Live Test Match Blogging / Jaymes Monte / 16 June 2011 /

England have a commanding 1-0 lead in the series and the weather forecast for the weekend looks bleak. Jaymes Monte is here to talk you through the day, keep you up to date with the many likely rain delays and ponder over Betfair's numerous betting markets.

7:25pm STUMPS Sri Lanka 81-4
Well, that's all folks. As the sun belts down onto the Rose Bowl pitch the players go off with 38 overs bowled and Sri Lanka at 81-4. P. Jayawardene and Samaraweera have clawed things back a little for the tourists but it's still England's day.

The forecast suggests that we'll have even less play tomorrow than we did today and by the end of proceedings I may be changing my job title from Sports Writer to Meteorologist. Do join me.

7:11pm Sri Lanka 75-4
Not long left now and P. Jayawardene and Samaraweera have done well to steady things here. Will we see an over or two from Graeme Swann before the day is out?

6:55pm Sri Lanka 66-4
The ball is still doing plenty but the intensity seems to have dropped a little from England. Nevertheless, they're still in a really promising position and perhaps this is just a little lull before the storm. Jimmy Anderson has been brought back on and that allows Broad to switch to the Pavilion End, can he have more success from this end?

6.30pm Sri Lanka 44-4
Strange decision from Strauss as he takes Anderson out of the attack in the over after Jayawardene's dismissal, and a poor over from Stuart Broad just relieves a little bit of the pressure.

For those of you keeping tabs on proceedings over in the Caribbean; India have crumbled from 225-5 to 251 all out. The momentum is with West Indies and they look a good bet at odds of [3.2] to chase down that total.

6:18pm WICKET DPMD Jayawardene c Prior b Tremlett 4
Tremlett finds the shoulder of Mahela Jayawardene's bat and you can't say that hasn't been coming. Tremlett and Anderson have cranked up the pressure since the resumption. England are in to [2.0] as one Jayawardene replaces another.

6:10pm Sri Lanka 33-3
A rested and fresh Jimmy Anderson and Chris Tremlett resume their double-barrelled attack and are looking good. A couple more wickets this evening and England will be into Sri Lanka's long tail. Although the forecast isn't good for tomorrow the [2.6] available on England could get a lot shorter before it gets bigger again.

5:40pm PLAY TO RESUME
The news from the middle is that play will resume at 6.00pm. Play is officially due to finish at 7.00pm but we do have until 7.30pm to bowl a total of 20 overs.

England are now available to back at [2.7] and that looks worth getting stuck into again. Despite the rain this has been a good day for England and another couple of wickets this evening would put Strauss in the driving seat.

5:35pm UPDATE
The covers are all off and the umpires are assessing the situation. Andrew Strauss and Graham Gooch are out in the middle and look to be calling the rest of the team out for a warm-up. Which is obviously a good sign for those of us hoping for some play. Look one way from the centre of The Rose Bowl and it looks like Armageddon, look the other way and its bright clear skies. Presumably the clouds are now heading away from the ground and we'll get at least an hour of play this evening.

5:15pm UPDATE
It looks as though there may be a little bit of play left in the day yet. There'll be an inspection at 5.30pm. We'll let you know what comes of it.

5:08pm WEATHER UPDATE
The umpires have had a walk out into the middle with the bittersweet background of a rainbow. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign as it obviously means that it is still raining but the sun is also out. I suppose it's a step in the right direction, we'll take the positives.

Over at Ascot Midsummer Son is a horse that obviously doesn't possess a sense of irony as it comes home with only a couple behind it.

4:57pm ROYAL ASCOT - IRONY ALERT
For those who like their betting to have a sense of irony about it; the Tercentenary Stakes are about to go off over at Royal Ascot and we've a runner named Midsummer Sun that is currently priced at [20.0] for the win and [6.0] to place. It's like ten thousand spoons....

4:43pm RAIN STOPPED PLAY
Not a lot to report, unfortunately. It's still raining at The Rose Bowl. The weather radars are suggesting that things might clear up later this evening but whether that happens in time to get some more play remains to be seen.

