The Hindu : Sport : Jayawardene in great form

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Thursday, Dec 20, 2007
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Jayawardene in great form

Ted Corbett

Dilshan misses out on a well-deserved century

— PHOTO: AFP

Taking control: Mahela Jayawardene’s knock has, in all probability, ensured that Sri Lanka will not be beaten.

GALLE: Mahela Jayawardene, a great batsman content to be ordinary for the benefit of his side, batted it to safety with a six-and-a-half-hour century on Wednesday, leaving England infuriated by his unwillingness to get out and the 1-0 lead in the three-Test series as secure as can be.

Jayawardene had help from the pantheon of gods who visited such a terrible blow on this old seaside city three years ago. They calmed the weather to allow him to bat all day after a delayed start, admittedly in weather that was wearing for the European body but perfectly good for men brought up in these climes.

It was hot and sticky and irritating, which may have accounted for the displays of outrage shown by Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen when decisions did not go their way.

If they thought to unhinge Jayawardene they have made a mistake for although he smiles like the rest of his countrymen, this guy is as tough as any Aussie, as impervious to insult as any South African and as indifferent to disparagement as the most inbred Yorkshireman.

Seeing off trouble

When the day began, Sri Lanka was 147 for four and trouble lurked. In the first 15 minutes Tillekaratne Dilshan should have been caught at gully by Alastair Cook, stretching to his right at shoulder height but the chance went astray and from that moment Dilshan mixed his solid defence with some of the most vigorous shots.

At lunch the pair was still together and it was not until a mad half hour — 20 overs after the new ball was taken — that Sri Lanka lost its fifth wicket.

Jayawardene wanted one for his 21st Test century and Dilshan decided that a short single was the answer; but the ball went cleanly to Cook close on the offside who threw down the stumps and, a dozen TV replays later, Dilshan was ruled out.

If you were English he was out, if you were Sri Lankan he was unlucky; it was too close to call even with modern technology.

Three balls later, Prasanna Jayawardene was caught low by wicket-keeper Matthew Prior to give Ravi Bopara his first taste of Test success and it was not until after tea that the better known Jayawardene reached his hundred.

England thought he may have been caught from around his hip by Prior off Ryan Sidebottom after lunch.

Flintoff missed

The truth is that without Andrew Flintoff it has no man who can turn an advantage into a victory or bowl the spell so dynamic that some batsmen are out before they leave the pavilion.

Daring in the morning, when Sri Lanka starts on 384 for six, with Jayawardene 149 after 513 minutes, could even bring it a 2-0 series win and send it soaring to second place in the world rankings with enough surplus attitude to make the Australians think twice.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka — 1st Innings: M. Vandort lbw b Sidebottom 18, U. Tharanga lbw b Harmison 16, K. Sangakkara c Panesar b Harmison 46, M. Jayawardene (batting) 149, C. Silva c Bell b Harmison 1, T. Dilshan (run out) 84, P. Jayawardene c Prior b Bopara 0, C. Vaas (batting) 46, Extras (b-1, lb-14, nb-2, w-7) 24; Total (for six wickets in 129 overs) 384.

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-44, 3-132, 4-138, 5-287, 6-287.

England bowling: Sidebottom 30-8-75-1, Hoggard 27-4-97-0, Harmison 29-4-72-3, Panesar 24-3-58-0, Bopara 10-1-39-1, Collingwood 6-1-17-0, Pietersen 3-0-11-0.

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