2001 Sri Lanka vs England, 2nd Test at Kandy.
Toss: Sri Lanka.
This was a bruising, bar-room brawl of a Test, the type that, pre-Fletcher, England would not have won. But with a now-habitual steel, win it they did, squaring the series. In several respects, Kandy was a classic. Thanks to an exemplary pitch that encouraged strokeplay, rewarded seam and took spin - yet never broke up as predicted - the initiative was batted back and forth like a ping-pong ball. And the drama unfolded against a backdrop of hazy blue mountains, fringed with palm and flame trees.
Undermining it all, however, was more lamentable umpiring. By some counts there were 15 errors, and tempers inevitably boiled over, coming to a head on the explosive third day - ironically a poya day, or "day of peace" for the predominantly Buddhist population. Referee Hanumant Singh issued severe reprimands to Atherton and Sangakkara, as well as fining Jayasuriya 60 per cent of his match fee for dissent and adding a suspended ban of two Tests and two one-day internationals. Both umpires had dreadful games, and most errors favoured England. Home official B. C. Cooray was especially vilified: "BC Bats for England" ran one local headline.
On the first morning, Sri Lanka sped to 69 for two in 16 overs, de Silva and Sangakkara repairing early damage. Then White's third delivery induced two errors: first Sangakkara took his eye off the ball and deflected it, via his elbow, to gully, whereupon Koertzen gave him out. Ostentatious rubbing of his forearm earned Sangakkara his first reproof. Soon afterwards, White removed de Silva, and a precarious 80 for four would have become a teetering 80 for five had Trescothick, at gully, not dropped Arnold.
Sri Lanka lunched at 93 for four but took tea 123 sparkling runs on, the innings turned round by Jayawardene. Soon afterwards he completed a chanceless fifth Test century, bristling with confident pulls and cuts, then was out, mishooking Caddick. Arnold, let off by umpiring errors on 41 and 44, and Dilshan added another 56 before Gough and Caddick took the new ball. Its effect was devastating and immediate: the last five wickets clattered for 20 runs.
England spirits took a dent next morning, though, with both openers gone by 37. Fourteen months earlier, Cooray had started a nightmare run of form for Hussain when he interpreted an edged four as lbw. Now he helped to end it. Hussain and Thorpe played superbly, adding 167 (an all-wicket England record against Sri Lanka), but there was little doubt that Muralitharan twice had Hussain caught off pad and bat, on 53 and 62. Not so, ruled Cooray, provoking the fielders to fury. Hussain exploited his fortune to hit a courageous, morale-boosting hundred. By the close, though, he and Thorpe had gone, together with the feckless Hick. Twice reprieved by Cooray in 11 balls, Hick seemed determined to make a duck and duly did.
The third day began in familiar fashion: Stewart, not given out when he should have been, was
Toss: Sri Lanka.
This was a bruising, bar-room brawl of a Test, the type that, pre-Fletcher, England would not have won. But with a now-habitual steel, win it they did, squaring the series. In several respects, Kandy was a classic. Thanks to an exemplary pitch that encouraged strokeplay, rewarded seam and took spin - yet never broke up as predicted - the initiative was batted back and forth like a ping-pong ball. And the drama unfolded against a backdrop of hazy blue mountains, fringed with palm and flame trees.
Undermining it all, however, was more lamentable umpiring. By some counts there were 15 errors, and tempers inevitably boiled over, coming to a head on the explosive third day - ironically a poya day, or "day of peace" for the predominantly Buddhist population. Referee Hanumant Singh issued severe reprimands to Atherton and Sangakkara, as well as fining Jayasuriya 60 per cent of his match fee for dissent and adding a suspended ban of two Tests and two one-day internationals. Both umpires had dreadful games, and most errors favoured England. Home official B. C. Cooray was especially vilified: "BC Bats for England" ran one local headline.
On the first morning, Sri Lanka sped to 69 for two in 16 overs, de Silva and Sangakkara repairing early damage. Then White's third delivery induced two errors: first Sangakkara took his eye off the ball and deflected it, via his elbow, to gully, whereupon Koertzen gave him out. Ostentatious rubbing of his forearm earned Sangakkara his first reproof. Soon afterwards, White removed de Silva, and a precarious 80 for four would have become a teetering 80 for five had Trescothick, at gully, not dropped Arnold.
Sri Lanka lunched at 93 for four but took tea 123 sparkling runs on, the innings turned round by Jayawardene. Soon afterwards he completed a chanceless fifth Test century, bristling with confident pulls and cuts, then was out, mishooking Caddick. Arnold, let off by umpiring errors on 41 and 44, and Dilshan added another 56 before Gough and Caddick took the new ball. Its effect was devastating and immediate: the last five wickets clattered for 20 runs.
England spirits took a dent next morning, though, with both openers gone by 37. Fourteen months earlier, Cooray had started a nightmare run of form for Hussain when he interpreted an edged four as lbw. Now he helped to end it. Hussain and Thorpe played superbly, adding 167 (an all-wicket England record against Sri Lanka), but there was little doubt that Muralitharan twice had Hussain caught off pad and bat, on 53 and 62. Not so, ruled Cooray, provoking the fielders to fury. Hussain exploited his fortune to hit a courageous, morale-boosting hundred. By the close, though, he and Thorpe had gone, together with the feckless Hick. Twice reprieved by Cooray in 11 balls, Hick seemed determined to make a duck and duly did.
The third day began in familiar fashion: Stewart, not given out when he should have been, was
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