Sajid Mahmood marked his debut by taking three quick wickets as England powered into a commanding position in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Friday.
At stumps on the second day, Sri Lanka had collapsed to 91-6, still a huge 460 behind England’s first-innings 551-6 declared and needing a further 261 to avoid the follow-on target of 352.
Mahmood, a 24-year-old Lancashire fast bowler, took three wickets for no runs in nine balls to end the day with figures of 3-9.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene, dropped by diving wicket-keeper Geraint Jones on 34, was 40 not out and Farveez Maharoof unbeaten on six at stumps.
Earlier, Kevin Pietersen scored 158 to equal his Test-best score in what was England’s highest total against Sri Lanka, a stand of 173 with Paul Collingwood (57) being the centrepiece of the innings.
After Matthew Hoggard had struck a couple of early blows, Mahmood — the cousin of British boxing star Amir Khan — delivered some knockout punches of his own, breaking the 140kph barrier and bowling with a venom way beyond anything the Sri Lankan quicks had managed.
The way the tourists’ reply began suggested former captain Sanath Jayasuriya could not arrive in England quickly enough after the veteran left-handed opener recently announced he was ending his Test retirement.
Jehan Mubarak had been drafted in as an opener after Michael Vandort had made a pair in last week’s 10-wicket defeat by England A.
However, Mubarak fell for nought, lbw to Hoggard’s in-swinging seventh ball as Sri Lanka lost their first wicket without a run on the board.
Fellow left-handed opener Upul Tharanga (10) exited in similar fashion, his dismissal made worse by the fact he was shouldering arms.
Hoggard had taken two wickets for seven runs in 18 balls to take his Test tally to 199.
Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene, the tourists’ two most experienced batsmen, staunched the flow of wickets with a stand of 60.
But Sangakkara went for 20 when, driving loosely outside off-stump against Mahmood, he was caught by first slip Marcus Trescothick to give the bowler his first Test wicket with only his 12th ball.
Mahmood, then had Thilan Samaraweera plumb lbw for none before Tillakaratne Dilshan also went for nought after he was run-out having been sent back by Jayawardene.
And when debutant Chamara Kapugedera then fell for a first-ball nought, also lbw to Mahmood, Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for four runs in 21 balls. — AFP
