Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test Day 4: Farewell Rangana Herath, a Gentleman even in Defeat

 

Sri Lanka v England

1^st Test Day 4: Farewell Rangana Herath, a Gentleman even in Defeat

November 9^th 2018

 

England’s target was simple: if Sri Lanka lost more than one wicket per session today, England would win, sooner or later. The win might be hard work but, unless at least two batsmen made big hundreds and unless Sri Lanka went into the last day with at least seven wickets in hand, it would come eventually. As it was, despite passages of play when it seemed that nothing was happening, the game ended well before the end of the fourth day and ended with the slapstick of a batsman sprawling in the dust in a desperate and vain attempt to regain his crease.

The Sri Lankan problem was the same as in the first innings. Batsmen who are increasingly attuned to T20 cricket simply did not have the patience to hang around for long enough to build a partnership that would at least seriously inconvenience the opposition. The top five Sri Lankan batsmen all passed twenty, yet only Mathews could reach fifty and even he got out soon afterwards, ending any chance of the match lasting into a fifth day and maybe, just maybe, salvation thanks to the miracle of intervention from Jupiter Pluvius. There was just one partnership that reached fifty – the 51 for the first wicket. After that, partnerships of 39 for the 3^rd wicket, 46 for the 4^th, 36 for the 6^th and 32 for the 8^th were all inconveniences, but each stand was broken before it could get threatening.

Some stands were ended by a rush of blood, some by a lapse in concentration. Having been reprieved the first ball of the last over before Lunch, launching a big swing at Stokes, the review showing that the ball had just missed the edge, de Silva poked at the next ball and ensured that this time the bowler was not to be denied. Instead of going to Lunch at 98-2, it was 98-3 and you felt that an end was open. Mendis fell, swinging wildly, just as it looked as if they might be able to get through to Tea with no further loss, exposing the hobbled Chandimal, who was unable to move his feet against Jack Leach and was snared rapidly. And then, suddenly the ball was starting to turn a lot again and, first ball after Tea, Moeen befuddled totally Dickwella: it was over, bar the shouting.

The plaudits have gone to Ben Foakes and Keaton Jennings. Foakes’ 107 in the first innings was the turning point of the match. His 37 from 34 balls in the second innings, the injection of pace needed before the declaration. Jennings’ 192 runs, for once out, were just a fraction less than the final margin of victory. Yet, the 4-66 and 4-71 of Moeen had a lot to do with the victory. Moeen is one of those unfortunate souls who a substantial minority of the fans will always criticise, whatever he does. One of the more brutal and unjustified comments was that he is both a mediocre batsman and bowler who cannot hold down a place in the side. However, 8-137 were his best match figures abroad and he almost always offered threat.

Moeen though, benefitted from having plenty of support. Jack Leach took 2-41 and 3-60 and, surely, has booked his place in the 2^nd Test and well as showing both himself and a lot of other people that he is going to take a lot of wickets at this level. Even Adil Rashid, who went through one of his awful patches in the morning where the Square Leg umpire and wicket-keeper were in more danger than the batsman, suddenly started to rip the ball past the bat after Lunch, sowing uncertainty in the minds of the batsmen. And Ben Stokes bowled a brutal spell at a time when nothing was happening, making a critical breakthrough.

Sri Lanka were, apart from the first session of the match, comprehensively outplayed. It is tempting to suggest that one mediocre side beat another mediocre side, but there is the temptation always to talk down any opponent who has been beaten, as being not very good. Sri Lanka were only as good as England let them be. England were not brilliant, but they were pretty good.

England have ended a run of two years and fourteen Tests over four series without an away win. And, in that time, there have been ten defeats (the sequence, since that last win in Bangladesh, is: WLDLLLLLLDLLDW). Maybe it is not the dawn of a new era but, at least, England will have an unexpected chance to seal the series at Kandy.

For that Test, it was expected that Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow would come back. Maybe England will decide that two spinners are sufficient, but it is hard to see how both players can be accommodated and there are extremely good arguments for playing an unchanged XI. Nothing sends a message like saying to two of the players who are usually first on the teamsheet that they have to win their places back because their replacements have made themselves undroppable. Probably the only way that both Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow can play is if Jimmy Anderson is rested and the pitch looks as if it will not suit Jack Leach. Changing a winning side though would be harsh.

Defeat was not the way that Rangana Herath planned to finish his Test career. He will go back to his bank job on Monday, warmed by the constant tributes, the affection of a crowd that ended up being largely English, the guards of honour and the respect of teammates and opponents. Herath is the living proof that a player can suddenly come good late in his career and become a reference for his side. He ends with figures that are more than respectable and knowing that he has been the rock of his side for the last few years. Certainly England know that their job will be easier without him in the 2^nd Test.