Second Test: Moeen Ali hundred puts England on top

Moeen Ali capitalised on poor Sri Lanka fielding with an innings of 155 not out as England established a commanding position on the second day of the second Test at the Riverside on Saturday.

Ali’s century, his second Test hundred, was the cornerstone of England’s 498/9 declared.

At tea, Sri Lanka were 32/1 in reply, a deficit of 466 runs, after Dimuth Karunaratne was bowled round his legs by James Anderson.

Kaushal Silva was nine not out and Kusal Mendis 14 not out.

England’s total was especially imposing given Sri Lanka had been dismissed for 91 and 119 during the hosts’ innings and 88-run victory in the first Test of this three-match series at Headingley last week.

Ali’s hundred was also his second in Tests against Sri Lanka following an unbeaten 108 in a losing cause at Headingley two years ago.

Having made his name as top-order batsman with Worcestershire, Ali has primarily been deployed by England as an off-spinner.

Often batting as low as no. 8, he was promoted to no. 7 after all-rounder Ben Stokes was ruled out of this match with a knee injury.

Scoreboard (at tea) England 1st Innings (o/n 310/6): A. Cook c Karunaratne b Lakmal 15, A. Hales c Mathews b Siriwardana 83, N. Compton c Lakmal b Pradeep 9, J. Root c Silva b Pradeep 80, J. Vince c Thirimanne b Siriwardana 35, J. Bairstow c Chandimal b Pradeep 48, M. Ali (not out) 155, C. Woakes c Mendis b Lakmal 39, S. Broad c Mendis b Pradeep 7, S. Finn c and b Herath 10, J. Anderson (not out) 8. Extras: (b 1, lb 8) 9. Total: (for 9 wkts decl., in 132 overs) 498 FoW: 1-39, 2-64, 3-160, 4-219, 5-227, 6-297, 7-389, 8-400, 9-472 Bowling: Eranga 27-3-100-0; Lakmal 29-4-115-2; Pradeep 33-5-107-4; Herath 29-1-116-1; Mathews 6-2-16-0; Siriwardana 8-0-35-2

Sri Lanka 1st Innings: D. Karunaratne b Anderson 9, K. Silva (batting) 9, K. Mendis (batting) 14 Extras: 0. Total: (for 1 wkt, in 7 overs) 32 FoW: 1-10 (Karunaratne) Bowling: Anderson 4-0-14-1; Broad 3-0-18-0