SL vs ENG, 2021: 2nd Test, Day 2 – James Anderson’s record haul, Pace domination at the Galle and more stats

The second Test between Sri Lanka and England at the Galle is well balanced after the home team got 381 while batting first. Angelo Mathew and Niroshan Dickwella were the chief performers with the bat scoring 110 and 92 runs respectively. Lasith Embuldeniya continued to get the better of England openers as the visitors were two down for 5 runs. Skipper Joe Root came up with a counter-attacking effort as he struck 10 fours during his unbeaten 77-ball 67 to see England end up with 98/2 at stumps.

Here are the statistical highlights recorded across the first two day’s play in the 2nd Test match at Galle:

Pace domination at the Galle:

1 – Sri Lanka’s first innings in this game became the first-ever innings in Test cricket at the Galle International stadium where all ten wickets fell to the pacers. The ongoing game is the 35th match in Test cricket at the Galle Stadium.

2001 – The Sri Lankan innings is only the 2nd instance in the past 25 years on Sri Lankan soil where all ten wickets in a Test innings went to the pacers. The other such occasion was Sri Lanka’s first innings in the 2001 Kandy Test which was also recorded by the England pace bowlers (Darren Gough – 4, Andy Caddick – 4 and Craig White – 2).

Anderson’s record haul:

38y 177d – James Anderson, at the age of 38 years and 177 days, became the oldest pacer to claim a 5-wicket haul in Test cricket in Asia. Sir Richard Hadlee was the previous oldest who took a 5-fer against India in the 1988 Mumbai Test at the age of 37 years and 145 days.

6/40 – James Anderson ended with figures of 6/40 in Sri Lanka’s first innings which are the 2nd best bowling figures for a visiting pacer in Sri Lanka. Waqar Younis had bowling figures of 6/34 in the 1994 Kandy Test. Anderson’s 6/40 are also the best for a pacer in the last 85 years of Test cricket after turning 38.

Maiden ton at Galle for Mathews:

1 – Angelo Mathews’ 110 in the first innings is his maiden Test hundred at the Galle International stadium. Mathews played 19 Tests at this venue scoring 1342 runs before the ongoing match but never registered a three figures score.

The 110-run knock by Mathews is now his 11th hundred in Test cricket. This is also his 5th on Sri Lankan soil and first since 2015 home season.

Root levels with Bell:

68 – Joe Root now has scored 50+ runs in a Test innings on 68 occasions; the joint 2nd most fifty-plus scores by any player for England in Test cricket. Sir Alastair Cook leads the list with 90 such scores while Ian Bell also has 68 scores of 50+ runs in this format.

Dickwella’s wait for a Test ton:

2156 – The 2156 runs by Niroshan Dickwella are now the 2nd most by any player in Test cricket without a century. He went past Chetan Chauhan’s tally of 2084 runs with his career-best 92-run knock in Sri Lanka’s first innings. Shane Warne leads the list having scored 3154 runs with the best score of 99.

Dickwella has 16 fifties in Test cricket thus far which are now the joint-most by any player without a hundred in this format. India’s Chetan Chauhan also scored 16 fifties during his 40-match Test career.