decision to step down.Waseem also remains a regular member of UAE’s T20I team, and played his part in the team winning the tri-series in Namibia earlier this month, where USA were the third team. Waseem top-scored in the tournament with 159 runs in four innings as UAE won three games and lost one to finish on top.

For Hurricanes, who were without usual captain Nathan Ellis, Nikhil Chaudhary was the top scorer, while Chris Jordan led a clinical bowling performance

AAP01-Jan-2025Hobart Hurricanes overcame the late withdrawal of captain Nathan Ellis to hand Sydney Sixers their first BBL loss of the season.Ellis pulled out from Wednesday afternoon’s game at Ninja Stadium with illness, but his bowling team-mates stood up against the table-topping Sixers.Hurricanes posted 161 for 6 and bowled out Sydney for 111 in 19.3 overs to jump to fourth on the ladder with a third win in a row. Chris Jordan picked up 3 for 22, including the big wickets of James Vince early and noted finisher Jordan Silk in the middle overs. He was assisted by fellow import Waqar Salamkheil, who took 2 for 22 with his left-arm wristspin and bowled Kurtis Patterson with one that turned the other way.Allrounder Nikhil Chaudhary was impressive, top-scoring with 42 from 31 deliveries and picking up 1 for 15 with the ball.Sixers, who stay in first place on the ladder, had won four from four prior to the match, while Hurricanes are on the rise after being flogged by Melbourne Renegades in their opening game.Earlier, evergreen Sixers quick Jackson Bird took career-best T20 figures of 4 for 16 on familiar turf in Hobart after his side won the toss and elected to bowl.Jackson Bird returned 4 for 16 but there wasn’t a lot of heroics from the other Sixers bowlers•Getty Images

Bird, the 38-year-old who played for Tasmania for more than a decade, removed big-hitters Matthew Wade, Shai Hope, Ben McDermott and Tim David.Opener Mitchell Owen got Hurricanes off to a brisk start with 33 from 17 balls but couldn’t go on.Returning from a calf injury, Wade was scratchy in a 16-ball 15 and became Bird’s first victim off a nifty caught and bowled. Bird then had West Indian Hope caught behind two balls later as Hurricanes lost three wickets within ten runs.McDermott (34 from 25) came to life in the power surge, hitting 20 off one Hayden Kerr over, but he was undone by Bird, who also returned late to get rid of David via a top edge.Sixers’ chase had a bright spark early when English opener Vince launched a Billy Stanlake delivery over the hill. But they wobbled to 28 for 3 inside the first five overs and couldn’t stem the flow of wickets.Hurricanes spinner Peter Hatzoglou, who replaced Ellis and played his first game of the season, finished with 1 for 15.

The tourists went to tea at Edgbaston on 182 for 3, thanks largely to Jaiswal’s 87

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2025Yashasvi Jaiswal fell 13 short of a sixth Test century – and fourth against England – as Ben Stokes prized out the opener as the only wicket in what was an otherwise solid middle session for India on day one of this second Test.The tourists went to tea at Edgbaston on 182 for 3, thanks largely to Jaiswal’s 87 that kept up the left-hander’s steak of scoring at least 50 in all seven of his Tests against England. But the home skipper was able to cap the damage caused by the opener, who slashed at a wide delivery outside off stump through to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.Related

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• Gill wants top order to take 'more responsibility' after Leeds loss

Shubman Gill remains unbeaten on 42 at the interval, with plenty on his shoulders already as India made sweeping changes after going 1-0 down in the series. The big news was that Jasprit Bumrah would sit out this Test, with Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar drafted into the XI.Those changes give India a completely different feel from the defeat at Headingley, with Sai Sudharsan and Shadrul Thakur dropped. Explaining the decision to rest Bumrah, Gill revealed the India management felt Lord’s will offer Bumrah more than this track.So far, it has offered more to bat than ball. Jaiswal negotiated what early movement there was, watching Chris Woakes prise out KL Rahul early for a torturous 2 from 26 deliveries in an impressive new ball spell which read 1 for 15 from seven overs, including four maidens on the bounce. Woakes was unlucky not to make more inroads after standing umpire Sharfuddoula turned down two close LBW appeals – the first against Jaiswal on 12, the second against Nair on 5. Both were reviewed only to come back with fractional Umpire’s Call on the predicted path into the stumps.Fellow opening bowler Brydon Carse had to wait until six minutes before lunch to get his reward, when hard length surprised Karun Nair (promoted to No.3) on 31, splicing to Harry Brook at second slip. That ended a productive stand of 80 for the second wicket which Nair had driven initially before Jaiswal took the wheel.Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out on a century•PA Images via Getty Images

