Two Tail-ender pacies lift Lankan morale all-round

Richard Dwight

The English cricketers were well and truly on a high, for having scored a match winning, formidable 551 for 6 declared in their first innings in the first Test match and, then turning around to drive home the advantage with telling effect to dismiss Sri Lanka's young side, for a comparatively paltry 192 at Lords.

The evidence was such, that things did seem to be going well for England, so much so, that an early finish, unhealthy though it be for Test cricket, was very much in the minds of many, especially in the English skipper, Andrew Flintoff, and his men. And so with Sri Lanka following on having to wipe off a deficit of 359 runs with days to spare, the foregone logical conclusion was that of an English victory.

However the reality of it all was that England was made to painfully labour on against the indomitable courageous batting of the Sri Lankans, who with unflagging commitment went onto to be 46 runs ahead at 405 for 7 with winning beginning to distance itself from England.

Respite did appear to come the way of England as they sensed victory, when Sri Lanka lost its 8th wicket cheaply to be 62 runs on, with adequate time left. But it was gust as far as England could get to for little did they know, that the stage was being set for two Sri Lankan heroes to emerge, in Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Kulasekera Emerge they did in resplendent manner, to bolster sagging spirits and dispel the gloom hovering over not only our cricket, but the country as well, which to say the least was most opportune.

It was indeed thrilling, exciting and tense, as we took in the action over TV. The duo very much against the grain and run of play, defiantly stood their ground with sheer application born of out of resolute dedication. Both Vaas and Kulasekera played down the deliveries that mattered, leaving out those that didn't and, scored off those that had to be put away.

This resilient disciplined batting, found the gap of runs required by England for victory ever winding, and time too began to recede, not to be on their side. Perhaps frustrated by all this, the awesome crop of English pace bowlers, be it in fading light or otherwise, were hurling everything they had in their repertoire "storming the bastille" as it were and, the Sri Lankan pair in true 'Horation" grit were equal to the task to defy them all.

Both Vaas and Kulasekera partnered each other ever so well with characteristic batting of a high order in a crisis, to give the impression that if England was to overrun Sri Lanka, they would have to first run over the two of them. With Vaas and Kulasekera putting on 105 runs in 188 minutes for the 9th wicket, the match was as good as drawn, with Kulasekera and Vaas being remembered for defiantly overcoming a tremendous challenge that confronted them.

As we witnessed Vass battling the cause of Sri Lanka and acting as shield and anchor to Kulasekera, we couldn't help but recall the inner conflict within the team, which found him isolated to be ostracised, that did make him most unhappy.

The one who knows best, showed through this gusty performance of Vaas, the truism of "The stone the builders rejected, has become the corner stone." Equally touching it was to see Vaas being appreciative and recognising the valiant contribution made by Kulasekera, when he hugged him at the wicket on scoring a half century and later on when play ended asking him to lead the way to the pavilion to the cheers of the crowd. This is what sportsmanship is all about.

The now concluded first encounters between Sri Lanka and England has given the game the much needed impetus and drive and, if it is consistently played in this vein, it will certainly go a long way to give continuity to test cricket.