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After 28 consecutive wins in home ODIs when they’ve scored at least 250 batting first, Sri Lanka’s amazing run was ended in a nailbiter at the Premadasa

The Report by S Rajesh28-Jul-2012
ScorecardSuresh Raina marshalled the chase, along with Irfan Pathan, with an unbeaten half-century•AFP

After 28 consecutive wins in home ODIs when they’ve scored at least 250 batting first, Sri Lanka’s amazing run was ended in a nailbiter at the Premadasa. Riding on a superbly paced hundred by Gautam Gambhir, India overcame mid-innings wobbles, including losing two wickets off successive balls, as Suresh Raina – helped along by Irfan Pathan – did the finishing job to perfection. India now lead the five-match series 2-1.In conditions that offered an even contest between bat and ball, and there were several memorable performances, with fortunes swaying either way several times, till the Raina-Irfan partnership decisively swung it India’s way. India held the early ascendancy in the match with three quick wickets, but a top-notch 121-run stand for the fourth wicket between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene edged it in Sri Lanka’s favour. Angelo Mathews and Jeevan Mendis further hammered home the advantage with a104-run partnership, including 97 off the last ten, as India’s bowling frailties at the death were exposed again. Then, when India’s chase appeared on course, Lasith Malinga, who historically hasn’t had such a happy time against them, struck twice with the first two balls of the batting Powerplay, at a time when India were fairly comfortably placed, needing 107 off 90 with eight wickets in hand, with MS Dhoni and Gambhir well set. And when Gambhir was found short by a direct hit from Isuru Udana – his one redeeming act on another disappointing bowling day – India seemed to have well and truly lost their way.The final twist in the tale, though, was still to come. When Pathan joined Raina, the task was steep – 91 runs in 12 overs, with not much batting to come. At that stage, though, Malinga, who had three overs to spare, was pulled out of the attack with three of his overs still in hand; in retrospect, another over at that stage, with both batsmenrelatively new to the crease, might have been worth the risk.With Malinga not in the attack, both batsmen eked out the runs through intended and unintended methods – flicks, edges, outside edges, inside edges all followed, but crucially for India, they all added to the total and brought down the target. Raina then launched into his trademark meaty hoicks to leg, bringing up his half-century with one such stunning six over long-on off Malinga in the 46th. With both batsmen getting a couple of fours through third man in Malinga’s previous over, the asking rate had suddenly come down to seven. India were back in control, and this time they didn’t let go.

Smart stats

• The target of 287 is the highest successfully chased by a team against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. The top four run chases have been achieved by India.

• Since the start of 2011, teams have won eight and lost three matches while chasing at the Premadasa stadium. However, between 2000 and 2010, the record of chasing teams was 16 wins and 40 losses.

• Gautam Gambhir’s century is his 11th in ODIs and sixth against Sri Lanka. His top two scores have come against Sri Lanka.

• Gambhir, with six centuries against Sri Lanka, is joint-third on the list of batsmen with the most ODI centuries against Sri Lanka. Only Sachin Tendulkar (8) and Saeed Anwar (7) are above Gambhir.

• The match aggregate of 574 runs is the sixth-highest in an ODI at the Premadasa stadium. The top seven aggregates at the venue have all come in India-Sri Lanka ODIs.

• The 121-run stand between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene is the highest fourth-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against India. It is the fourth-highest fourth-wicket partnership in ODIs at the Premadasa stadium.

• Angelo Mathews’ strike rate of 124.56 during his 71 is his highest for a fifty-plus score in ODIs. It is his second half-century against India and the 11th overall.

• Suresh Raina’s half-century is his 23rd in ODIs and seventh against Sri Lanka. His strike rate of 144.44 is his highest for a fifty-plus score against Sri Lanka.

• The 92-run stand between Raina and Irfan Pathan is the highest sixth-wicket stand against Sri Lanka in an ODI in Sri Lanka.

Till the 36th over of the chase, it seemed India’s win might be achieved with far lesser drama, with Gambhir and Virat Kohli – their trusted pair in a run-chase, putting together 105 in quick time after the early loss of Virender Sehwag. Gambhir’s was a masterclass, as he took charge of the chase from the start, upper-cutting Malinga in the first over, and then regularly finding the boundaries with square-drives and cuts. Against the spinners, he was always in his comfort zone, chipping into the outfield for twos to stay within touching distance of the asking rate.Sri Lanka’s innings was a story of two high-quality partnerships. Jayawardene’s decision to bat first at a venue where recent results have favoured the team chasing seemed to have backfired when ZaheerKhan and Irfan reduced them to 20 for 3. Both bowlers made excellent use of the bounce and seam movement on offer, regularly beating the bat. The wickets followed soon, as Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal all succumbed early.That’s when the class of Sangakkara and Jayawardene shone through. In testing conditions, where strokeplay wasn’t easy against the new ball, both batsmen settled in quickly, though Jayawardene was more circumspect early. Sangakkara unfurled a couple of classy drives – straight and square – and also defended expertly, playing with soft hands, into the gaps, for ones and twos. His one testing moment came in the 15th over, when a short one from Ashok Dinda struck him on his right glove; Sangakkara continued batting, but the injury was later diagnosed as a fracture. Jayawardene, meanwhile, settled in and showed his range and silken touch, playing lofted drives on the off side and deft late-cuts off Rahul Sharma, whose extra pace suited him perfectly.The century partnership duly came up – it was their fifth India, and only one pair has more. They both looked good to post individual hundreds too, but neither did.When Sangakkara fell in the batting Powerplay, it seemed India had wrested the initiative again, but their slog-over bowling weakness, and some clever, enterprising batting from Mathews and Jeevan Mendis, meant Sri Lanka were the happier team at the break. Mathews had some luck when he was caught-behind off an Irfan no-ball when on 33, but there was also plenty of smart cricket from both. Mendis, brought into the team to replace Lahiru Thirimanne, justified that selection with an enterprising knock, reverse-sweeping Ashwin and then smashing Dinda’s friendly short ball over midwicket for the only six of the innings. Mathews was equally enterprising, moving to leg and making room to spank the medium-pacers through the offside.It seemed their heroics towards the end would be enough, but India’s three left-hand batsmen then came to the party.

