Vandort and Mahela perform rescue act

Elmo Rodrigopulle

England after being dismissed for 351, rocked the Lankans batting boat with two early wickets that of Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara, but skipper Mahela Jayawardena and Michael Vandort playing correct cricket steered the boat to calmer waters with an unbroken stand of 83 for the third wicket and ended the day on 105 for two when bad light stopped play with 10 overs to be bowled in the Second Test at the Singhalese Sports Club ground.

Vandort was unbeaten on a well played 50 and Jayawardena on 43. The wicket looks easy for batting and if Vandort and Jayawardena put their heads down and if the batsmen following do similarly there is no reason why the Lankans should not build a big score and take control of the game and dominate the rest of the proceedings in the rest of the Test.

When the Lankans began their reply, it was important that they step on it and play the more enterprising cricket, yet cutting out the risks and getting into a position where they could call the shots.

But Ryan Sidebottom bowling beautifully and extracting movement did not allow openers Michael Vandort and Upul Tharanga to settle down. after the openers had put on 20, Sidebottom got Tharanga 10 to edge to Prior and then two runs later induced in form batsman and the man of the moment Kumar Sangakkara to tickle one to Prior who accepted the catch gleefully, which sent the fielders into raptures and made Sidebottom do the jig of joy.

It was understandable considering that Sangakkara was the scalp that they were eagerly looking forward too. Sangakkara went at 22 for 2. It was one of his rare failures.

After the laugh that was on the first day when umpire Darrel Harper refused to seek the assistance of the third umpire before ruling Kevin Pietersen out, a similar situation arose when Mahela Jayawardena dived forward at second slip to take what looked like a snick from Ryan Siebottom off Dilhara Fernando. Having burnt his fingers, Harper this time round consulted Aleem Dar the square leg umpire and went upstairs.

The usual form is that the batsman gets the benefit of the doubt. Third umpire Gamini Silva took long to arrive at the decision and while he was watching the replays and making certain, the 'Barmy Army' let out their boo, and the decision flashed on the big screen -NOT OUT.

Why Harper did not do simailarly where Pietersen was concerned would always be a topic for discussion.

It was another bright and sunny day when play began. To recap the England side batting first did well to bat through the first day and make 258 for 5 when stumps were drawn. England lost the wickets of Michael Vaughan 87, Alistair Cook 81, Ian Bell 15, Kevin Pietersen controversially for 2, Ravi Bopra no score.

There was drama during the England innings when Kevin Pietersen was ruled out caught by Kumar Sangakkara after Chamara Silva scooped up a bump ball by umpire Darrel Harper off Chaminda Vaas. The umpires were taken to task for not consulting the third umpire before arriving at the decision. Skipper Michael Vaughan too thought similarly.

When play began, it was vital that the Lankans get the remaining five England batsmen cheaply and not let them build the innings and make a formidable first innings score. On the other hand batsmen Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior had to have a good look at the bowling, consolidate and see the side to a total from where they could pressure on the Lankans.

The wicket as usual lacked any pace and bounce and it was a sad sight to see Vaas and Malinga doing their best and bowling flat out but without any assistance from the wicket. The way in which overnight not outs Paul Collingwood 49 and Matt Prior 10 were shaping, it looked as though the bowlers were in for another hard day.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardena gave Vaas and Malinga long spells and after Collingwwod completed his 7th Test 50 with 7 fours, Vaas got one to dip in to have Collingwood plumb in front for 52.

Collingwood was all concentration and careful stroke play in making his half century. Collingwood was out at 269 after stand of 32 with Prior.

Ryan Sidebottom who is no mug with the bat joined Prior after England lost Test debutant Stuart Broad, son of former England opener Chris Broad for two with the score on 272. Broad went LBW to Malinga.

Incidentally Indian Yuvraj Singh took Broad for six sixes in an over in the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. Prior took on the role of senior partner, shielding Sidebottom and broke into some elegant stroke play. Prior showed his class as a batsman when he made a score of 63 in the second innings at Asgiriya.

Prior the wicket keeper is a nice compact batsman. He is always in line offering a straight bat and excels with strokes in front of the wicket. Along with Sidebottom, when the Lankans had them at 272 for seven and threatening to breakthrough, they joined forces to stage a great recovery adding 74 priceless runs and take the score past the 300 run mark, which by any standard was a good score.

Left hander Sidebottom gave Prior admirable support and kept the bowlers at bay. Muttiah Muralitharan who had been bowling without success, suddenly got one to turn that extra bit and Sidebottom got an edge for Mahela Jayawardena to take the catch at slip.

Sidebottom went at 346 for 17. Then Steve Harmison went for two at 350 caught by Chamara Silva top edging a sweep off Muralitharan and then the end was not long in coming when Prior trying to loft the off spinner skied it for the bowler to take the catch. England 351 all out. Prior's knock of 79 was an invaluable one and included 9 fours .Monty Panesar remained nought not out.

Muralitharan once again proved how important he is in the wicket taking act by snapping another 5 wickets to finish with the figures of 5 for 116 in 47.2 overs with 9 maidens. Lasith Malinga had 3 for 78 off 24 overs and three maidens and Chaminda Vaas 2 for 68 in 32 overs with 8 maidens.

During the England innings it was obvious that the Lankans were lacking depth in bowling. Three pacemen and a spinner is grossly inadequate when one considers that this was Test cricket. How Jayawardena would have been wishing he had an extra spinner.

And had the selectors tossed in leg spinner Malinga Bandara, he would have been the ideal support for Muralitharan.

Once again the Lankan ground fielding was not up to Test cricket standard.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS (overnight 258-5):
A. Cook lbw b Malinga				81
M. Vaughan c Mubarak b Muralitharan		87
I. Bell c Mubarak b Muralitharan		15
K. Pietersen c Sangakkara b Vaas		01
P. Collingwood lbw b Vaas			52
R. Bopara b Malinga				00
M. Prior c and b Muralitharan			79
S. Broad lbw b Malinga				02
R. Sidebottom c M. Jayawardene b Muralitharan	17
S. Harmison c Silva b Muralitharan		00
M. Panesar not out				00
Extras: (b8, lb2, nb7)				17
TOTAL						351
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-133 (Vaughan), 2-168 (Bell), 3-171 (Pietersen), 
4-237 (Cook), 5-237 (Bopara), 6-269 (Collingwood), 7-272 (Broad),
8-346 (Sidebottom), 9-350 (Harmison).
BOWLING: Vaas 32-8-68-2 (nb2), Malinga 24-3-78-3 (nb4), 
Fernando 23-3-79-0 (nb1), Muralitharan 47.2-9-116-5.
Overs: 126.2

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
M. Vandort not out				50
U. Tharanga c Prior b Sidebottom		10
K. Sangakkara c Prior b Sidebottom		01
M. Jayawardene not out				43
Extras: (w1)					01
TOTAL (for two wickets)				105
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-20 (Tharanga), 2-22 (Sangakkara).
BOWLING: Sidebottom 11-1-35-2 (w1), Broad 11-3-19-0, 
Harmison 10-2-23-0, Panesar 6-0-28-0.