Sri Lanka v England - 2nd Test Preview

England have lost their last 4 matches in Asia without making it to 5 days and the 15/8 about Sri Lanka deposing them from the No.1 ranking in World test cricket seems to be very generous on not just the evidence of their first test defeat in Galle, but also their three defeats in the UAE.

England have always struggled against spin in the Southern continent, but what’s been notable this year has been their losses in the game changing moments – a lack of the killer instinct, for want of a better phrase; Their dreadful collapse in Abu Dhabi followed by a rare slip up in the bowling department being just two examples, while Monty Panesar’s dropped catches proved crucial in their first test defeat here.

 

That let in Mahela Jayawerdene’s 180 – the eventual difference between the two teams – but bookmakers seem to have gone overboard in closing the margins between the two teams and if this is to be an each of two contest – the kind which usually sees 5/6 offered about a pair of evenly matched outcomes – then the bet has to be Sri Lanka at 15/8.

England touched odds on at one point in the first test but a lack of control after the dismissals of Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott – England’s two best players during the second innings – was represented by a loss of 5 wickets for just 12 runs, which was the latest in a series of collapses in the Test arena for Duncan Fletcher’s side.

All of those occasions saw England get into positions where they could have avoided defeat or won the match at one point or another – but eventually the spin which has claimed 66 English wickets in 2012 wore them down at one point or another and the same thing could well happen again.

The main pattern of England tests since the turn of the year seems to be very aptly explained by Betting Zone’s Dave Tickner here; Sterling work from the bowlers followed by clueless capitulation from the batsmen.

Sri Lanka had won only once in 18 tests before beating England last week (looking ordinary at the best of times) but confidence will undoubtedly be raised by their victory last week and they’ve got a fantastic record in Colombo – they’ve beaten South Africa, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh twice in their last 6 tests – and with England still not handling the pitches or the spin here, the hosts look an obvious bet at a rather big price.

Advice

4 pts Sri Lanka (15/8 general)