FAST REPLY TO POPE PRAYERS

But Sri Lankans fight back to make it harder for new skipper

- Gideon Brooks

WITH half an hour of his reign as England captain gone, Ollie Pope would probably have been thinking of posting his application for the position full-time."

Lose the toss and get the ball on what looked a decent track? No trouble. At 11.31am Sri Lanka had batted for seven overs, were three down and four runs shy of reaching double figures.

Yet at the end of a day, brought to a finish at 5.53pm by bad light, the stand-in skipper had also been given a lesson in the frustrations of a job that has vexed some greats before him.

England remain in a strong position in this opening Test of three, but as Pope settled for his evening meal last night, he might justifiably have wondered how much better it might have been after the tourists climbed off the canvas from 92-6 to 236 all out.

Pope used most of the tactics from the Bazball playbook, including a short-pitched barrage and 'dare-you' fields. He was also hampered by worsening light, which left him with no recourse to his quicks.