Leeds: England will hope to go one wicket better when they face Sri Lanka in the second and final Test of their series at Headingley on Friday.
Alastair Cook’s new-look side were denied victory in the first Test at Lord’s on Monday after Sri Lanka No. 11 Nuwan Pradeep got through the final five balls of the match from Stuart Broad to ensure a draw for the tourists, who were nine wickets down.
There were some encouraging signs for an England side minus Kevin Pietersen, their all-time leading run-scorer across all formats, who was ditched from the national set-up following a 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia.
Joe Root scored 200 not out in the first innings while Gary Ballance’s maiden Test century in the second got England, without former number three Jonathan Trott as he continues his comeback from a “stress-related illness”, out of trouble on the fourth day.
Both Yorkshire batsmen will be on their home ground on Friday.
England fielded three debutants at Lord’s, with all-rounder Chris Jordan the most impressive.
Australia-born opener Sam Robson was twice out cheaply while Moeen Ali, brought in following the retirement of off-spinner Graeme Swann, didn’t take a wicket at Lord’s on Monday’s final day at Lord’s not that surprising given he is primarily a batsman. But Tests at Headingley, where the ball swings if conditions are overcast, are usually decided by the faster bowlers.
Only one of the last 14 Tests at Yorkshire’s headquarters has ended in a draw and England now know that, if they can get past Sri Lanka batting greats Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, they can spark a collapse.