John Hastings is a giant allrounder who is new on the scene and preparing for a bits-and-pieces role in Australia’s World Cup defence

Peter English31-Jan-2011John Hastings is a giant allrounder who is new on the scene and preparing for a bits-and-pieces role in Australia’s World Cup defence. Hastings contributed with the vital wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in the series-sealing victory against England on Sunday to continue his steady rise.That is just the sort of effort the Australians want from him, although they are also hoping for some handy runs from No.8. At Victoria Hastings is seen more as an evenly weighted allrounder, but the national set-up likes him for his clever changes of pace, including the slower bouncer that upset Pietersen on Sunday night.Usually at this time in the World Cup cycle the teams are relying on players who have developed on the international stage over the previous couple of years. Hastings has appeared in only five ODIs and one Twenty20, so he will be learning on the job.”I have played a Champions League [Twenty20] over there and made my international debut over there as well, I love playing in India,” Hastings said before the team left for Sydney to prepare for Wednesday’s sixth ODI. “There’s massive crowds, lots of pressure, that’s what I strive to play for. The wickets are lower and slower so you have to mix your pace up a little bit and that’s why I think I have been brought into this team.”Hastings, 25, stands at 1.95m and is an intimidating presence on and off the field. He hasn’t modelled himself on anyone but rates himself similar to Andrew McDonald, his Victoria team-mate. “He’s a medium pacer with a lot of tricks and slower balls, and bats in the top six,” he said. “My batting is probably not there at the moment, but I’ve got to play my role as best I can.”He was a batsman as a junior in New South Wales but has graduated into an accomplished bowler since switching states. “Batting is there in the background so I’ve got to keep working away at that,” he said. “I can come in at No.8 and contribute, I’ve normally got five to 10 overs to bat.”Australia’s World Cup plans have started to come together during the four wins against England and the one loss in Adelaide. Brett Lee is fit and bowling fast, and the opening combination of Shane Watson and Brad Haddin is beginning to settle.Openers have been a major feature of Australia’s three World Cup wins, with Matthew Hayden dominating in 2007, Adam Gilchrist doing well in 2003 and Mark Waugh succeeding in 1999. Michael Clarke, the stand-in captain, said Watson and Haddin were capable of providing a similar partnership to Hayden and Gilchrist.”Watto and Hadds are a wonderful combination,” he said. “They suit each other because on any given day one of them can go off and the other can play that anchor role. Add Ricky Ponting into that top four and I think we’ve got a pretty good batting order. The subcontinent conditions will really suit Watto and Hadds and the first 10 to 15 overs will be crucial to get off to good starts.”

England’s coach, Andy Flower, has told his underperforming batsmen there is no place to hide after two poor performances in the third Test at The Oval allowed Pakistan to pull the four-match series scoreline back to 2-1