England have currently settled at [2.5] in the match odds betting, the draw is [1.7] and Sri Lanka are a justifiably big [50.0]

4:15pm RAIN STOPPED PLAY Sri Lanka 29-3
It's still raining in Southampton and, quite frankly, it doesn't look like it is going to stop anytime soon. Weather radars are showing rain patches sweeping over the south coast for another hour at least.

Over in Jamaica India have recovered from a shaky start that saw West Indies take two early wickets and shorten to [1.7] in the betting. The tourists are now 79-2 with Virat Kohli at the crease and looking good, West Indies are now as big as [3.0].

3:50pm TEA Sri Lanka 29-3
Tea has been taken and will run until 4:06pm. Although I'd be very surprised if we get under way at that time as the rain is still falling at The Rose Bowl. I'm off for a swift cuppa and will try and get you some weather updates upon my return.

3:46pm RAIN STOPS PLAY Sri Lanka 29-3
The skies have opened and the players are taken off the pitch as the covers are rushed into place. The draw has shortened in to [1.7], hopefully some of you got on at the suggested [1.9] and can lay off for a few quid free bet.

3:39 WICKET KC Sangakkara c Prior b Anderson 2
Kumar Sangakkara's poor series continues as the Sri Lankan stand-in captain wafts at a wide one that finds the edge and goes comfortably through to Matt Prior. Sangakkara is disgusted at himself. The tourists are on the ropes here and England have shortened in to [2.2] with more rain on the way. Time to back the draw at [1.9].

3:34pm Sri Lanka 28-2
It looked as though the players would be coming off again there as the heavens opened momentarily. The sun is back out now but there are some dark and heavy looking clouds lurking, I fear we haven't seen the last of the rain delays today.

The match odds market is becoming a two horse race with England hovering around the [3.0] mark and Sri Lanka around [1.5].

3:23pm WICKET NT Paranavitana lbw b Tremlett 11
Chris Tremlett strikes in the first over after the re-start. It was full and straight and Paranavitana couldn't get any bat on it. He briefly considers appealing before accepting his fate and walking off. Mahela Jayawardene comes out to join Sangakkara. Sri Lanka's big two need to stand up and be counted.

3:10pm UPDATE
Seems that the umpires are happy with what they see and we'll be back underway at 3:20pm. Tea will be taken at 4:40pm and there are 53 more overs to be bowled today. Looks like we could be in for another late evening, weather permitting.

2:50pm UPDATE
We'll have an inspection at 3:00pm and all things being equal we should be underway shortly after that. The skies are clear and the wicket looks to have greened up a little since this morning. Could be plenty of drama left in the day yet. England are back into [3.3] in the match odds betting.

Over in Kingston West Indies have won the toss, put India into bat and shortened to [2.5] in the match odds.

2:35pm UPDATE
The umpires are out in the middle having a look around, the skies have cleared and the sun is back out but the outfield looks pretty wet so we're still some way from a re-start.

If your craving some live cricket then the fifth and final ODI between West Indies and India gets underway at 3:00pm. India wrapped up the series in the first three games but, as is becoming customary with this West Indies side, the hosts played their best cricket in the fourth match with the series beyond them. The [2.8] available on them making the series scorline a more respectable 3-2 looks a good value back and should certainly get shorter throughout the match.

2:20pm
GOOD NEWS. The rain has stopped and the mopping-up process is underway. The super soppers are going to get a good workout this weekend by the looks of it. We'll bring you news on a re-start time as and when we have it.

2:05pm RAIN STOPPED PLAY
There is no official news on when we'll see a restart but the covers are still on at The Rose Bowl and the rain is still falling. Sri Lanka are out to a high of [30.0] in the match odds betting as their chances of levelling the series are beginning to wash away with the rain. England are back out to the [3.7] that was available prior to Thirimanne's wicket and the draw is [1.45].

1:20pm RAIN STOPS PLAY Sri Lanka 23-1
Kumar Sangakkara is out there for two balls before the players are taken off for rain. As a result it's an early lunch and we'll hopefully be back out in 40 minutes for the resumption of play. That, of course, depends upon how the weather fairs over the next 30 minutes or so.

I'm going to polish off last night's lasagne, followed by a few McVities Caramel Chocolate Digestive's. I'll let you know what's happening with the weather at The Rose Bowl upon my return.

