Should england declare ?

Lead of 285

Lanka managed 288 in 1st innings

Pitch is loving the Seamers !

weather has already stolen 1 session....

Alex Hales need about 30 more for his personal milestone !

Day 4 ...1 hour to Tea .

Halo moves to 82*

Lead now 300

52.4  Herath to Hales, FOUR, fired in faster but Hales shimmies across the crease to sweep

52.3  Herath to Hales, SIX, down the track and wallop

54.2    Herath to Hales, FOUR, swept with power, as Hales begins to motor now. ..

307 Lead

Current partnership  59 runs, 14.4 overs, RR: 4.02 (Cook 18, Hales 32)

Hales 83*

61.4
Mathews to Hales, 1 run, Hales' Test best, nurdled off the pads ..

Beating the 86 he made earlier in the series

and the 83 earlier in the series as well....
 

94*

62.1  Herath to Hales, FOUR, low full toss and that's an absolute freebie ...

Lead of 330

Ten minutes to TEA

63.2
Mathews to Hales, NO! pinned on the front pad, and though he's reviewing it doesn't look good ...\

a fraction back of a length and zipping through quickly, he was simply late on the shot...

sliding down, maybe, a few have so far this Test ... it's his only hope... but nope,

clipping leg, and off he goes.


Halo lbw b Mathews 94  :'(

Feel desperately sad for Hales. So close once again to his maiden Test century. He batted so well, admittedly got some luck when he was bowled off a no ball that wasn't, but such a shame to be dismissed right on the stroke of tea.

On the subject of declaring, if I were captain, I'd come out for six overs after tea, give it a thrash around, see if Cook and Moeen can get the lead up to 375 then declare, giving them 25 overs tonight and then all of tomorrow in the hopes of bowling Sri Lanka out.

In reality, I expect England to bat for most of the rest of the day, before having a 10 over burst at the end.

so england playing not to lose?