Sad start - Sri Lanka's inaugural Test lost to England on fourth day

By A.C. de Silva

CRICKET: It was the inaugural Test for Sri Lanka and all eyes were on Sri Lanka's cricketers when they took on the Englishmen at the Saravanamuttu Stadium - formerly known as the Colombo Oval, in what was to be five-day game, which however, ended on the fourth day with the Englishmen winning by seven wickets on that fateful day - February 21st in 1982.

It was a sad moment as Sri Lanka's ambitions suffered as the country fell when team was well within sight of the target.

From all accounts it was not inexperience, but over cautiousness that sent down the Lankans. It was somewhat a sad happening because Sri Lanka's Test combination had the wherewithal to get much closer to the target than it did.

Many excuses could be thought of for the failing in the face of a great opening. Sri Lanka had to prove so much as it aired the feeling that its Test recognition had been unduly delayed by the world body.

It was not talent that let the side down but a certain lack of application. For three days the battle had been even with England just managing to get past Sri Lanka's moderate first innings total of 218 towards which Madugalle (65) and Arjuna Ranatunga (54) put on 99 runs for the fifth wicket after being 34 for 4 wickets.

England made 223 in first innings with present Chairman of Sri Lanka's selection committee and selector on tour with the Twenty 20 team - Asantha de Mel causing the damage with 4 for 70 in 17 overs and Somachandra de Silva - the leg-break bowler, taking 3 for 54 in 27.5 overs.

But Sri Lanka flopped in the second innings and were all out for 175, with skipper Warnapura making 34, Roy Dias 77 and Mendis 27. England's spinners Emburey and Underwood help them win the match. Emburey took 6 for 33 and underwood 3 for 67. The eternal virtues of spin bowling, line and length, that the English pair commanded saw it swing the game on a bad wicket.

England, in their second innings, made 171 for 3 wickets with Tavare making 85 and Coach - the opener, making 31 runs and their second wicket partnership realised 81 runs. After somewhat dominating the Test on the first three days, the Lankan batsmen called the shots, only to revert to a sorry showing of lack of spirit that would have tilted the scales more thoroughly.

There was the talk about Sri Lanka batsmen not having the competence to last a five-day Test. The charge was partially true but it was somewhat a sad moment in the situation it was not a question of lasting out but making the best of things while one was there.

On a somewhat worn out track, the best proposition lay in attack and not in defence. The England batting in the fourth innings was proof of that.

The quality of spin of the two sides had much to do with the final verdict. The English spinners made a professional use of conditions. They had attempted something along the same lines in India without great success and that should lead one to the conclusion that the approach of Sri Lanka's batsmen contributed so much more towards the efficiency of the English spinners then their own bowling could have brought about with a target of about 250.

Sri Lanka's spinners could have run England very close in the last innings and not having anything like that achievable figure, the spinners put in such a disappointed show that facilitated an easy win for England. It was not a great Test by any imagination. There was too much bad batting for it to rate as a great contest. In retrospect, England's fourth innings batting was a special match winning blend of brave strokes and correct defence but then its batsmen had everything going for them, most of all too easy a target.

Chis Tavare and Gooch followed by the one between the in-form Gower and belligerent Tavare saw England registering a victory that stood at in such contrast to their difficulties faced by batsmen. The fight the Sri Lankan spinners had put up on the morning of the third day was missing on the fourth and the game drifted away to the English team.

Sri Lanka 1st Innings

B. Warnapura c Fletcher b Willis, S. Wettimuny c Tayler b Botham 6, R. Dias c Cook b Willis 0, D. Mendis lbw b Botham 17, R. Madugalle c Gower b Underwood 65, A. Ranatunga b Underwood 54, D.S. de Silva c Gower b Underwood 3, A. de Mel c Fletcher b Underwood 19, L. Kaluperuma c Cook b Underwood 1, M. Goonetilleke not out 22, A. de Silva c Emburey b Botham 12, Extras 12.

Total: 218

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-11, 3-29, 4-34, 5-133, 6-149, 7-181, 8-183, 9-190

Bowling: B. Willis 19-7-46-2, I. Botham 12.5-1-28-3, P. Allott 13-3-44-0, J. Lmburey 19-3-55-0, D. Underwood 18-6-28-5.

England 1st Innings

G.A. Gooch lbw b De Mel 22, G. Cook c Kaluperuma b De Mel 11, C. Tavare b De Mel 0, D.I. Gower c Goonetilleke b D.S. de Silva 89, K.W.R. Fletcher c Warnapura b A. de Silva 45, I.T. Botham b De Mel 13, R.W. Tayler not out 31, J. Emburly lbw b A. de Silva 0, D.L. Underwood c Mendis b D.S. de Silva 0, R.G.D. Willis runout 0, Extras 9,

Total: 223.

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-34, 3-40, 4-120, 5-151, 6-207, 8-216, 9-216

Bowling: A. de Mel 17-2-70-4, B. Warnapura 2-1-9-0, D.S. de Silva 27.5-11-54-3, L. Kaluperuma 9-1-29-0, A. de Silva 30-12-52-2.

Sri Lanka 2nd Innings

B. Warnapura c Gooch b Emburey 38, S. Wettimuny b Willis 9, R. Dias c Taylor b Underwood 77, D. Mendis c Willis b Emburey 27, R. Madugalle c Cook b Emburey 3, A Ranatunga c Fletcher b Emburey 2, D.S. de Silva c Fletcher b Underwood 1, A de Mel c Gower b Emburey 2, L. Kaluperuma c Tayler b Emburey 0, M. Goonetilleke not out 2, A. de Silva c Willis b Underwood 0, Extras 14.

Total 175

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-113, 3-140, 4-167, 5-169, 6-170, 7-172, 8-173, 9-174.

Bowling: B. Willis 9-3-24-1, I. Botham 12-1-37-0, J. Emburey 25-9-33-6, D. Underwood 37.5-15-67-3.

England 2nd Innings

G.A. Gooch b A. de Silva 31, G. Cook lbw b De Mel 0, C. Tavare st. Goonetilleke b A. de Silva 85, D.I. Gower not out 42, K.W.R. Fletcher not out 0, Extras 13.

Total: (for 3 wkts) 171.

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-84, 3-167

Bowling: A. de Mel 13.1-4-33-1, B. Warnapura 1-0-1-0, D.S. de Silva 15-5-39-0, L. Kaluperuma 12-3-40-0, A. de Silva 17-6-45-2.