Sri Lanka v England - Inaugural Test

P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo

Sri Lanka: S Wettimuny, RS Mahanama, AP Gurusinha, PA De Silva, *A Ranatunga, HP Tillakaratne, +RS Kaluwitharana, DS De Silva, JR Ratnayeke, HDPK Dharmasena, RJ Ratnayake.
England: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, WR Hammond, KF Barrington, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +RW Taylor, GAR Lock, DL Underwood, JB Statham, RGD Willis.

Debuts: SRI - All
Umpires: AR Crafter (AUS) & VK Ramaswamy (IND)
Toss: England

Fresh from their highly successful tour of India, England were the opponents for Sri Lanka's inaugural ATG Test, and although expectations were high on the island, the real hope was that the home team could simply put up a fight and not embarrass itself in the nation's first foray into the ATG world. A minor relief for Arjuna Ranatunga's team was the absence of Ames and Laker from the tourists' team sheet - with Godfrey Evans also injured, Bob Taylor was an eleventh hour replacement behind the stumps - but that relief was short lived as England totally dominated the first two days in Colombo.

With Len Hutton making it an incredible six out of six for the tour at the toss, England prospered on a perfect surface with Hutton himself leading the way by batting through the entire first day for a methodical and faultless 152, and with Hammond posting 128 England reached stumps on day one at an imposing 395-3. None of Sri Lanka's bowlers had been able to exert any control - the part time spin of Aravinda De Silva was as threatening as anything and actually picked up the wicket of Hammond - and it was the same story on day two, with Colin Cowdrey's third ATG hundred enabling Hutton to declare at lunch with the scoreboard reading 557-6.

Tillakaratne's stunning catch at point to dismiss Botham (38) off the bowling of Rumesh Ratnayake was just about the only highlight in the field for Sri Lanka, and there was to be no redemption with the bat as the Lankans showed great naivety with a succession of rash strokes that saw the innings fold for just 178 early on the third morning. England took their catches well, and only Wettimuny, who batted over two hours for his 31, showed any meaningful resistance. Following on a massive 379 in arrears, a defeat inside three days loomed large for the debutants, and when Willis and Statham reduced Sri Lanka's second innings to 68-4, the writing was on the wall.

Wettimuny clung on for the second time in the match and deservedly posted the Lankans first ever fifty, but after three more hours at the crease he finally lost patience and skied Underwood to Willis on the boundary for 52, and with most of the evening session still to play the hosts stood on the precipice at 108-5, still 271 behind. However, it was at this point that the Sri Lankans finally started to rally, and led by a pugnacious 70 from skipper Ranatunga they finally showed that they might just be able to compete at this level. 77 runs were added for the sixth wicket between Ranatunga and Tillakaratne, then Tillakaratne and Kaluwitharana carried on the fight into the fourth day with a stirring, boundary laden partnership of 147, and the growing sense of pride around the Saravanamuttu Stadium was almost tangible.

Kaluwitharana eventually gave Underwood a return catch having made a wonderful 72, but Tillakaratne went on to complete Sri Lanka's maiden ATG hundred before finally punching a weary drive off Willis straight to Barrington at mid off for a memorable 125. Tillakaratne was ninth out, and when Dharmasena holed out in the next over, bowled by Lock, it was all over. Sri Lanka had totalled a commendable 377 second time around, and although this left them an agonising two runs short of making England bat again, their second innings fightback had restored much of the pride that had been dented over the course of the first two days.

Once the likes of Muralitharan, Vaas, Jayawardene, and co. are eligible for ATG selection, Sri Lanka will most likely be reasonably competitive at this level, but until that time it is likely to be a long, hard road for the islanders. However, they showed enough spirit with the bat here to suggest that they might be able to bloody a few noses, and when their Test schedule resumes next season they will certainly be ready and eager for the fight.

Scores
England 1st Inns 557-6 dec. (Hutton 152, Cowdrey 130, Hammond 128)
Sri Lanka 1st Inns 178
Sri Lanka 2nd Inns 377 (Tillakaratne 125, Kaluwitharana 72, Ranatunga 70, Wettimuny 52)

ENGLAND WON BY AN INNINGS & 2 RUNS


Man of the Match: HP Tillakaratne