Live Test Match Blogging / Jaymes Monte / 17 June 2011 /

Unfortunately the weather forecast isn't much better for day two of the third and final Test match between England and Sri Lanka. Jaymes Monte will take you through the day and keep you up to date with the weather...

3:30pm UPDATE
The trusty weather radars that have served us so well so far today suggest that although the rain is fairly light at the moment it's going to be around for quite a while and could get heavier.

The draw is currently trading at [1.75] and I'd say that's your best bet for today. It'll only get shorter with the lack of play then you can trade off at a lower price this evening. The forecast is good for tomorrow morning but there is more stormy weather around in the afternoon.

3:09pm RAIN STOPS PLAY Sri Lanka 177-9
The rain is looking pretty heavy and the umpires have no option but to take the players off. I presume an early tea will be taken but it doesn't seem that this will clear anytime soon. Not one to blow my own trumpet, but I refer you to my post at '1:50pm'. Nostradamus has nothing on me.

2:58pm WICKET RAS Lakmal c Prior b Tremlett 0
Tremlett back into the attack and Tremlett back in the wickets as Lakmal goes for a golden duck. England need to be careful here or Strauss and Cook may just have to negotiate a few tricky overs before the rain sets in.

2:52pm WICKET HAPW Jayawardene c Morgan b Swann 43
It has taken Graeme Swann just two deliveries for his customary first-over wicket. A good innings from P. Jayawardene comes to an end as he looked to take the attack to Swann and only succeeds in holing out to Eoin Morgan at deep midwicket.

2:41pm Sri Lanka 149-7
Stuart Broad is looking really tame here. His place in the side for the India tests later this summer has to be a major doubt. P. Jayawardene is looking good and has moved on to 43 and is just [1.15] to go on and make his fifty.

2:20pm Sri Lanka 132-7
The rain is starting to appear and it looks as though when it does come it could be here for a while. If you're still sitting on that suggested back of England at [3.5] I recommend that now is the time to get out with a lay of England at [2.4].

2:12pm Sri Lanka 124-7
With rain clouds lurking the umpires call drinks. Bumble will be doing his nut! We've had no play all morning and in the next 30 minutes or so the heavens are likely to open making most of the rest of the day a washout. Do we really need to take five more minutes out of the game for the players to have a collective drink?

1:56pm WICKET HMRKB Herath c Anderson b Tremlett 12
And there is that one big shot too many from Rangana Herath. It's a five-for for Chris Tremlett and nobody can say that he hasn't deserved it. It has been a violent spell of bowling from the 6ft 7in paceman. Dilhara Fernando replaces Herath in the middle.

1:50pm Sri Lanka 112-6
Stuart Broad has come on to replace Jimmy Anderson but doesn't get a lot to happen in his first over. It looks as though the rain may set in at around 2.45pm, maybe a little later. That gives England another hour or so. I reckon Sri Lanka could be at least eight down by then. Herath is adding some quick runs here but playing like this you're only ever one rash shot away from losing your wicket.

1:32pm WICKET NLTC Perera c Prior b Tremlett 2
Perrera gets given a life when Trott misjudges a skier towards fine leg, but he only hangs around for three more balls before Tremlett gets his fourth wicket. It was a poor and unnecessary shot from Perrera and he's gone after facing just six deliveries.

England are in to [1.8], but it's not time to lay them just yet.

1:30pm Sri Lanka 91-5
England have shortened in to [2.26] on the back of that wicket from Tremlett. If you did back England at the start of play today I'd hang on a little longer before contemplating laying off. Looks as though the weather will stay dry for another hour or so, by that time England could be deep into the Sri Lankan tail.

1:22pm WICKET TT Samaraweera c Pietersen b Tremlett 31
BOOM! Tremlett strikes in his first over for the second time in this match. It was the fuller ball that did Samaraweera and he edged it to Pietersen at gully. Was the batsman still concerned about that one that smashed into his bottom hand?

1:21pm Sri Lanka 89-4
Jimmy Anderson starts things for England but doesn't find much in his opening over. Chris Tremlett is at the other end and a little extra bounce means another Sri Lankan batsman gets wrapped on the knuckles and requires the physio. Anyone know how many incidents that is? We must be approaching double figures.

1:06pm UPDATE
Looks as though we are going to get some play. The players are out there warming up and the covers are all off the pitch. Sky Sports' Ian Ward has described the conditions as "perfect" for England's bowlers. Can they break through the stubborn resistance of P. Jayawardene and Samaraweera? A long Sri Lankan tail awaits.

England are [3.5] to win this third Test, Sri Lanka are [42.0] and the draw is [1.43]. It may pay to have a small bet on England with a view to trading out if wickets fall.

12:30pm LUNCH
That is lunch at The Rose Bowl. The good news is that the covers are coming off and there is a good chance that we will see some play at 1.10pm, providing, of course, there is no more rain.

I'm off for a ham and coleslaw roll followed by a slice of Battenberg, see you on the other side for more from your daily weather blog.

12:20pm UPDATE
Lunch will be taken at 12.30pm until 1.10pm. It isn't completely 'bucketing' it down at The Rose Bowl, neither is the sun out. That gap in the rain clouds that I spoke about earlier looks like it could be heading towards the Southampton area, so we may get some play after lunch. Fingers crossed.

12:06pm
David Torz sends us this weather report;

"I was going to start Cook-ing Onions but as soon as I picked up the BBQ I had to Plunkett back down. Ponting to the sky I could see the birds Singh-ing but the Raina was starting to fall."

11:55am
The old proverb "no news is good news" does not ring true for those of us hoping to see some live cricket in Southampton today. There's still nothing to report.

11:25am
As the weather continues to dominate proceedings lets at least keep things cricket related in our weather reports. Send us your cricket related weather reports to betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk

I'll go first....

"There are Broad clouds over Southampton, pretty much as the forecasters had Warne-d us. The Swann's will certainly be enjoying this weather but it is no good for the Bell ringer at The Rose Bowl"

11:00am UPDATE
We're obviously not starting on time today and it's difficult to know when, or if, we might. The weather radars suggest plenty of rain in the general area but there is also a big gap in the clouds there, the opening just needs to find its way to Southampton and stay there for a little while.

10:40am
Good morning and welcome back to a wet and dreary Rose Bowl. Although the skies aren't quite as dark and gloomy as they were at times yesterday the covers are on and umbrellas are up. I fear that today's blog will have more weather updates than cricket updates but we'll keep our fingers crossed for some play.

If you missed yesterday's action then there's a brief round up here. The match odds betting has the draw in to [1.36], England are [4.0] and Sri Lanka are [40.0].

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