He moved to his half-century off 59 deliveries, accelerating into it with the help of some wayward bowling from Josh Tongue. Three boundaries from the Nottinghamshire quick’s third over were followed by three-in-a-row from what turned out to be Tongue’s sixth and final one of his spell, as Stokes ordered his quicks to instigate their usual bumper ploy.A hook took Jaiswal to 49, before he leapt into a vicious cut high over point to pass fifty, followed by a celebratory four – his 11th – carved past third. And he showed patience through the middle session, driving Carse through cover five balls after lunch, and later guiding Tongue past the cordon for the last of 13 boundaries to take him to 81.Perhaps he ran out of patience when going after Stokes. Nonetheless, there is a foundation for a big score, that Gill and Rishabh Pant preserved. The latter in particular seemed watchful, with 14* off 28, showing one moment of malice when he stepped out to Shoaib Bashir and lifted him over wide long on for the first six of the innings.

Oval Invincibles launch bid for ‘three-peat’ with convincing win over rivals at Lord’s

ECB Media05-Aug-2025Oval Invincibles brushed London Spirit aside with ease in the opening game of the men’s Hundred as they began their bid to win the title for the third year in a row.Sam Billings’ side, who lifted the trophy in 2023 and 2024, are backing themselves for a ‘three-peat’ and the manner of their victory in the competition opener bodes well, a comfortable six-wicket stroll past a London Spirit side who never seemed at the races.Spirit batted first and were soon in trouble – Keaton Jennings, Kane Williamson and David Warner all back in the pavilion with the score on only 26. It wasn’t to get any better for Justin Langer’s side, who could only limp to 80 all out, undone by the combined guile of Sam Curran (3 for 16) and Rashid Khan (3 for 11), Rashid impressing on debut for the Invincibles.”It was nice to get that start, with the win most importantly and then to perform for the team was amazing,” Rashid said. “It’s been a good start for me. I’ve been out of the game for the last two months but it’s nice to get back and get back with a win.Will Jacks steered the Invincibles chase•Getty Images

“The break [since the IPL] has really helped. Physically but also mentally, to get ready for the next competition. The IPL is three months, it’s a long competition, and I needed a break mentally as well and that’s really helped. I’m quite happy with today.”Needing just 81 under the lights, Oval used the chase as a chance for more batting practice – Billings and Donovan Ferreira unbeaten and unfussed at the end, with Ferreira ending proceedings with a mighty six – the only one of the match – into the Tavern Stand.Rashid defended the quality of the pitch, and said: “It was a good surface. Spin was there but the length you bowled was really important today. When I bowled it was just in my mind to hit the right areas consistently, to bowl a good line and length, and it went really well.”

Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, is getting misty eyed, dreaming of the days when umpires made their judgments without technology. But Ricky Ponting is a big supporter

Peter English at the Gabba28-Nov-2009The new decision review system is only a week old and already Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, is getting misty eyed, dreaming of the days when umpires made their judgments without technology. But Ricky Ponting is a big supporter, thinks it makes the game better and wants it to stay.Gayle sent both his lbw decisions to the third umpire at the Gabba – Ben Hilfenhaus hit his back leg each time – and they were so hard to argue against that it seemed like a waste of the two unsuccessful challenges a team is given each innings. During the match the ICC’s system achieved its aim of not letting any awful mistakes through, but after his side’s innings-and-65-run defeat Gayle said he would prefer no replays were involved.”I’m not a big fan of it,” he said after play. “I need your help, I hope you can change it for me.”It might be the winners writing the history, but Ponting felt everything worked well and the umpires did a great job. “It’s always going to be good for the game, whether or not every one is right is irrelevant I guess,” he said. “We end up getting more correct decisions made.”In the first innings Gayle was 31 when struck right in front by Hilfenhaus and the captain deliberated before using up the review. On Saturday West Indies were in the third over of their follow-on when Gayle called on it again, this time not playing a shot to an inswinger. It was slightly higher than in the first innings and similar to the height of Shane Watson’s lbw on the opening day. “It doesn’t matter what I think,” Gayle said, “the umpire’s decision still stands.”He would like the system to be unwound, something which is as unlikely as West Indies fighting back to take the series 2-1. “Technology is part of the game, sometimes there are mistakes even with the technology, that’s why I’m not a big fan of it,” Gayle said. “Might as well just go out there with two umpires in the middle, they either get it wrong or right.”Mitchell Johnson’s caught-behind in Australia’s innings appeared not out and Adrian Barath, who scored a brilliant 104 as West Indies were dismissed for 187 to end the game, was given out to an lbw that Hawk-Eye had brushing leg stump. In both instances the third umpire sent the call back to the on-field umpire, as per the conditions, due to no conclusive evidence that the original judgment needed to be overturned.”Without the system, that’s the decision they would have made anyway, so I think that is a good sign,” Ponting said. “You look at one like Mitch’s in our first innings, the decision was made that was out. It was probably inconclusive on the replays if it was out or not out, but you stick with the decision because that’s the way it would have been without the system anyway.”Gayle will still try to get the most out of the challenges in the remaining two games of the series and beyond. “We have to deal with it,” he said. “It’s there, use it. Hopefully it can be in our favour, maybe next time it will be in our favour.”

