Tue, Jun 07, 2011 page20

• Dilshan shines in rain-affected Lord’s Test

  • AFP, LONDON
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  Rain washed out the entire morning session of the fourth day’s play in the second Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s yesterday.

  The umpires decided lunch would be taken 30 minutes early at 12:30pm in the hope of making a prompt start to the second session.

  Sri Lanka were 372 for three in reply to England’s first innings 486, a deficit of 114, after rain had also forced an early close on the third day. Mahela Jayawardene was 40 not out and Thilan Samaraweera 1 not out.

  

  Sri Lanka skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan is bowled by England’s Steven Finn on the third day of the second Test at Lord’s in London on Sunday.

  Photo: AFP

  On Sunday, Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan posted his Test-best score of 193, but suffered in the process.

  Dilshan, 187 not out at lunch, got the four runs he needed for the highest Test score by a Sri Lanka player at Lord’s, topping the 190 made by Sidath Wettimuny during the islanders’ Test debut at the home of cricket in 1984, but on 192 he was, for the second time in his innings, struck a painful blow on the right hand by England fast bowler Chris Tremlett.

  A visibly hurt Dilshan carried on, but there was no maiden Test double-century for the dashing opener. Instead, Dilshan added just one more run before being bowled by a full-length delivery from Steven Finn, one of England’s trio of tall seamers, that nipped back sharply and clipped his leg before hitting the stumps.

  In all, his innings spanned more than seven hours and featured two sixes and 20 fours.

  Dilshan, encouragingly for Sri Lanka, said he had avoided a serious injury.

  “It’s a little bruised and some internal bleeding, but in a couple of days’ time I will be totally recovered,” Dilshan told reporters after stumps. “That’s three times I have been hit in the same spot by the same bowler. I’m very disappointed [not to get a double-century], but I am also very happy with the way I’ve been batting. Everyone wants to play at Lord’s and I am very happy my name is on the [honors] board.”

  Sri Lanka are 1-0 down in the three-match series after a collapsing to 82 all out inside two hours in Cardiff as England won by an innings and 14 runs.

  That match was repeatedly interrupted by rain and Dilshan insisted there was enough time left for Sri Lanka to force a victory at Lord’s.

  “We forgot Cardiff. If we can get a 100 to 150 lead, maybe we can put England under pressure,” he said.

  Dilshan’s dismissal was a reward for a much-improved England bowling display after lunch, but by then the damage had been done.

  “In the last 12 months, we’ve set some extremely high standards and the last two days were nothing like those standards,” said David Saker, England’s bowling coach. “I’ve never seen this team bowl so many balls down the leg-side, but the last hour was really impressive. We were buoyant at the end of the day and most bowlers like bowling after rain. Some credit has to go to the Sri Lankans. Dilshan’s a difficult man to get out and he’s hurt some really good attacks.”

  The opener’s exit left Sri Lanka 370 for three after an entertaining third-wicket stand of 82 with Mahela Jayawardene.

  Former captain Jayawardene, whose two previous Tests at Lord’s had both yielded centuries, was 40 not out when rain, which forced an early tea, returned five minutes into the final session and ultimately caused play to be abandoned for the day with 51 overs still remaining.
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