1:15pm WICKET HDRL Thirimanne c Strauss b Anderson 10
And there it is. Anderson finds the outside edge of Thirimanne's bat and Strauss takes a regulation catch in the slips. If you did back England at the suggested [3.7], I suggest that you now get out at [3.0], rain is imminent.

1:10pm Sri Lanka 21-0
Anderson is really getting the ball to swing now and Chris Tremlett has replaced Stuart Broad from the other end. Sri Lanka's openers are coping well but despite the clouds gathering overhead it may be worth having a nibble on England now at odds of [3.7].

1:00pm Sri Lanka 21-0
Jimmy Anderson follows two outswingers with an inswinger that invited Thirimanne to poke at it, but the ball nips past the outside edge. Anderson is looking threatening but Broad is proving a little inconsistent with his line. Paranavitana is looking assured and I like the look of the [2.5] available on him making a fifty.

12:42pm REVIEW
Jimmy Anderson thinks that he has found Paranavitana's outside edge and the whole England team goes up, but Aleem Dar is unmoved. The decision to review is immediate but there is nothing showing up on hotspot and the decision remains not out. There was definitely a noise, snicko confirms it came from the ball hitting the bat, but that piece of technology is not available to the umpires. England are unlucky.

12:40pm Sri Lanka 7-0
Bumble is doing his nut on Sky Sports comms as an injury to Paranavitana causes a delay in play. I can't help but agree that there have been too many unnecessary delays throughout this series. Although his suggestions for combating the problem do seem a bit extreme. What do you think? Drop us an e-mail at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk and let us know.

12:25pm Sri Lanka 3-0
Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad share the new ball. Anderson begins his comeback with a maiden over to Paranavitana before Broad greets Thirimanne to Test match cricket with a couple of bouncers.

As pointed out by Ed Hawkins in his third Test preview, the average first innings score in four County Championship matches at The Rose Bowl this season is 368. Sri Lanka are available to back at around [2.9] to score 350 runs or more here.

12:05pm
England winning the toss has given draw backers a bit of a jolt. The hosts are in to [2.7] in the match odds with the draw out to [1.7]. Having hit a low of [1.4] this morning there'll be a few out there that have made a few quid on this market without a ball being bowled. Nice work if you can get it.

21-year-old Lahiru Thirimanne will open for Sri Lanka but a more interesting subplot will be to see how the impressive Paranavitana copes with being the senior member of the opening partnership. He is currently available to back at [2.6] to score a first innings fifty and [4.8] to be Sri Lanka's top first innings run scorer.

11:50am - England win toss & bowl
Andrew Strauss tosses the coin, Kumar Sangakkara calls heads and it lands tails up. With a tinge of green on the wicket and rain forecast Strauss decides to have a bowl.

As expected Jimmy Anderson comes in for Steven Finn for the hosts. For Sri Lanka Lahiru Thirimanne replaces Dilshan at the top of the order and Thisara Perera replaces Maharoof.

We've a few changes to the schedule for the day too. Lunch will be taken at 1:30pm, tea is at 4:10pm and close of play is 7:00pm.

11:30am
Aleem Dar, Rod Tucker and Billy Doctrove stride out into the middle, give the grass a little stroke, put their hands back in their pockets, wander around a little more and decide, eventually, that play will start at 12:15. Meaning the toss should happen around 11:45.

Meanwhile, in a Sky Sports time-filler piece, Ian Bell tells us he has been working with Gucci. We look forward to the new summer fashion range.

10:55am - Inspection at 11:15
The latest news is that there will be an inspection at 11:15. The covers are coming off and the ground staff are doing their thing.

There's been plenty of action on the match odds betting market this morning. Punters awakening to the rainy scenes have lumped on the draw taking it down to a surprising low of [1.4]. It has now settled at a more reasonable [1.6] with England at [3.0] and Sri Lanka [19.0] for the win that would level the series.

While we're waiting for news from the middle Michael Vaughan has given his expert opinion on the third Test here.

10:40am
Good morning and welcome to the first ever Test match at The Rose Bowl. The bad news is that it has been pouring down all morning, the outfield is soaking and the forecast for the weekend is not good. The good news is that it has now stopped raining on the south coast and we could have play in around an hours time.

In the mean time have a little read of Ed Hawkins' third Test preview for his view on where the betting value lies this weekend.

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