Duckett gave Stars hope with 67 off 49 balls in big chase but lacked support

Tristan Lavalette28-Dec-2024Sam Billings smashed a half-century after capitalising on a bizarre non-appeal on a run out as Sydney Thunder beat hapless Melbourne Stars by 18 runs in Canberra.After Thunder were sent in on a flat Manuka Oval surface, Billings top-scored with 72 off 39 balls having on 16 survived a run out when Stars failed to appeal.Chasing 183, in-form opener Ben Duckett gave Stars hope with 67 off 49 balls but he lacked support as they slumped to a 0-5 record with their finals chances almost over.Fresh after a week off, Thunder (2-1) were sharp in the field while quick Wes Agar led a disciplined attack with three wickets.

Warner again can’t fire, Billings makes Stars pay

With Sam Konstas taking centre stage at the MCG, Thunder reshuffled their batting order with Cameron Bancroft moving up from No.3 to partner David Warner in a reunion for the former Test openers.Warner has brought plenty of energy since taking Thunder’s leadership reins, but had yet to fire with the bat. He looked in a determined mood with a second-ball boundary and his placement through the offside was a feature.Warner ran hard between the wickets and looked to rattle the bowlers with inventive strokes. His best was a switch-hit for six off allrounder Beau Webster as he added 41 runs with Bancroft, who made an unbeaten 70 against Sydney Sixers.But Warner was clean bowled by Webster to trigger a Thunder collapse before Billings and Jason Sangha steadied Thunder’s innings with a 60-run partnership.Billings received a major reprieve in the 13th over when he was short of his ground at the non-striker’s end after a direct throw from Joel Paris hit the stumps, but Stars did not appeal.”You’re kidding me…sounds about right,” grinned Glenn Maxwell when he found out while speaking on the broadcast.Billings cashed in and added 56 off 23 runs. He targeted the quicks down the ground, while he reverse swept legspinner Usama Mir for three consecutive boundaries.Billings powered to a half-century off just 29 balls but couldn’t stay at the crease in the death overs after he chopped a slower ball from quick Peter Siddle onto his stumps.”I actually did,” laughed Billings after he was asked on the broadcast if he knew he was out.Ben Duckett’s knock wen in vain for Melbourne Stars•Getty Images

Usama redeems himself

Stars’ spirit sank in the fourth over when Usama dropped Bancroft on 19 at short third after he lost his footing.Usama was brought on in the sixth over and redeemed himself by bowling Bancroft with a quicker delivery. He deceived Ollie Davies on the next delivery by slowing his speed as he held onto a sharp return catch to his right before setting off in celebration.Usama was unable to claim a hat-trick and things got harder for him later in the innings amid an onslaught from Billings. Webster claimed three wickets after his release from Australia’s Test squad, but veteran quicks Siddle and Joel Paris were Stars’ most reliable bowlers as they cleverly mixed up their speeds.

Sangha suffers injury after picking up Maxwell

Warner’s aggressive captaincy paid major dividends after he called upon Sangha’s handy legspin in the ninth over of Stars’ chase with Maxwell fresh to the crease. Warner had been egging on Maxwell, who couldn’t contain himself and mistimed a slog to short fine leg.A cackling Warner was overjoyed as Thunder celebrated with gusto, but Sangha emerged gingerly and in discomfort with a bicep injury. He bowled two more deliveries before leaving the field and he threw his cap in frustration as he entered the changerooms.Sangha suffered a bicep strain last month while bowling in the One-Day Cup as he faces a nervous wait on the severity of his latest injury.

Duckett again delivers in vain

After smashing 68 runs off 29 against Sixers, all eyes were on Duckett who single-handedly kept Stars on track. He had an early reprieve when a thin under edge off allrounder Daniel Sams was dropped by Billings behind the stumps in a low chance.Duckett made them pay as he looked a class above his team-mates. He batted calmly and mostly in orthodox fashion to reach his half-century off 37 balls.But Duckett finally fell to Sams as Stars’ chase ran out of puff despite some late hitting from Webster.