Cricinfo staff23-Aug-2010England’s coach, Andy Flower, has told his underperforming batsmen there is no place to hide after two poor performances in the third Test at The Oval allowed Pakistan to pull the four-match series scoreline back to 2-1 with just the decider at Lord’s to come this week. On a good batting track, England suffered collapses in each innings, including a remarkable subsidence of 7 for 28 second-time around, to muster scores of 231 and 222, as Pakistan held their nerve to win a tense contest by four wickets.Although England have shown faith with their team by naming the same 11 players plus the nominal12th man, Tim Bresnan, Flower knows that his players have to front up if they are to avoid squandering a series victory that seemed preordained when they went 2-0 up after the second Test with a nine-wicket win at Edgbaston. “On the batting side, I thought we underperformed without a doubt,” he said. “On a good Oval pitch, scores of 230 and 220 weren’t good enough to win a Test match, and we need to produce better results, simple as that.”Having bowled Pakistan out for 80 and 72 in the first two games of the series at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston, England’s own batting frailties had been masked to a certain degree. “I think the first two pitches we played on were very tricky surfaces,” said Flower. “So they would undoubtedly have contributed to collapses. But as a batting team we need to produce better results, simple as that. Lord’s should provide us with a very good opportunity to put things right and it is the responsibility of all of us to make sure that happens.”Despite conceding a first-innings deficit of 75, England were inching back into command of the game at 156 for 2, with Alastair Cook ending a season-long batting drought with his 13th Test century. But once he was dismissed, caught down the leg side for 110, the innings lost its momentum and the twin dismissals after tea of Kevin Pietersen and the well-set Jonathan Trott proved decisive in the final analysis.”At The Oval, although we won the toss and batted, they were still quite trying conditions,” said Flower. “But in the second innings there were no excuses whatsoever. We set up a brilliant platform through Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott and we performed poorly after that. Any batting collapse is concerning and there have been too many of them.”Nevertheless, Cook’s return to form, and the steady tempo that Trott displayed in his three-and-a-half-hour 36, were pleasing to Flower, who believes that – while Cook’s innings was a more aggressive affair than he is used to producing – both men have the ability to buck the current trend of fast and aggressive Twenty20-influenced scoring, for the greater benefit of their team. “There is a different style of batting in international cricket these days,” said Flower. “It is without doubt more attacking, and with that has come a heavier percentage of results and shorter games.”We thought that when Trott played an obdurate innings in our second innings and it was looked at as very rare and questioned by certain people. That was good, old-fashioned Test match batting. I thought it was quite a good example of how attitudes to strike rates in Test cricket have changed.”Cook is quiet but he is quietly strong,” he added. “After failing in the first innings and having a rough time of it recently, I think it was a courageous knock filled with really exciting strokeplay. He is a tough young man and that is why he has the record he has. But he has got to back that up now, at Lord’s and into the future.”The man whom Flower was most impressed by, however, was England’s wicketkeeper and No.7, Matt Prior, who followed up his century in the second innings at Trent Bridge with a vital 84 not out that dug England out of a big hole at 94 for 7 on the first day at The Oval. “He’s looking probably the most organised I’ve seen him as a batsman since he started playing international cricket,” said Flower. “Graham Gooch and he have worked hard at the basics of batting and I think we can see the results of some of those hours in training.”Despite the Oval loss, Flower was confident that his players would bounce back with a strong performance. “Lord’s should provide us with a very good opportunity to put things right and it is the responsibility of all of us to make sure that happens,” he said. “Once the boys step over the boundary it is their job to embrace that responsibility and be skilful enough to deal with the pressures of international cricket. I think we’re underperforming. I think our batsmen believe that as well. And they will be doing everything to put that right.”

India sealed their closest-ever Test win in terms of runs as Siraj picked up a five-for

Andrew Miller04-Aug-2025A dank, grey morning in South London, a packed crowd at the Kia Oval, and 53 of the most extraordinary deliveries in Test-match history… all of which culminated in the inevitable, indefatigable redemption of Mohammed Siraj, whose gut-busting five-wicket haul trumped a very different, but every bit as heroic, intercession from England’s incapacitated Chris Woakes, in one of the greatest climaxes in all of Test history.Twenty years ago, on this very day, the legendary Edgbaston Ashes Test of 2005 got underway, but even that match’s breathless two-run finish paled against the agonising drama that spanned a solitary hour of play of this, the 25th and final day of another all-timer of a Test series. By the end of it all, India had landed their closest victory in Test history, by six runs. Their players were doing a lap of honour in front of a sea of their jubilant fans, grins beaming out from their battle-weary bodies, safe in the knowledge that they had earned every drop of the acclaim.Related

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This final act had been forced upon the series by the chaotic thunderstorm that had ended the fourth day early, arguably to England’s benefit in that moment, given the hot vein of form that Siraj had located to drag the contest, kicking and screaming, back in India’s direction after Harry Brook and Joe Root had, at one stage, threatened to rampage to their target of 374.With one last burst of Lee Fortis’ heavy roller before play, and with the potential for Siraj and his crucial sidekick Prasidh Krishna to resume with an adrenaline hangover, England were arguably favourites when play resumed, with 35 runs needed and three (and a half) wickets in hand. When Jamie Overton duly cracked two fours from Prasidh’s first two balls of the day – the latter, admittedly, very streakily past his leg stump – that equation was in danger of being settled in a matter of minutes.Siraj, however, was not letting this one slip. Of all the extraordinary moments in the course of five breathless Tests, nothing had threatened to have a more lasting legacy than his own crestfallen face-palm at deep fine-leg on the fourth afternoon, in the moment that he stepped on the boundary triangle to turn a regulation top-edge from Brook into a momentum-shifting six.2:02

Harmison: Woakes put his career on the line by coming out to bat

Coupled with his cruel luck with the bat in a similarly tense finale at Lord’s, it was an error that had drawn Siraj’s heart ever more fervently onto his sleeve. It had been his mission to make amends every step of the way of his exhausting 30.1-over effort, and the deliverance would prove to be exquisite. The winning moment came with a pinpoint yorker to uproot Gus Atkinson’s off stump, as he swung lustily once more – knowing that Woakes, his left arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder in the field, could not be asked to do more than just be there. However, that snapshot hardly scratches the surface of the drama he ignited.Siraj’s final act began with 27 runs left to defend, and England’s most likely matchwinner, Jamie Smith, in his sights on 2 not out from 17 balls. Right from the get-go, he located that crucial old-ball movement, and got his pace cranked up into the high-80s in the process. But, with Smith inevitably itching to get this done quickly – as is the Bazball ethos – Siraj cunningly kept his line wide, forcing the batter to come looking for his drives, and duly hitting paydirt with his third ball of the day – a palpable nick through to Dhruv Jurel that the umpires, under extraordinary pressure themselves, took upstairs to double-check.In an instant, the momentum lurched violently in India’s direction, and Atkinson, the new man, might have gone first ball as he was squared up by Siraj’s tighter line only for the ball to reach KL Rahul on the half-volley at second slip. At the other end, Overton’s long levers – which have attracted the interest of England’s white-ball teams in recent years – were stymied by six men back on the rope, one of whom, Ravindra Jadeja, pulled off a tigerish stop at deep cover to save a priceless boundary as Atkinson drove Prasidh firmly.3:49

