Rampant Lankans dominate lacklustre England

by RANJAN ANANDAPPA

Former vice captain Mahela Jayawardena and Thilan Samaraweera were in triumphant form as they struck contrasting hundreds as Sri Lanka took a stranglehold on the third day of the third and final cricket Test against England, at the SSC Sports Club grounds, yesterday.

Sri Lankan bastman Mahela Jayawardene acknowledges the crowd after making a century on the third day of the third and final cricket Test between Sri Lanka and England at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo, 20 December 2003. Sri Lanka’s Jayawardene (134) and Samaraweera (142) denied England success in the morning session as the hosts posted a massive 563 for 5 wickets in reply to England’s first-innings total of 265 at close of play on day three. AFP

Sri Lankan bastman Thilan Samaraweera acknowledges the crowd after making a century on the third day of the third and final cricket Test between Sri Lanka and England at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo, 20 December 2003. Sri Lanka’s Jayawardene (134) and Samaraweera (142) denied England success in the morning session as the hosts posted a massive 563 for 5 wickets in reply to England’s first-innings total of 265 at close of play on day three. AFP

Jayawardena and Samaraweera systematically dismantled a weary looking English attack under the sweltering heat and set up a new Test record against England (262 for the third wicket).

England's atrocious fielding contributed to the imposing Sri Lankan total which has given the home side a match winning lead of 298 runs with five wickets intact and two more days of play left.

After the foundation laid by Jayawardena and Samaraweera, the middle order comprising Thilakeratne Dilshan and Upul Chandana gave the side a vigorous twist with a pulsating sixth wicket partnership of 107 runs off 144 balls, as the Sri Lankans raced past the 550 run mark, placing themselves in an unassailable position.

At the close, Sri Lanka were 563 for 5wickets in reply to England's 265.

Jayawardena entered the arena on the second day when Jayasuriya was dismissed. He, in many people's opinion, is the most talented batsman in the country and also the most inconsistent in the recent past. Jayawardena hit 134 with 14 fours and a six facing 246 balls and stilled the tongues which were attempting to remove him from the side on the grounds of poor form.

Samaraweera's batting at number three came to him as a blessing in disguise due to an injury sustained by Marvan Atapattu while taking a catch off Batty.

He stuck to his task admirably, along with Jayawardena to put the Lankans in an impregnable position which they are in, now. Samaraweera has been in and out of the national team and has lead the Sri Lanka `A' teams on many occasions and a century against England would have dispelled any doubts about his ability with the bat.

England will have to partly blame themselves for being in this monotonous situation, as the Sri Lankan third-wicket pair of Samaraweera and Jayawardena were aided by some inept fielding.

Jayawardena and Samaraweera had their good fortune prior to reaching their milestones. Both, hooked, drove and cut with power, skill and relish. Vaughan, desperately switched from one bowler to another, but nothing seemed likely to stem the flow of runs.

Sri Lanka began the day with 264 for two, with Jayawardena and Samaraweera already having added 126 for the third wicket. James Kirtley and James Anderson shared eight overs among themselves, in which 15 runs were scored.

Flintoff replaced Kirtley and Giles was brought in for Anderson. Flintoff had the misfortune of seeing Jayawardena dropped by Giles at deep square leg when Jayawardena had reached 75 and the total 297 for two. In the next over, Jayawardena hoisted Giles for a straight six to post the 300 run mark.

England's pace trio, Kirtley, Anderson and Flintoff seemed to be a good combination but not by any means, menacing. Steadiness and accuracy without the touch of venom on a pitch which favoured the batsmen, did not prove good.

The Mahela-Thilan alliance came to an end when Jayawardena swung one to the deep square leg and substitute Paul Collinwood clung unto a low catch.

The third wicket pair of Samaraweera and Jayawardena had created a new mark for the third wicket adding 262 runs, off 543 balls. The previous record was 243 set by Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva in 1998 at the London Oval.

At the end of the day Dilshan followed up his second Test 100 with an unbeaten 72, off 118 balls with three fours and Chandana remained unbeaten with 54, having faced 79 balls and struck six fours and a solitary six.

ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS  

 M. Trescothick c Jayawardene b Muralitharan		70
 M. Vaughan c Jayawardene b Chandana			18
 M. Butcher c Sangakkara b D.Fernando			23
 N. Hussain lbw Vaas					 8
 G. Thorpe lbw Muralitharan				13
 A. Flintoff c & b Muralitharan				77
 G. Batty c Atapattu b Chanadana			14
 C. Read not out					17
 A. Giles run out					10
 J. Kirtley lbw Vaas					 1
 J. Anderson lbw Vaas					 1

Extras (4-b, 8-lb, 1-nb)				13

TOTAL (all out, 101 overs)				265

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-78 2-108 3-114 4-135 5-139 
		6-226 7-236 8-258 9-259.

BOWLING: C.Vaas 17-5-64-3, D.Fernando 12-3-55-1 (1-nb), 
	T.Samaraweera 4-1-11-0, U.Chandana 26-7-82-2, 
	M.Muralitharan 40-21-40-3, S.Jayasuriya 2-1-1-0

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS (overnight 264 for 2 wkts)

 K. Sangakkara c Trescothick b Kirtley			 31
 S. Jayasuriya c Trescothick b Flintoff			 85
 T. Samaraweera run out					142
 M. Jayawardene c sub (Collingwood) b Flintoff		134
 T. Dilshan not out					 72
 H. Tillakaratne b Giles				 12
 U. Chandana not out					 54

Extras (6-b, 16-lb, 6-nb, 5-w)				 33

TOTAL (for five wickets, 172 overs)			563

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-71 2-138 3-400 4-428 5-456

BOWLING: J.Kirtley 26-4-98-1 (3-nb), J.Anderson 24-5-85-0, 
	A.Flintoff 18-0-47-2 (3-nb), A.Giles 60-16-159-1, 
	G.Batty 41-4-137-0, M.Vaughan 1-0-5-0, 
	M.Trescothick 2-0-10-0 (5-w)

STILL TO BAT: M. Atapattu, C. Vaas, D. Fernando, 
	     M. Muralitharan.