England hit back with ball after morning collapse before bad light brings another early finish

Valkerie Baynes07-Sep-2024Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis rebuilt Sri Lanka on a see-sawing second day that closed early due to bad light yet again, but this time the tourists could claim the better of the contest.After their bowlers had staged a remarkable turnaround to bundle England out for 325 from their overnight 221 for 3, Sri Lanka slumped to 93 for 5 before Dhananjaya and Kamindu staged an unbroken stand worth 118 for the sixth wicket to close the deficit.There was still plenty of work to be done when the players left the field at 5.36pm with the prospect of returning equally as dim as the overhead conditions at The Oval, and stumps were indeed called half an hour later without any further play.Dhananjaya returned from tea on 16 but by the close he had passed Kamindu to be 64 not out. That was after being dropped on 23 by debutant Josh Hull, who let a straightforward catch off the bowling of Shoaib Bashir slip through his hands and into his chest at mid-on.Hull’s desire to disappear was as palpable as his relief upon claiming his maiden Test wicket, the dangerous-looking Pathum Nissanka for a quick-fire 64 via Chris Woakes’ catch at cover.That was part of England’s dismantling of their opponents’ good work during an eventful afternoon session in which Olly Stone snared two wickets and Woakes chimed in with one after Nissanka’s errant call and Stone’s direct hit from short cover had run out Dimuth Karunaratne.In bizarre scenes, Woakes was forced to send down four offspin deliveries when the umpires ruled the light to be too poor for the seamers midway through his fourth over.As the skies brightened in the very next over and Gus Atkinson was allowed to bowl off his full run, so too Woakes returned to his stock in trade, and in his sixth over he had Kusal Mendis taken by Harry Brook at second slip.Stone struck with his fourth delivery, Angelo Mathews caught by Ollie Pope at gully, and after Hull had removed Nissanka, Stone pinned Dinesh Chandimal lbw to leave Sri Lanka in deep trouble.Josh Hull made Pathum Nissanka his first Test wicket•Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Kamindu brought up Sri Lanka’s 100 with the first of three gorgeous drives in one Stone over and by tea he was unbeaten on 34.Due to bad light, England had to bowl spin for the duration of the evening session, 17 overs in which Dhananjaya and Kamindu added 69 runs.Earlier, Sri Lanka’s bowlers responded to fast-bowling coach Aaqib Javed’s call at stumps on the first evening to “rest and come up with something better than this”.England were fallible in a collapse of 6 for 35 in 56 balls, with poor shot-selection and too often falling into the traps Sri Lanka’s bowlers set for them, but it was an undeniably improved performance from the visitors as their bowlers employed greater patience and probing lines while making the ball swing.Pope pushed his dazzling first-day score of 103 not out to 154 but apart from him and Ben Duckett, no England batter reached 20.Brook looked streaky when he resumed on 8, particularly against anything wide of off stump, and he had added just four more runs before skying Milan Rathnayake to deep point, where Asitha Fernando had eons to wait underneath it before inexplicably putting it down.So annoyed was Brook by Sri Lanka’s nagging fifth- and sixth-stump line that at one point he took up his stance a foot outside off stump and gesticulated with outstretched arms that seemed to question their tactic. The answer came soon enough when his frustration appeared to boil over into a slash at Rathnayake’s outswinger and Kamindu made no mistake with the sharpest of catches diving to his right at short cover.Related

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• Harry Brook approach in spotlight after Sri Lanka hit back

• De Silva: First-innings runs are what's crucial to victory

• More bad-light farce at The Oval as Woakes is forced to bowl spin mid-over

Vishwa Fernando entered the attack after about an hour and had Pope given out lbw on 139, roaring “ah yes!” in celebration. Pope reviewed, somewhat speculatively, and managed to overturn his dismissal when the ball was shown to have pitched so narrowly outside leg stump Pope probably couldn’t believe it himself.With all the luck heading his way, Pope got an inside edge onto the penultimate ball of the over and it was Vishwa who could scarcely comprehend when the ball missed the top of leg stump by a whisker and raced to the boundary.Vishwa had genuine cause to celebrate a short time later though, his first wicket of the match finally coming in the form of Jamie Smith’s flick straight to midwicket.Captain Dhananjaya brought himself on and removed Woakes and Atkinson cheaply with his offspin and while Pope had brought up his 150 in just 151 balls, it was Vishwa who ended his wonderful knock with a short ball hooked to deep square leg.Pope’s dismissal brought Hull to the crease but his stay was short-lived after Asitha had him caught at square leg for just 2 and Bashir was the last man out, spooning Rathnayake to mid-off for 1.