Bangar: Series result proves India is growing in stature

Siraj, however, was still the main man. With the old ball still talking, a big inswinger crunched into Overton’s pad as he was pinned on the crease, and it was the voracity of the appeal that prised the crucial decision. Umpire Dharmasena waited an eternity before deciding that the appeal was worthy… and Overton’s desperate review duly confirmed that the ball would have been clipping leg stump.Moments later, umpire Ahsan Raza was similarly convinced by the inswinger, as Josh Tongue was pinned by Prasidh, but this time his review was clearly shown to be missing leg. In his next over, however, Prasidh didn’t need the umpire’s assistance. A piledriver of a yorker burst through Tongue’s defences for a 12-ball duck, and at 357 for 9, the die was cast for an extraordinary contest to receive an immortal climax.This was a match that burgled plotlines from a host of memorable predecessors – not least Trent Boult’s boundary-catch-that-wasn’t in the 2019 World Cup final. But now, 40 minutes into the day’s play, out strode Woakes, one arm completely encased by a sling beneath his jumper, charged with the task of hanging in there as best as he could, as Atkinson attempted to hack away the 17 runs still needed for victory.1:19

Sanjay Bangar picks his moment of the series

Sixty-two years have elapsed since Colin Cowdrey did likewise at Lord’s in 1963, returning to the crease with a broken arm, with England six runs from victory and with one wicket still standing. In those less chaotic days, David Allen opted not to go for broke against Wes Hall with two balls of the match to come, and Cowdrey was not required to do more than lean on his bat. Woakes, on the other hand, had a significantly more torrid role in store.The onus, though, was on Atkinson to score the runs. Two balls into Siraj’s next over, he connected magnificently with a launch across the line, as Akash Deep – in off the rope in the deep – could only palm the ball across the rope as he leapt in vain to intercept. Three air-shots ensued, whereupon – from the last ball of the over – Woakes hurtled off for a bye to the keeper, his arm bouncing out of his sling in the process, leaving him wincing in agony as umpire Raza helped swaddle him back into position.There was no respite, however. “Two!” was Atkinson’s instant call one ball later, as he found rare space in the deep off Prasidh to take the target into single figures. And though he could not make further inroads from the next four balls, the sixth was a gift, tight and full on the stumps, and a calm nudge to mid-on to keep the strike once more, and take England to within one blow of tying the scores.Siraj, however, wasn’t letting this cause slip now. In he hurtled for one final effort ball. Back went Atkinson’s off stump as he swung for the hills once again. Out came Siraj’s “siu” celebration as his team-mates swamped him in adulation. Off went the celebrations all across a nation that had no doubt come to a standstill on an otherwise nondescript Monday afternoon. So ended one of the most breathless hours ever witnessed in 148 years and 2598 Tests. And one of the most compelling series in living memory.

Avishka Fernando’s 96 took Sri Lanka to 248, paving the way for their first bilateral ODI series win against India in 27 years

Madushka Balasuriya07-Aug-20245:39

India’s batting (except Rohit’s) against spin a sign of concern

Avishka Fernando struck 96 – the highest individual score this series – and Dunith Wellalage picked up a five-for as Sri Lanka secured a first ODI bilateral series win against India in 27 years, with a dominant 110-run win in the third and final ODI in Colombo.For India, it was a culmination of their travails against spin over the past week, losing nine wickets to spinners for the third game straight – the 27 in total their most over a three-match series.Related

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Wellalage was chief destroyer this time out with figures of 5 for 27, but at various times across the series it’s been Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, or even Charith Asalanka. But at no point – aside from during Rohit Sharma’s now expected top-order romps – have India looked like they would be able to consistently contend.But this time, even Rohit’s impact was relegated to a mere cameo – 35 off 20 – as Wellalage had him caught behind trying to sweep before he could make any significant dents into Sri Lanka’s total.Aside from him, only Virat Kohli, Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar – 20, 15, 30 – got into double digits, and of those only Washington’s innings had sought to put any sort of pressure back on the Lankan bowlers.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India’s struggles placed an even higher premium on Avishka’s 96 off 102 earlier in the day, which had set Sri Lanka up so well that not even a collapse that saw them lose 28 runs for five wickets could derail their innings to any significant end.Over the course of his innings, he was part of Sri Lanka’s most profitable partnerships – 89 and 82 for the first and second wickets respectively – but his innings was not a case of Sri Lanka playing spin considerably better than the opposition, rather finding a way to maximise the opportunities afforded by the seamers.In this case, while Shivam Dube went for just nine runs off his four overs, Mohammed Siraj was struck for his joint worst figures in ODIs – 78 for 1 off nine. And of that 78, Avishka was responsible for 36 of them, at a strike rate of 200.This though was more Siraj erring in his lines and lengths, than anything Avishka himself might have done to put him off. But on tricky surfaces such as those dished up at Khettarama, these are the margins that must be capitalised on.Anything short was invariably put away, while Siraj was also guilty of bowling too straight to him; of the 36 runs he conceded to Avishka, 32 were square or behind square on the onside.Sri Lanka interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya and captain Charith Asalanka had a first bilateral ODI series win against India in 27 years to celebrate•Associated Press

