Amid controversy and triumph over a whinging England, a cock-a-hoop Sri Lankan side launch a final assault in the two-Test series which winds up a memorable away tour.
Over the past few weeks, an unsung Sri Lanka clinically dissected one of the serious powers in world cricket in their own backyard.
The aftertaste for the home team is bitter to say the least as they struggle to recover from their recent thrashing at the hands of Michael Clarke’s Australians.
Beaten in the T20 game that kicked off the tour, England then had the consolation of matching it with the Lankans in the 50-over games until the decider, when Sri Lanka stole the series.
Much has been made about Sri Lanka’s tactics to run out Englishman Jos Buttler after repeated warnings. The rules decree it as a non-event for such exchanges, whether he was warned or not.
Besides, who pointed the finger at the Englishmen for their underhanded tactics of stealing Sri Lankan coach Paul Farbrace just before the islanders began their tour?
Englishman Farbrace had previously sat at the helm of a rampant Sri Lankan team that had won the Asia Cup, completed a series rout of Bangladesh and taken out the T20 World Cup. His credentials saw the desperate Englishmen poach him in the hope it would save them some blushes after the Australian debacle.
Alas, this was not to be, and the English were made to eat humble pie.
There has been no sympathy for England from anywhere in the world as they sought solace for the run-out controversy, particularly here in Australia where the majority agreed that they got their just dessert.
England’s bad sportsmanship even extended to accusing the Sri Lankans of cheating to get even after off spinner Sachitra Senanayake was cited by the umpires for a suspect action in game four of the one-dayers.
Coincidentally, it was Senanayake who was at the middle of the controversy involving the Jos Buttler run out.
What Sri Lanka can take from the proceedings is that they have hardened up as a unit, and need to play with the same ferocious competitiveness as the best teams in the world. There is no room for gentlemen in the ‘gentleman’s game’.
Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Matthews has grown into his new role with aplomb. He appears ready to meet the challenges of the future without the expert advice of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillekeratne Dilshan, all previous skippers who will retire in the near future.
Matthews and new T20 skipper Lasith Malinga have shown enough to suggest that the next generation is ready to fire.
The Tests will be a totally different ball game and England appear to have the edge. But Sri Lanka have their tails up after the one day successes, so the ensuing series could well be riveting.
Trevine
Guest
Surely Test cricket has been revived after a fantastic series such as this?? Well done both teams they fought it out to the end.
Trevine
Guest
Trevine
Guest
Was it riveting enough??
Cantab
Guest
Wow, England really on the ropes here.
JGK
Roar Guru
Go Sri Lanka. What a turnaround for 7 down only 150 ahead. Angelo is proving a rather fine Test cricketer and captain.
Leon
Guest
is there anything england can win at the moment. Football..rugby...cricket...
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Amazing that England look likely to lose this series now. Would be absolutely humiliating. Cook needs to bat well for the first time in a long, long time or they are toast.
Antiwhippy
Guest
When england is as woeful as this it turns into comedy really.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
yep could be a cracking finish. Who was that bloke who used to play for England, scored a few runs? Paterson, Pedersen?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
England are really under pressure here...Sri Lanka only need to squeeze another 90-odd runs from their final six wickets to leave Eng chasing 200. Chasing down even a modest score like that is rarely easy, especially when you have key players out of form and the pressure of staring at a potential series loss at home against a weak opponent. Eng must be cursing Cook's horribly but predictably defensive approach in the first Test when they had SL on toast.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Robson got a 100.
Rich-uk
Guest
My reply wasn't aggressive but it seems some can dish it out but cannot take it
Rich-uk
Guest
What an absolute shocker of an article. A page of anti-English bitter bile usually reserved for Ashes series, and to top it all we have an Australian lecturing on cricket on bad sportsmanship. Up your game cricket writers!
Degsy
Guest
A poor, poor article - cheap pom baiting and not welcome on what is a quality site. Again, a big fan of Geoff's so disappointed in his defense. It may well pass the moderation test in that there is no outright aggression, but this would never have got past a sub editor on a paper on account of it being utter shite.
Cantab
Guest
Probably not, given the poms seem to be repeating their mistakes, it was a poor declaration by cook.
Tom from Perth
Guest
Yep. Real bugger and the last thing they needed. I really hope Mahela and Sangakkara's retirement isn't too soon. Sangakkara is in incredible form and Mahela is just a legend. The Lankans will miss them massively when they go.
Nudge
Guest
Pretty obvious one I thought Tom to most Australian cricket lovers at least. Thought it would have been a good statement from Cook to declare to show he is is going to be a lot more of aggressive skipper. Now he has just cost his side another test. Tough luck
Tom from Perth
Guest
201/9 at stumps - good call Nudge!
Albert
Guest
The record is stuck again ! Aussie has a go at Poms ....yawn. Apart from Geoff are there any original Oz contributors ?
trev
Guest
Finished 9 down - thankfully they had DRS or else England would've won from an incorrect LBW (huge inside edge). Herath would've felt pretty stupid if SL had lost too, he walked when he was gloved but not holding the bat. Anyway, it was a great draw. Hopefully over in Caribbean McCullum Taylor can put on a big partnership. It is just a shame Jordan Is playing for England night WI