Print

Mail

wiki links

Sri Lanka gives England a tough time in first test

Sri Lanka's tailenders defied England for two hours yesterday to bolster its first innings total to 331 in their first cricket test.

Last man Muttiah Muralitharan contributed 38 to a 10th-wicket stand of 40 with Chaminda Vaas (22 not out), who added 40 for the eighth wicket with Kumar Dharmasena (27), as Sri Lanka's lower order batted through the afternoon session.

The Sri Lankan tailenders frustrated England after pace bowler Andrew Flintoff's two wickets from three deliveries ripped through the middle order.

Muralitharan hit left-arm spinner Ashley Giles (four for 69) for a six over long-on and struck four boundaries from 37 deliveries, while Vaas' patient knock contained three fours.

Having Muralitharan caught behind by Chris Read with a sharp turner, Giles finished as the top wicket-taker for England, while Flintoff's double strike gave him three for 42.

Tottering at 138 for four Tuesday, Sri Lanka was reduced to 240 for seven at lunch as Flintoff forced an edge from overnight batsman Thilan Samaraweera (45) to wicketkeeper Read before trapping Upul Chandana (21) leg before wicket.

Top scorer Kumar Sangakkara (71) was the first Sri Lankan batsman to fall after stretching his fifth-wicket partnership with overnight partner Samaraweera to 70.

Fast bowler Richard Johnson made the breakthrough with his first delivery of the day, trapping Sangakkara leg before with an inswinger six balls after captain Michael Vaughan took the new ball.

Sangakkara went on to complete his 13th half-century in 31 tests, but Johnson stopped him from adding to his four hundreds. He struck nine boundaries off 141 deliveries in 210-minutes.

Samaraweera paid the penalty for flashing at a wide delivery from Flintoff, who Tuesday had opener Marvan Atapattu caught behind by Read.

Chandana hit four boundaries, including a fluent squad drive off Johnson, before Flintoff ended his 50-minute innings with a sharp inswinger.
This story has been viewed 1970 times.