But while Siraj was having a mare, Parag was having a debut to remember. He grabbed the key wicket of Avishka, getting a leg break to slide on into his front pad, before getting another to grip, straighten and skid to trap Charith Asalanka on the crease.His best delivery though was reserved for danger man Wellalage, who was done in by one that dipped and turned, pitching middle and spinning past the outside edge to knock back off stump.His economy rate of six an over meanwhile was impacted by some late strikes, but the rest of the spinners – Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington – proved miserly as ever, picking up a wicket apiece and none going for more than Axar’s 4.10 per over.Parag and his spin cohorts however had to be patient for their rewards, as Sri Lanka strung together two strong stands at the top of the order. Alongside Avishka, Pathum Nissanka (45) and Kusal Mendis (59) made important contributions, but like in the first two games, Sri Lanka’s middle order succumbed swiftly and suddenly.From 171 for 1 they spluttered to 199 for 6. From midway through the 36th over when they lost Avishka, up until midway through the 48th – 72 deliveries to be precise – not a single boundary was scored, scrounging just 49 runs in the period. And from targeting a score in the region of 280, they were now struggling to reach 250.Fortunately for them, Mendis – one of Sri Lanka’s better players of spin – was around at the death, and he was able to strike some powerful blows to help push the total towards 240. A score that seemed competitive but perhaps underwhelming considering the start provided by Avishka and co., but one that proved plenty in the end.

It’s a worry for Australia too, since Marsh is understood to be a lock-in to lead them at the T20 World Cup in June

S Sudarshanan07-Apr-2024Mitchell Marsh has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, which Delhi Capitals (DC) assistant coach Pravin Amre called a “worrying sign” for the team.”A few of our players are injured, and the worrying sign is Mitch Marsh,” Amre said after DC’s 29-run loss away to Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday. “He has gone for a scan and the physios will give us a report in a week’s time. Then we will come to know what the exact situation is. Whether he can [play the entire season] or not depends on the reports.”Marsh started IPL 2024 opening the batting alongside David Warner, but dropped to No. 3 when Prithvi Shaw was picked in DC’s third game of the season. In their fourth game, against Kolkata Knight Riders, Marsh picked up the injury during his three-over spell of 1 for 37, as Sourav Ganguly revealed on Saturday during a press conference. Marsh walked out to bat in the chase, but fell to Mitchell Starc for a two-ball duck.Related

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Along with DC, the Australia team management will also be worried about the injury, since Marsh is understood to be a lock-in to lead Australia at the T20 World Cup in June.Marsh has a history of injuries and, as far as the IPL is concerned, has played only 42 games in what is now his eighth season. There was a cloud over his participation in IPL 2022 too, but he did end up playing eight games for DC. Prior to that, in IPL 2020, when with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), he was ruled out of the tournament after hurting his ankle in their first match of the season, and he opted out of SRH’s campaign in IPL 2021 citing bubble fatigue.Kuldeep Yadav has also been out of action for DC because of a groin niggle – the MI game was the third he has missed in a row.Amre expected Kuldeep to miss “one or two games” more, but said that Mukesh Kumar, who has also missed two matches, should return in DC’s next match, on Friday in Lucknow against Lucknow Super Giants.”We have to start winning but have been set back by a few injuries,” Amre said after DC’s fourth defeat in five matches. “In the first game, Ishant [Sharma] couldn’t bowl two overs. Then Mukesh got injured. Kuldeep has not played three games. Marsh has a hamstring injury. They are our main players and whoever comes [in for them], they are not as effective because it is like A players vs B players there.”

Suranga Lakmal took 4/94 but the captain’s century and the allrounder’s 73 kept the home team strong

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Mar-2021Stumps Kraigg Brathwaite completed a ninth Test century in the first over of the day, before Rahkeem Cornwall and later Lahiru Thirimanne completed half-centuries during a meandering day of Test cricket that ended with neither team ascendant, again.West Indies’ eventual 354 was more than Sri Lanka would have liked to concede. But, at stumps, Sri Lanka had reached a reasonable 134 for 3. On a pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers, they were still in the hunt to haul in the opposition’s lead.This was, however, a slow day of Test cricket. Only six wickets fell, and despite that, only 203 runs were scored across 86 overs – a scoring rate of 2.36. Only Cornwall batted with adventure, in the first hour of the day, with both West Indies’ and Sri Lanka’s remaining batsmen choosing to dig in on a slow track.The visitors had Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva not out at the close. Chandimal was 34 off 80; de Silva 23 off 95. Slow.There had been some excitement in the earliest overs of the day, however, as Brathwaite moved from his overnight 99 into triple figures with a single to fine leg. Cornwall then completed a half-century, edging a ball behind point for four in the third over of the day.It was in the first hour of play that West Indies made the most ground, and it was Cornwall who did most of the damage: flicking, punching, driving and sometimes edging fortuitously as Sri Lanka grew visibly frustrated that the eighth wicket had taken them so long to get. The pair batted through the first hour and wound up producing a century stand, the first of the innings. Their partnership was worth 103 when Cornwall holed out to mid-on to give Suranga Lakmal his fourth wicket, ending with 73 off 92 balls.Lahiru Thirimanne scored his third successive half-century•RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images

