Kevin Pietersen receives some treatment

Kevin Pietersen receives some treatment on his wrist after being struck by the ball, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011

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Kevin Pietersen receives some treatment on his wrist after being struck by the ball, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011
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M Usman Arshad

A broken window in the England dressing room

A broken window in the England dressing room caused a stir on the fifth afternoon at Lord's, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011

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A broken window in the England dressing room caused a stir on the fifth afternoon at Lord's, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011
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M Usman Arshad

Matt Prior apologises to MCC members after smashing a window in the England dressing room at Lord's

Matt Prior apologises to MCC members after smashing a window in the England dressing room at Lord's, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011

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Matt Prior apologises to MCC members after smashing a window in the England dressing room at Lord's, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011

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M Usman Arshad

An MCC member looks at the shattered window

An MCC member looks at the shattered window, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7, 2011

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An MCC member looks at the shattered window, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, 5th day, June 7 2011
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M Usman Arshad

Tillakaratne Dilshan is a major doubt for the final Test with a fractured thumb

Tillakaratne Dilshan is a major doubt for the final Test with a fractured thumb, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 7, 2011

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Tillakaratne Dilshan is a major doubt for the final Test with a fractured thumb, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 7, 2011 ©Getty Images

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M Usman Arshad

Steven Finn is back in England's Test side at Lord's

Steven Finn is back in England's Test side at Lord's, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011

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Steven Finn is back in England's Test side at Lord's, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011
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 M Usman Arshad

MCC members queue outside Lord's ahead of the opening day of the second Test

MCC members queue outside Lord's ahead of the opening day of the second Test, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011

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MCC members queue outside Lord's ahead of the opening day of the second Test, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011
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MCC members
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 M Usman Arshad
Citibank Lover

Lord's Best Picture

Perfect cricket weather on the first morning, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011

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Perfect cricket weather on the first morning, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011

©Getty Images

Lord's Best Picture

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 M Usman Arshad

Kevin Pietersen after another failure

It was another lonely walk back for Kevin Pietersen after another failure, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011

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It was another lonely walk back for Kevin Pietersen after another failure, England v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lord's, June 3, 2011
©Getty Images

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 M Usman Arshad

A familiar scene on the final morning in Cardiff

A familiar scene on the final morning in Cardiff, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 5th day, May 30, 2011

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A familiar scene on the final morning in Cardiff, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 5th day, May 30, 2011©Getty Images

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M Usman Arshad

Chris Tremlett took a return catch to remove Tillakaratne Dilshan

Chris Tremlett took a return catch to remove Tillakaratne Dilshan, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 5th day, May 30, 2011

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Chris Tremlett took a return catch to remove Tillakaratne Dilshan, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 5th day, May 30, 2011©Getty Images

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M Usman Arshad

England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 5th day

Tremlett rattles Sri Lanka top order

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan

May 30, 2011

James Anderson

With few spectators to witness it, Chris Tremlett produced a hostile spell with the new ball to rattle Sri Lanka's top order on the final afternoon in Cardiff. After heavy morning rain Ian Bell was given a chance to reach his hundred then Andrew Strauss declared, to leave his attack 51 overs at the visitors, and both openers were back in the pavilion within the first four although Sri Lanka steadied themselves to reach 33 for 2 at tea.

Tremlett struck with the last ball of his first over when Tharanga Paranavtiana edged a low catch to first slip and his second came when Tillakaratne Dilshan got into a tangle against a shorter delivery. The catch lobbed back to Tremlett and Dilshan was given out immediately but opted for the DRS only for it to show the ball had brushed glove and Sri Lanka were 10 for 2. Even though time remained against a victory push England were laying down useful markers ahead of Lord's.

The experienced pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene found it tough to battle through to tea, especially against Tremlett who maintained a probing line. Sangakkara spooned a square drive just wide of point and Jayawardene edged in front of the slips off Stuart Broad, who looked in better rhythm than the first innings.

The merits of allowing Bell to reach three figures are likely to be debated because of the signal it sends out that personal milestones are given such importance. It took Bell two overs to collect the two runs he needed as he edged the first ball of the day to fine leg then guided a boundary to third man off Thisara Perera. For the record it was Bell's 13th Test hundred and came from 159 deliveries.

Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

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M Usman Arshad

The groundstaff had a busy morning as the rain fell

The groundstaff had a busy morning as the rain fell, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 3rd day, May 28, 2011

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The groundstaff had a busy morning as the rain fell, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 3rd day, May 28, 2011©PA Photos

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M Usman Arshad

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana played well to the tea interval

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana played well to the tea interval, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011

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Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana played well to the tea interval, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011 © AFP

Tillakaratne Dilshan took a couple of blows during Sri Lanka's solid opening stand

Tillakaratne Dilshan took a couple of blows during Sri Lanka's solid opening stand, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011 © Getty Images

Tillakaratne Dilshan took a couple of blows during Sri Lanka's solid opening stand, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011 © Getty Images

James Anderson had Kumar Sangakkara out caught behind after a review

James Anderson had Kumar Sangakkara out caught behind after a review, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011 

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James Anderson had Kumar Sangakkara out caught behind after a review, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011 © Getty Images

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England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 2nd day

Prasanna keeps Sri Lanka on top

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan

May 27, 2011

Sri Lanka continued to impress with a gutsy display in Cardiff as they reached 316 for 6 at tea on the second day. Prasanna Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera struck half-centuries to bolster the middle order in the face of some impressive bowling from James Anderson, who later caused England some concern by leaving the field with a stiff back on another frustrating day for the hosts.

Tharanga Paranavitana

At various stages, especially when Tharanga Paranavitana was removed for a stubborn 66 and Samaraweera fell to the second new ball, England will have hoped to break the back of Sri Lanka's resistance but each time they came up against another obstacle. Prasanna and Samaraweera added 84 for the fifth wicket then Prasanna remained firm in his elevated role at No. 6 as the allrounders joined him for company. Debutant Thisara Perera was unbeaten on a composed 19 at tea in another valuable partnership.

The visitors hadn't added a run to their overnight score of 133 for 2 when England made the first breakthrough of the day as Mahela Jayawardene edged Anderson to Andrew Strauss, who held a superb catch diving to his right behind second slip. The wicket was brought about by trademark swing bowling from Anderson who began by probing Jayawardene's outside edge with a series of outswingers before bringing one back into him. Jayawardene tried to drop his hands but couldn't react in time.

Runs continued to be hard to come by as Anderson strung together four testing maidens and Chris Tremlett, the pick of the quicks yesterday, was also a handful as he hit an awkward length. He struck Paranavitana a painful blow on the inner thigh which required some attention from the physio and in his next over Tremlett found his inside edge to end a determined 191-ball innings.

Paranavitana had only managed to add eight to his overnight total but had shown the same good judgement and resilience that characterised his effort on the opening afternoon. However, it was due reward for Tremlett who continued to look dangerous and benefited from a hint of uneven bounce when he struck Samaraweera a nasty blow on his arm.

Samaraweera lived a little dangerously as he played away from his body but also collected some confident boundaries including a straight drive off Anderson. Whenever the England bowlers strayed onto his pads he was quick to pick them off although he wasn't far off edging to third slip when the ball just eluded a diving Alastair Cook.

Still, it was comfortably Samaraweera's best effort on British soil having failed to reach double figures in his previous four Test innings. After lunch Samaraweera went to fifty from 72 balls as the game drifted with England waiting for the new ball before he was squared up by Anderson and edged to second slip.

Prasanna, batting a place higher than normal at No. 6 to allow Sri Lanka to field five bowlers, had started his innings as a useful understudy for Samaraweera then became the senior partner. He twice gained boundaries to third man through the slip cordon but batsmen deserve some fortune when the ball moves around and he took advantage of Graeme Swann's introduction to collect two leg-side boundaries.

England, meanwhile, used up both their reviews in consecutive overs. The first was a waste after Broad seemingly convinced Strauss to use the DRS when Farveez Maharoof was clearly struck outside off stump. The second review was more understandable when Anderson swung one back into Maharoof's pads, but the batsman was again saved by the on-field decision, which remained.

Broad didn't do himself many favours in the afternoon session as he repeatedly appealed and only belatedly turned to the umpire. He was the least convincing of England's bowlers and also started to have problems with the foot holes which didn't help his mood. Strauss was further hampered by Anderson's injury which meant Jonathan Trott was given a ball just 12 overs old, although a huge stroke of luck went England's way when Trott deflected a straight drive into the non-striker's stumps to remove Maharoof.

Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Bananaman, Spiderman and Batman wait for the rain to stop

Bananaman, Spiderman and Batman wait for the rain to stop, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011

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Bananaman, Spiderman and Batman wait for the rain to stop, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011©PA Photos

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M Usman arshad

The groundstaff had to work hard during the morning

The groundstaff had to work hard during the morning, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011

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The groundstaff had to work hard during the morning, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011©AFP

Aleem Dar and Billy Doctrove take another inspection

Aleem Dar and Billy Doctrove take another inspection, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011

©AFP

Aleem Dar and Billy Doctrove take another inspection, England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, May 26 2011©AFP