England's spin twins show promise in Sri Lanka but real test is yet to come | Andy Bull


Dom Bess and Jack Leach delivered under pressure to bowl out Sri Lanka, but will India’s batsmen be so accommodating?

The Test was in the balance early on the fourth morning. Sri Lanka’s openers had rattled off 15 quick runs from the opening overs of their second innings, and their team’s lead was just up above 50. And all the time, in the back of the mind, there was the nagging flashback to all the ham-fisted collapses England have endured over the years, and their early struggles having been set 74 to win the first Test on this same ground in the fourth innings last week. The way Lasith Embuldeniya has been bowling so far this series, you wondered how many more runs he would need up his sleeve to run through them again in the fourth innings here. Would 100 be enough? Or 150?

Related: Spinners skittle Sri Lanka out before Sibley and Buttler wrap up series

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