Kemar Roach attempted to hang in and managed to stick around for 36 balls while Brathwaite continued to hold his end tight, progressing only gradually. Dushmantha Chameera put an end to the innings though, having Roach caught behind and getting Brathwaite to play on for 126 in successive overs. Still, West Indies had frustrated the visitors for an entire session, and grown their total by 67 runs.Sri Lanka’s response was sedate from the outset. Although Thirimanne began confidently, driving his second ball through mid-off for four, he quickly settled into a measured rhythm. That first boundary did set up something of a trend as Thirimanne collected four of his eventual six boundaries down the ground. But it was the less ambitious strokes that defined the innings – the blocks, the leaves and the singles square of the wicket. Not long after tea, he reached 50 with a run to point. It was his third consecutive half-century.Around him, though, the top order faltered. Dimuth Karunaratne fell cheaply again. He took a single off the first delivery he faced, remained scoreless for the next 15 balls, then fell attempting an expansive drive off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph. Karunaratne’s thick edge might have passed between the cordon and gully, but Nkrumah Bonner provided the best piece of catching in the series when he leapt hard to his right and clinched the ball one-handed as it threatened to zip rapidly by him.Oshada Fernando produced an uncharacteristically pained innings, making 18 off 71 as he survived several close lbw shouts before eventually succumbing to a Kyle Mayers delivery that jagged in off the seam. Not long after, Thirimanne fell inside-edging a Roach ball that hit his pad, then ricocheted on to the stumps.Chandimal and de Silva were meticulous in their defence as they took Sri Lanka through to the close. West Indies thought they had de Silva caught behind in the last over, but his bat had flashed right past the leg-side delivery from Cornwall bowling a negative line around the stumps, and the hosts lost a review. De Silva padded away the next delivery to end the day’s play.

“Shift in business objectives” ends two-year Test deal, but Covid-19 outbreak causes county termination

Andrew Miller10-Apr-2020Specsavers, the opticians and eye-test specialists, have confirmed their withdrawal as sponsors of both the County Championship and England men’s home Tests for 2020, citing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic for the former, but a change in “business objectives” for the latter*.Specsavers came on board as the County Championship’s principal sponsor in February 2016, on a four-year deal that was due to end after the 2019 season. Two years later, they took over from Investec as principal sponsors of England men’s home Tests, on an initial two-year deal that encompassed high-profile series against India in 2018 and Australia the following year.And though the company said in a statement that they have “left the door open” to further opportunities to work within English cricket, it means that the ECB’s precarious finances are likely to take a further hit in the short term, with no replacement deals yet being confirmed for either competition.It is, however, understood that the ECB can expect to recoup some of their losses incurred during the pandemic through their insurance, having taken out “Communicable Disease Cover” in the wake of the SARS outbreak in 2002-04.”We have had a phenomenally successful partnership with the ECB during the past few years. Sadly, as a result of the current pandemic and incredibly challenging trading conditions, we have been forced to review our commitments,” read a statement from Specsavers.”As a result, we have taken the extremely difficult decision to bring to an end our sponsorships of the County Championship and the domestic umpires. In addition, we will not be renewing our partnership for Test cricket … however, this decision was taken at the end of last year due to a shift in business objectives.”The timing of Specsavers’ withdrawal from the Test deal is particularly notable, given the huge publicity the company received during last summer’s thrilling 2-2 Ashes series, particularly after the third Test at Headingley in which the bespectacled Jack Leach played a key role in England’s famous victory.Last Thursday, Specsavers branding was removed from all social-media references to the County Championship and England’s Test series in 2020, as well as from the ECB’s official website.”Our partnership has allowed us to be part of some fantastic cricket; the incredible performance from Jack Leach in the Ashes at Headingley was an obvious highlight,” added the statement.”The partnership with the ECB has also allowed us to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye and hearing tests and we are incredibly proud of our work with the ECB. We would like to wish the ECB the best of luck and success for the future and we have left the door open to work together again in the future, if circumstances allow.”This year’s County Championship had been due to get underway over the Easter weekend, with the first round of four-day games originally scheduled to start on April 12. However, the season has been postponed to May 28 at the earliest due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and further delays are anticipated with the UK currently implementing social distancing measures to combat the spread of the virus.The ECB is mapping out a series of contingency plans, depending on how much of the English season is still available to be staged, as and when the current restrictions on live sport are lifted. Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, recently stated, in a letter seen by ESPNcricinfo, that a complete cancellation of the English season could cost the game up to £300 million.Last week, the PCA announced that, following discussions with the ECB and the 18 first-class counties, £1 million of domestic prize money would be redistributed to help fund player wages. An agreement was also reached for counties to furlough their playing staff if required, an option that several have since confirmed they will be taking up.England’s contracted players recently donated £500,000 of their salaries to the ECB and selected good causes, with the women’s squad also accepting 20% pay cuts in line with those of their coaching and support staff.West Indies were due to arrive in England next month to begin a three-Test tour, with the first match scheduled to start at The Oval on June 4, but that prospect looks increasingly unlikely.”The deadline of 28 May still stands, but it’s looking less and less likely that we’re going to be out there in June,” said Ashley Giles, England men’s director of cricket.Confirming the news, the ECB thanked Specsavers for being “a wonderful partner for many years”, and reciprocated the company’s willingness to seek further deals “if circumstances allow” in the future.*3pm BST – This story, originally published on April 10, was updated with confirmation from Specsavers and the ECB

