Vandort (89 n.o.), Dilshan (59) give Lanka some breathing space
 

Saadi Thawfeeq reporting from England

BIRMINGHAM, May 27 - The Edgbaston rain and fifth wicket pair of Michael Vandort and Tillakaratne Dilshan gave Sri Lanka some breathing space to push the second cricket Test against England into the fourth day at Birmingham here today.

Persistent rain throughout the morning and afternoon prevented play resuming on the third day till 4.45 p.m.

When play eventually resumed England who was looking to wrap up the Test by day 3 had to contend not only the bad weather but also the defiant fifth wicket pair of Vandort and Dilshan who added 125 runs off 269 balls.

Both batsmen completed half-centuries as Sri Lanka staged another remarkable fightback to save the Test. They came back from the dead after trailing by 349 runs at Lords to draw it scoring an impressive 537-9 in the second innings.

Here at Edgbaston they trailed England on the first innings by 154 and having lost the first four wickets for 56 had defeat starring in the face.

But once again they mounted a superb rearguard action to frustrate Englands efforts of taking a lead in the three-match series.

By stumps on the third day Sri Lanka had carried their overnight total of 86-4 to 194 for five wickets to lead by 40 runs with five second innings wickets in hand.

Vandort was unbeaten on 89 scored in 312 minutes off 246 balls (8 fours) and Maharoof on nought.

They lost Dilshan three overs before the close, when he was trapped lbw by Hoggard for a well compiled 59 scored off 113 balls (8 fours).

England could still win if they get through the rest of the Lankan batting with two days remaining in the Test. But at the same time if Sri Lanka can set England a target of anything over 150 to chase on the final day it would be quite an interesting contest against Muralitharan.

Despite the persistent rain, which kept play on hold till the final session, the crowds braved the weather to turn out in their numbers filling the turnstiles.

Although the pitch was under cover for most of the day, it played true and did not afford any movement to the England bowlers. As long as the batsmen played straight there was every chance for survival.

Vandort although sketchy in his batting stuck it out bravely to occupy the crease for 214 minutes, the time he took to bring up his third Test half-century. He faced 162 balls and hit five fours. All his runs in his previous four Tests had been against Bangladesh.

The pair, one left hand and the other right proved an ideal foil because the England bowlers had to constantly change their line of attack every time they ran the singles and skipper Flintoff had to move his fielders around.

While Dilshan went for his shots mostly on the off side which he pierced time and again with well placed cover drives and cuts, Vandort stood firm like a rock closing up one end showing the bat makers name to the bowler. He continued in the same vein even after completing his fifty determined to bat England out of the Test.

The pair made up largely for Sri Lankas disastrous batting performance in the first innings when they were shot out for 141, their lowest score in England.

Dilshan followed Vandort to his ninth Test fifty completing it off a pull ain 142 minutes and 87 balls (7 fours). It was also his second fifty of the series having made 69 at Lords. Dilshan was somewhat lucky at 46 when wicket-keeper Jones appealed for a stumping off Panesar instead of a catch, which the snickometer showed later. Then at 58 he survived a confident lbw decision also against Panesar.

Sri Lanka 1st innings
R
 
 
 
 
 


MG Vandort
c Collingwood b Plunkett
9
 
 
 
 
 


WU Tharanga
b Hoggard
0
 
 
 
 
 


KC Sangakkara
c Jones b 
Plunkett
25
 
 
 
 
 


DPMD Jayawardene
c Jones b 
Plunkett
0
 
 
 
 
 


TT Samaraweera
c Collingwood b Hoggard
3
 
 
 
 
 


TM Dilshan
c Trescothick b Flintoff
27
 
 
 
 
 


MF Maharoof
c Jones b Mahmood
5
 
 
 
 
 


WPUJC Vaas
not out
30
 
 
 
 
 


KMDN Kulasekara
c Trescothick b Mahmood
3
 
 
 
 
 


SL Malinga
lbw b Panesar
26
 
 
 
 
 


M Muralitharan
c Plunkett b Flintoff
1
 
 
 
 
 


    Extras
(lb 6, nb 6)
12
 
 
 
 
 





 
 
 
 
 


    Total
(all out; 51.2 overs; 237 mins)
141
 
 
 
 
 
















 Bowling
O
M
R
W
Econ



 MJ Hoggard
15
4
32
2
2.13



 A Flintoff
13.2
4
28
2
2.10
(3nb)


 LE 
Plunkett
12
1
43
3
3.58
(3nb)


 SI Mahmood
9
1
25
2
2.77



 MS Panesar
2
0
7
1
3.50














 England 1st innings
R
 
 
 
 
 


ME Trescothick
c Sangakkara b Muralitharan
27
 
 
 
 
 


AJ Strauss
run out (Samaraweera)
30
 
 
 
 
 


AN Cook
lbw b Muralitharan
23
 
 
 
 
 


KP Pietersen
lbw b Muralitharan
142
 
 
 
 
 


MJ Hoggard
b Vaas
3
 
 
 
 
 


PD 
Collingwood
c Tharanga b Muralitharan
19
 
 
 
 
 


A Flintoff
b Malinga
9
 
 
 
 
 


GO Jones
c Samaraweera b Muralitharan
4
 
 
 
 
 


LE 
Plunkett
c Vandort b Muralitharan
0
 
 
 
 
 


SI Mahmood
not out
0
 
 
 
 
 


MS Panesar
lbw b Malinga
0
 
 
 
 
 


    Extras
(b 6, lb 13, nb 14, pen 5)
38

















    Total
(all out; 78.3 overs; 347 mins)
295





















 Bowling
O
M
R
W
Econ



 WPUJC Vaas
16
6
30
1
1.87



 SL Malinga
13.3
2
68
2
5.03
(5nb)


 MF Maharoof
11
3
42
0
3.81
(4nb)


 M Muralitharan
25
2
86
6
3.44
(4nb)


 KMDN Kulasekara
13
2
45
0
3.46
(1nb)













 Sri Lanka 2nd innings
R
 
 
 
 
 


MG Vandort
not out
89
 
 
 
 
 


WU Tharanga
c Jones b Hoggard
0
 
 
 
 
 


KC Sangakkara
c Collingwood b Panesar
18
 
 
 
 
 


DPMD Jayawardene
lbw b Hoggard
5
 
 
 
 
 


TT Samaraweera
st Jones b Panesar
8
 
 
 
 
 


TM Dilshan
lbw b Hoggard
59
 
 
 
 
 


MF Maharoof
not out
0
 
 
 
 
 


    Extras
(lb 7, w 1, nb 7)
15
 
 
 
 
 





 
 
 
 
 


    Total
(5 wickets; 74 overs)
194









To bat KMDN Kulasekara, WPUJC Vaas, 
SL Malinga, M Muralitharan 
















 Bowling
O
M
R
W
Econ



 MJ Hoggard
18
6
52
3
2.88
(5nb)


 A Flintoff
13
2
34
0
2.61
(1nb, 1w)


 LE 
Plunkett
7
4
10
0
1.42



 MS Panesar
25
4
72
2
2.88



 SI Mahmood
9
2
19
0
2.11
(1nb)


 PD 
Collingwood
2
2
0
0
0.00