Thu, 16 Jun 2011 - England vs Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Tour of England 2011, 3rd Test Match - Bulletin

Sangakkara ton helps Sri Lanka to secure draw

Sri Lanka 184 & 334/5 (104.0 overs), England 377/8 dec.

You simply can’t ignore class. And, that too of someone as good as Kumar Sangakkara. Till the final day of third test the classy left hander’s poor test record-marked with an under-30 average in England wasn’t getting any better. All that was changed by one super knock from the master. Sri Lankan stand-in skipper came up with a masterful batting performance by scoring his 25th century and helping his side to secure a draw in the third from a position when a loss looked an inevitable result.

The visitors were trailing England by 81 runs at the start of the day but Sangakkara well supported by Thilan Samaraweera and night watchmen Rangana Herath had taken their side to safety at the tea. The Lankan side went into the break 141 runs ahead of the home team and washout of post tea session meant a relieving draw for them. England, though, won the series by 1-0 thanks to their impressive innings victory at the Cardiff in the first test.

The super batting effort from Sangakkara and Co. in their second innings might have eventually led to the draw but the impact rain had on the first ever test at the Rose Bowl cant be overruled. Major part of first three days were washed out by the rain and England didn’t help themselves either on the fifth day by failing to repeat their first innings bowling performance.

Take nothing away from Sangakkara though. After looking a shadow of his past in the five innings of the tour, the left hander came into his elements when it most mattered for his team. A 72-ball stay for his obdurate 36 at the crease from Herath and undefeated 87 by another out of form batsman Samaraweera also played their part to secure a confidence boosting draw.

England’s quest for early wickets in the morning was halted by a determined 75 run stand between Sanga and Herath with duo thwarting hostile England pacers admirably. Unlike his tendencies in the previous innings to flirt with the balls outside the off-stump, Sanga was very disciplined in leaving the ball, unfurling his trademark cover and straight drives when provided with an opportunity, and, more importantly, there was a desire to do well for his side. Herath looked a player with some batting talent showing a straight bat in defence, no half measures on attack and hardly fazed by England’s aggression.

He took a liking to part time Johnathan Trot looting 23 runs off his two overs before succumbing to Graeme Swann while going for an aggressive stroke.This didn’t perturb his captain, though. He hardly put a foot wrong and everything seemed to fall in place for him. The skipper was all balance when playing an on-drive, dismissive on cut and pull strokes, graceful while hitting a cover drive and concentration in his set up leaving the ball. Simply, a solid combination of class and determination and a clichéd reminder that form is temporary and class is permanent. The Sanga- Samaraweera pair put on a marathon yet attractive 141 to deny England any opening of making inroads into lower order.

Samaraweera who was having a lean tour till this masterclass appeared in a good touch from the word go. The middle order batsman dumped Swann early in his innings over midwicket and caressed by some neat drives both sides of the wicket to get going. He looked at home facing spinners cutting them effortlessly and was strong off his legs against the pacemen. Rain after tea break prevented him from scoring his century remaining not out 11 short of milestone. He hit nine fours in his 128-ball innings while Sangakkara departed minutes before the tea offering a simple catch to the point fielder thanks to a loose drive off James Anderson. His match saving innings contained 16 boundaries and a long vigil for 249 balls.

Put into bat, Sri Lanka were blown out for 184 largely due to man of the series Chris Tremlett’s 6 for 48 in the first innings. With most of the time lost to rain, English batsmen led by Ian Bell’s hundred and vintage Kevin Pietersen 87 batted at a good clip to prompt their skipper Andrew Strauss to go for a brave declaration with a lead of 193.For most of the match, Sri Lanka looked down the barrel but Sanga’s timely hundred and spineless bowling from English bowlers helped them to secure a draw.

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