Abbott runs through Somerset with 9 for 40 before James Vince’s unbeaten century builds lead for Hants

Matt Roller at the Ageas Bowl17-Sep-2019Hampshire 196 (Dawson 103, Gregory 3-63) and 176 for 8 (Vince 102*) lead Somerset 142 (Abbott 9-40) by 230 runsA relentless Kyle Abbott ran through Somerset’s batting line-up to finish with the best figures in the County Championship since in three years and dent their hopes of winning a maiden title.Abbott’s overnight figures had been impressive – he had two wickets for one run in six overs – and he added a further seven on a bright, sunny day, moving the ball prodigiously off the seam while hammering away at a good length.Despite some resistance in the form of a dogged 67-run stand for the ninth wicket between Dom Bess and Roelof van der Merwe, Somerset folded for 142, leaving them 54 runs in arrears.They struck early with the new ball, leaving Hampshire in trouble at 45 for 6, before James Vince’s sublime, unbeaten 102 wrestled control back, while events at Chelmsford confirmed that next week’s game at Taunton will be a title decider regardless of what happens in this round of games.The reasons players sign Kolpak deals are myriad and complex, and Abbott has no regrets about his decision to do so back in 2017, but it was impossible to watch this display without a tinge of sadness that he has played his last game of international cricket.Many of his best balls did not take wickets, and instead jagged away late off the seam past the outside edge; but the balls to remove Tom Abell (bowled shouldering arms), James Hildreth (feathering behind) and George Bartlett (trapped lbw in front of off stump) all stuck in the memory as deliveries about which little could have been done.The wicket here has been an unusual one. In each of the three innings thus far, it has looked like a snakepit when the seamers are armed with a new, hard ball; once it has softened, the dryness underneath the grassy top has made the surface comparatively placid. Somerset picked two spinners in the expectation that it might turn as the game wore on, but movement off the seam, coupled with good pace and slightly irregular bounce, has been the key factor in keeping the scores down.Vince signalled in the aftermath of the game against Surrey last week that his side were “motivated to turn in a strong performance” to spoil Somerset’s party, and he appeared to have taken that mantra to heart in his innings.He took 23 balls to get off the mark, and was unbeaten on five after 43, before flying through the gears faster than a sixth-former in the outside lane in their first time on the motorway, creaming 14 fours as he reached a sublime hundred from 136. The pick of them were an outrageous one-two off Abell’s medium pace; the first a length ball whipped from outside off stump through midwicket, the second a late cut dabbed through third man for four.Within five overs of being joined by Abbott, batting at No. 10, Vince was faced with a field comprising a wide slip, and eight men on the boundary. It did little to deter him, and he manoeuvred the strike expertly in their unbeaten partnership, which stands at 73 overnight.”Wishing all the luck in the world to Somerset today! This could be our first County Championship in 600 years,” John Cleese had tweeted on Monday morning, and the club’s wait has been so long and agonising for their supporters that it might well feel as though he wasn’t too far out in his exaggerated calculations.In the film Clockwise, Cleese’s character Brian Stimpson cries: “It’s not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It’s the hope I can’t stand.” So it must feel in Taunton on days like this.There have been points at which Somerset have seemed in control of this game, but they now find themselves needing to make the highest total of the match in the fourth innings if they are to win.But today’s struggle with the bat effectively confirmed what was already apparent for Somerset: if they do win the title, it will likely be in spite of, rather than because of, their batting. No player averages more than 35 this season, while nobody is near the aggregate of 1000 runs that was once used as a benchmark.There are extenuating circumstances – only one ground, Chelmsford, has seen fewer runs scored per wicket than Taunton’s 23.95 – but the reality is that few teams win pennants without a single batsman having a notable season.Jason Kerr, the head coach, is not waiving the white flag just yet. “”I think the surface is changing,” he said, “and if we can get through with the new ball then I think we are in the game. Hampshire scored 400 in the third innings last week and it is a similar pitch to this. There is a great opportunity for us tomorrow.”It is fighting talk, but with Abbott in this form, getting through the new ball is hardly a simple task. And with the forecast for next week’s game looking decidedly iffy, it is clear that tomorrow’s events will go a long way towards determining the identity of this year’s champions.

