Respected By Those Who Got Rained On Too And Made It Through

I've taken to paraphrasing Barry Manilow this week. Life becomes pretty desperate at times eh? And all this after expecting use a lyric highlighting how shit rain was and how it makes life pretty dull - Travis would have sufficed. But despite of the drab weather and slow-going cricket for four and a bit days in Cardiff, England pulled off the unlikely in forcing a result in the most spectacular fashion. That bowling performance on the final evening was worthy of comparison with the other grandstand finish of two years ago at the SWALEC, when James Anderson and Monty Panesar defied Australia's bowlers to clinch an unlikely draw. Similar to that Ashes contest, the cricket in the lead-up to the finale was somewhere between attritional and tedious in the entertainment stakes. But I had nothing exciting to do other than revise for my exams, so I still manage to take in most of it. Here is the score and review:

1st Test (Cardiff) - England 496-5d (Trott 203, Cook 133, Bell 103*) beat Sri Lanka 400 (P Jayawardene 112, Paranavitana 66, Samaraweera 58, Dilshan 50) and 82 (Swann 4-16, Tremlett 4-40) by an innings and 14 runs. Lead 1-0 in the series with 2 matches to play.

Looking at the first innings scores, you really wouldn't have fathomed bowling a side out for just 82 in less than 25 overs (Sri Lanka's shortest completed innings in their history) would be possible. The pitch was slow and low, with only a hint of turn and variable bounce apparent towards the end of the interminable England innings. Graeme Swann and especially Chris Tremlett made use of whatever there was in a pitch that had failed to deteriorate due to the serious length of time it spent under covers to rattle a shellshocked Sri Lankan batting card. Tremlett made the initial breakthroughs with a fuller length than that which he found in the first innings, finding enough lift and seam movement to have the batsmen in all sorts of bother. After that, and the classical off-spin dismissal of Kumar Sangakkara to Swann, the tourists lost their heads. Thilan Samaraweera and Rangana Herath will be particularly ashamed of the ugly swipes that gifted England the game. All this without the injured Anderson, who really led the attack in the first innings, picking up 3 wickets with delightful swing bowling.

Not that their batting was without positives in this match. Any time you total 400, you can be happy as a unit. The risk in promoting the previously unspectacular keeper Prasanna Jayawardene to no.6, allowing the extra bowler to be played paid off handsomely with and aggressive and elegant century. Paranavitana and Dilshan also looked to be an opening partnership with resolve and patience to see of the new ball first time around, when conditions were difficult. The big guns of Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene must fire at some point in this series after twin double-failures in this match. And the tail, initially thought to be far too long at this level, looked as though they will be able to contribute with quick runs on occasion if needed. This collapse can probably be put down to some excellent bowling and lack of preparation in needing to fight to save the game, assuming like the rest of us that this match was destined for a draw. This lack of preparation is no excuse, but do not write them off, for they will regroup and come again.

Their bowling however is exactly as it appeared in this match - toothless and without any menace whatsoever. The seamers are not quick and the spinners do not spin it very much. I assume Dilhara Fernando, with his extra pace, and Chanaka Welegedara, with his left-arm variation, will be brought in to bolster the attack for the next test, possibly for Suranga Lakmal and Ajantha Mendis, in whom skipper Dilshan appears to have no faith. The lack of bite from the visitors made it very easy for England's best occupiers of the crease to make hay. Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook ruthlessly and selfishly accumulated runs and drove the Sri Lankans into the dust. And then Ian Bell came in, struck a six early on and then serenely made his way to another beautiful hundred. These technical masterclasses were a stark contrast to Kevin Pietersen's skittish innings, which ended in him being given out LBW once again trying to prove that he can dominate a left-arm spinner and getting into a terrible tangle. He needs to admit he has a problem and knuckle down and deal with it.

Finally, the UDRS had a very good game, using HotSpot and Hawkeye to great effect to ensure the correct decision was always made - very useful when Billy Doctrove is standing at one end - the man never seems happy to give a decision out! Jade Dernbach has been called into the England squad to replace the injured Anderson, but it is more likely that Steve Finn will get the nod at his home ground Lord's on Friday.

Let's just hope the weather stays away this time!
RM