Anyone who thought that Sachithra
Senanayake being reported to the ICC for a suspect bowling action might
be a cue for Sri Lanka to excuse him from duty, and the added attention
it would bring, did not reckon with the player himself. Figures of 1 for
36, including the wicket of England's top-scorer, Alastair Cook, were
just one thread of Sri Lanka's series-clinching six-wicket win but, by
running out Jos Buttler while the batsman was backing up, Senanayake
ensured that the narrative would be wound around him.
Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne scored half-centuries as Sri Lanka kept cool in an atmosphere that was simultaneously heated and damp. England's bowlers, in particular James Tredwell and James Anderson, managed to ratchet up the asking rate but some business-like thumping from Angelo Mathews, who had to contend with a commentary from the fielding side over his role in Buttler's dismissal, sealed victory and another fortifying series triumph ahead of the Tests.
Mathews had earlier expressed his disappointment over Senanayake's situation - he is required to undergo biometric testing within the next 20 days - but Sri Lanka's capacity for turning adversity in their favour is well known. A comparable incident came during the triangular Carlton & United series in 1999, when Arjuna Ranatunga led his players off at Adelaide Oval after Ross Emerson no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing. England were again on the losing side, Sri Lanka chasing down a target of 303 with one wicket and two balls to spare.
As then, an offspinner with a controversial action was central to the drama. Having twice stopped in his delivery stride during the 42nd over to warn the batsmen - both Buttler and Chris Jordan - for backing up too far, Senanayake followed through on the threat in the 44th, turning slowly to break the wicket with Buttler a yard or so down the pitch.
The umpires consulted Mathews, Sri Lanka's captain, and he nodded his assent in upholding the appeal. That meant the first instance of 'Mankading' in international cricket since Peter Kirsten's innings was ended by Kapil Dev in such a manner during an ODI between South Africa and India in 1992.
There was predictable hostility from the crowd, even without suspicions over the legality of his bowling, but Senanayake was within his rights to make the appeal; the ICC changed its playing conditions in 2011 to allow bowlers to run out a batsman backing up at any point prior to releasing the ball, rather than before entering his delivery stride, as the MCC Laws state.
Buttler's dismissal, alongside creating a potential flashpoint, deprived England of their firestarter-in-chief for the closing overs of the innings. Although each of the top eight made it into double figures, no one could go beyond Cook's stodgy 56, as they were bowled out for 219 with 11 deliveries remaining. Despite losing 3 for 7 in 21 balls and having to contend with the threat of rain throughout, Sri Lanka were not greatly taxed in overhauling their target.
The openers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kusal Perera, raised 50 together in the seventh over but Tredwell's introduction briefly threatened to turn the match. His second ball was crashed by Dilshan to cover, where Joe Root took a fabulous diving catch, before a pearler two overs later straightened on Kumar Sangakkara to clip the outside edge and be taken at slip. Kusal's dismissal, lbw to Anderson, left Sri Lanka 62 for 3 but England were left to regret a missed opportunity off Jayawardene when the batsman had 8 - a thick edge flying between Buttler and Jordan at slip - as a fourth-wicket stand of 98 carried the game away from them.
Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/sport/story/312551.html#hJ7WB0GAXcCLfAMd.99
Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne scored half-centuries as Sri Lanka kept cool in an atmosphere that was simultaneously heated and damp. England's bowlers, in particular James Tredwell and James Anderson, managed to ratchet up the asking rate but some business-like thumping from Angelo Mathews, who had to contend with a commentary from the fielding side over his role in Buttler's dismissal, sealed victory and another fortifying series triumph ahead of the Tests.
Mathews had earlier expressed his disappointment over Senanayake's situation - he is required to undergo biometric testing within the next 20 days - but Sri Lanka's capacity for turning adversity in their favour is well known. A comparable incident came during the triangular Carlton & United series in 1999, when Arjuna Ranatunga led his players off at Adelaide Oval after Ross Emerson no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing. England were again on the losing side, Sri Lanka chasing down a target of 303 with one wicket and two balls to spare.
As then, an offspinner with a controversial action was central to the drama. Having twice stopped in his delivery stride during the 42nd over to warn the batsmen - both Buttler and Chris Jordan - for backing up too far, Senanayake followed through on the threat in the 44th, turning slowly to break the wicket with Buttler a yard or so down the pitch.
The umpires consulted Mathews, Sri Lanka's captain, and he nodded his assent in upholding the appeal. That meant the first instance of 'Mankading' in international cricket since Peter Kirsten's innings was ended by Kapil Dev in such a manner during an ODI between South Africa and India in 1992.
There was predictable hostility from the crowd, even without suspicions over the legality of his bowling, but Senanayake was within his rights to make the appeal; the ICC changed its playing conditions in 2011 to allow bowlers to run out a batsman backing up at any point prior to releasing the ball, rather than before entering his delivery stride, as the MCC Laws state.
Buttler's dismissal, alongside creating a potential flashpoint, deprived England of their firestarter-in-chief for the closing overs of the innings. Although each of the top eight made it into double figures, no one could go beyond Cook's stodgy 56, as they were bowled out for 219 with 11 deliveries remaining. Despite losing 3 for 7 in 21 balls and having to contend with the threat of rain throughout, Sri Lanka were not greatly taxed in overhauling their target.
The openers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kusal Perera, raised 50 together in the seventh over but Tredwell's introduction briefly threatened to turn the match. His second ball was crashed by Dilshan to cover, where Joe Root took a fabulous diving catch, before a pearler two overs later straightened on Kumar Sangakkara to clip the outside edge and be taken at slip. Kusal's dismissal, lbw to Anderson, left Sri Lanka 62 for 3 but England were left to regret a missed opportunity off Jayawardene when the batsman had 8 - a thick edge flying between Buttler and Jordan at slip - as a fourth-wicket stand of 98 carried the game away from them.
Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/sport/story/312551.html#hJ7WB0GAXcCLfAMd.99
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