Rangana Herath prepares to play his final Test, as England size up a number of potential debutants on a surface that’s bound to favour spin

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle05-Nov-2018

Big Picture

It’s Galle. It’s going to spin. Given it is Rangana Herath’s final Test and England are the opposition, it might spin like crazy. Unfortunately, it also looks as if it’s going to rain, at least for parts of the Test. The weather forecast is for thunderstorms, generally in the afternoons. That doesn’t mean we won’t get a result, of course. None of the last 21 Tests in Sri Lanka have ended in draws. Many of those had had to contend with the weather as well.England cruised through the limited-overs series, but in Tests, where Sri Lanka have been a more robust opposition, particularly at home, there are many more questions that the visitors will have to answer. Is Rory Burns, essentially Alastair Cook’s replacement at the top of the order, ready for a challenge as great as defusing some of the best spinners in the world, on a pitch that is one of the most treacherous?In fact, save for Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who are reputed to be decent players of spin, England’s entire top order seems a little frail;. Keaton Jennings hit 112 on debut in Mumbai, then 54 in Chennai a week later, but those matches were two years ago, and there has not been an encouraging volume of runs since then. Jos Buttler averages 23.5 in Asia, even if it is possible he is a much improved batsman in these conditions since he last toured the continent. The injury to Jonny Bairstow has further weakened England – though it is a huge opportunity for Ben Foakes, who is in line for a Test debut. None of the top eight, in any case, have ever played a Test in Sri Lanka before.The hosts’ approach over the past few years has been fairly straightforward on the difficult pitches at home. Attack the spinners and attempt to unsettle them early. Score your runs quickly, before the inevitable good ball gets you out. A score of 300 here could be worth as many as 450 on most other tracks in the world, particularly given the tenacity with which Sri Lanka’s two senior spinners – Herath and Dilruwan Perera – defend scores at this venue.As always, the first-innings score is crucial – if England can get themselves to a creditable score, they not only set themselves up nicely in this Test, they gain the belief that they can crack these conditions going into Kandy and Colombo. South Africa, the last team on these shores in July, began badly, skidding to 126 in their first outing, and proceeded to crash even more dramatically in subsequent innings – their batsmen unable to lift themselves out of a psychological rut. England’s technique is sure to be tested, but if Sri Lanka play well, so will their mettle.

Form guide

Sri Lanka WWWDL (completed matches, most recent first)
England WWLWW

In the spotlight

Lost in all the buzz about Herath, has been the return of Angelo Mathews to the Sri Lanka team. Feelings had clearly been hurt during his axing from the limited-overs sides, as you would expect. The relationship with coach Chandika Hathurusingha, in particular, had soured. But perhaps the message has been received. He is back looking noticeably leaner. He has also begun to bowl in the nets, even if it is unlikely he will do so in this series. A fit, performing Mathews at No. 5 turns this half-decent Sri Lanka top order into a pretty good one. But it remains to be seen whether the bruises sustained following the Asia Cup debacle have healed enough for him to be able to focus on his cricket.Adil Rashid has had a strange year. Having announced he would not play red-ball cricket for Yorkshire, he found himself picked for the home Tests against India, but was called upon in short, irregular bursts throughout that series. Now, suddenly, he is required to lead England’s attack in what is perhaps the spin-bowling capital of the world. Is he equipped to deliver in the long format? His numbers in Asia are not particularly encouraging. He took 23 wickets across a five-match Test series in India, but his average was a mediocre 37.43, and he also went at 3.7 an over. In the UAE, where the Kookaburra ball is used – just as in Sri Lanka – and where pitches are more like the ones found on the island, Rashid’s figures are even worse – though he did claim a second-innings five-for on debut in Abu Dhabi, having conceded a chastening 0 for 163 first-time out. It is possible that his confidence from excellent performances in the limited-overs series will flow into his Test game, but that is not a given. Plenty of foreign spinners have prospered in Sri Lanka in ODIs. Not many have had the same success in Tests.

Team news

There are a lot of unknowns with this England XI. Will Moeen Ali bat at No. 3 or lower down the order? Burns is almost certain to get a Test debut, and Foakes is likely to join him with Jos Buttler playing as a specialist batsman, meaning that Joe Denly may have to wait for his chance later in the series. They are likely to play three spinners as well.England (possible): 1 Rory Burns, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Joe Root (capt.), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Sam Curran, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jack Leach, 11 James AndersonSri Lanka will almost certainly play three spinners themselves. Dhananjaya de Silva might take the lower-order spot over Roshen Silva, who has been a little out of form in recent months. Opener Kaushal Silva will return to the XI for the first time in over a year. Lahiru Kumara, who had been in the 16-man squad for the series, has been dropped for disciplinary reasons. Dushmantha Chameera comes in as his replacement.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.) 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Rangana Herath

Pitch and conditions

The pitch looks dry to start with and, given the wind blowing across the ground, is likely to dry further very quickly over the first three days. Rain is forecast for the first two days in particular, and there are likely to be interruptions.

Stats and trivia

• No other nation has ever hosted 21 result Tests consecutively. The last draw in Sri Lanka was against South Africa at Colombo in July 2014.
• Rashid’s recent Test form is much better than his overall numbers. He has taken 10 wickets at 30.9 this year.
• Mathews’ Test form in recent years has been modest. He averages 28.59 across 37 innings since the start of 2016.
• These teams have played four matches in Galle. Sri Lanka have won two of those, and two – in 2003, and 2007 – have been draws.

Quotes

“We’ve got a very balanced squad with plenty of different options. Whichever XI we go with, we’re going to be blessed with that. From that point of view I feel we’ll be very well prepared for whatever surface is thrown at us.”
England captain Joe Root“When you look at the Test records in the last couple of years, both teams are equal. When you’re playing in Sri Lanka, definitely the spinners will come into play. Maybe because of that, we are a little ahead of England.”
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal