Fresh from the five-day epic in Kandy, England and Sri Lanka embarked on another brutal contest—this time, a three-day thriller in Colombo. What unfolded was a Test match of astonishing volatility, culminating in a staggering collapse that saw Sri Lanka bowled out for just 81 on the third evening. England, despite a jittery chase, secured victory by three wickets and with it, the series 2-1. It was a triumph not only over Sri Lanka but also over oppressive heat and exhaustion. Thorpe, who anchored England’s innings twice, admitted he had never played in such draining conditions.
If Kandy had been a test of endurance, Colombo was an
exercise in controlled chaos. The third day alone witnessed the fall of 22
wickets for just 229 runs, a statistic that spoke of both the frailty of
batting under immense pressure and the mastery of fast bowling on a
deteriorating surface. This time, however, there were no umpiring controversies
to muddy the spectacle. Asoka de Silva’s officiating was widely praised, and
with the integrity of the contest intact, tempers remained in check.
Tactical Adjustments
and the Battle with the Toss
The significance of the toss loomed large. For the third
consecutive time—and the 17th in 21 Tests as captain—Sanath Jayasuriya called
correctly. With the pitch expected to deteriorate, Sri Lanka’s decision to bat
was logical. England, meanwhile, made one crucial change: Hick, whose form had disintegrated,
was replaced by Michael Vaughan, a selection that now seemed inevitable. The
hosts, too, made adjustments, recalling Dilhara Fernando for Nuwan Zoysa and
handing a debut to left-arm spinner Dinuka Hettiarachchi in place of
Dharmasena, whose bowling had lacked penetration.
Caddick struck early, dismissing Atapattu in the second over
with a delivery of near-perfect geometry—pitching on leg, straightening, and
rattling middle and off. But that was England’s only moment of success in a
first session dominated by Kumar Sangakkara’s assured strokeplay. The young
left-hander, already emerging as the backbone of Sri Lanka’s batting, appeared
untroubled by either pace or spin. Yet, cricket at this level has a way of exposing
even the most confident.
After lunch, Gough—the ever-reliable enforcer—targeted
Sangakkara with hostility, striking him with a bouncer before unleashing a
searing, rising delivery that had the batsman recoiling. Uprooted from his
rhythm, Sangakkara spooned the next ball tamely to cover. His departure
triggered a slide, Jayasuriya falling soon after, though Aravinda de Silva and
Mahela Jayawardene steadied the innings, taking Sri Lanka past 200 in the
evening session.
Umpire Orchard, near-faultless throughout, may have erred in
giving de Silva out caught at silly mid-off, the replays inconclusive. But if
luck momentarily abandoned Sri Lanka, misfortune soon turned to calamity.
England, invigorated by a late flurry of wickets, ensured the day ended in
their favor. By stumps, Sri Lanka’s lower order lay in ruins—Dilshan and
Jayawardene dismissed by Croft, Arnold undone by Giles. The collapse continued
into the following morning as Caddick, armed with the new ball, ran through the
tail. Seven wickets had fallen for just 36 runs.
England’s Response: A
Battle of Grit and Guile
Despite a brisk start, England’s reply was soon troubled.
Atherton, having smacked three early boundaries off Vaas, succumbed yet again
to the left-armer, making it five dismissals in six innings. The method was predictable,
the result inevitable.
Then came one of the more bizarre dismissals of the series.
Trescothick, in his usual aggressive manner, whipped a shot toward leg, the
ball vanishing from sight. Confusion reigned until the fielders, tracking its
trajectory, discovered it lodged within the folds of Russell Arnold’s billowing
shirt at short leg. An absurd but legal dismissal, and a first Test wicket for
Hettiarachchi.
Hussain, battling a thigh injury sustained while fielding,
endured a brief, agonizing stay at the crease. The injury would rule him out of
the upcoming one-dayers, and his dismissal—dragging on against
Hettiarachchi—reduced England to 91 for four. It was left to Thorpe and Vaughan
to restore order, which they did with discipline and resilience, navigating
Muralitharan’s extravagant turn to reach 175 by stumps.
Morning rain briefly delayed play, and in the lull, murmurs
of a possible draw surfaced. No one imagined that the match would end within
the day.
But if the second day had ended with a hint of stability,
the third erupted into chaos.
The Morning Collapse:
A Prelude to the Madness Ahead
England began disastrously. Vaas, rejuvenated, teased
Vaughan and White into tentative prods, both edging behind. The hat-trick was
narrowly averted, but the damage continued. Giles fell identically,
giving Vaas three wickets for a single run in a 16-ball spell. He finished with
a career-best six for 73.
Thorpe, composed amid the wreckage, might have perished
himself—Orchard missed a clear edge to silly point—but he made full use of his
reprieve. He shepherded the tail, even as he inadvertently ran out Croft, and
reached his eighth Test century, an innings of defiance and class. His
counterattack against spin and pace alike cemented his status as England’s
premier middle-order batsman.
By the time the innings ended, England had lost six wickets
for 74 runs, precisely the same tally they would need to win.
The Collapse That
Shook Sri Lanka
If England had crumbled in the morning, Sri Lanka would have disintegrated spectacularly in the afternoon. What followed was a collapse of
historic proportions, as Gough and Caddick ripped through the top order with a
ruthless efficiency rarely seen.
Atapattu, who had opened the series with a double-century,
now ended it with a pair. Sangakkara and Jayasuriya followed in quick
succession, both victims of relentless pressure and sharp movement. De Silva,
momentarily looking imperious with two boundaries in three balls, fell for the
bait—Caddick’s slower delivery outwitted him, and he was caught at square leg.
The lower order collapsed in a blur of wickets, Muralitharan’s
desperate reverse sweep—executed without even taking guard—symbolizing Sri
Lanka’s complete capitulation. Within 28.1 overs, they were gone for 81, their
second-lowest Test total. England, who had not bowled out a team for under 100
in two decades, had now done so four times in ten months.
The spin pair of Giles and Croft, much maligned at times,
had come into their own. Their combined match figures of 11 for 144 highlighted
a level of control and variation that had eluded them earlier in the series.
England Stumble to
Victory
But still, the drama was not over. England, set a paltry 74,
nearly lost their nerve. Atherton, for once surviving Vaas, fell to Fernando
instead. When the score stood at 43 for four, Sri Lanka sensed the slimmest of
chances. Yet, Thorpe, with the same poise that had defined his century, closed
the door with an unbeaten 32.
The final act belonged to Hussain, bravely hobbling to the
crease at No. 7 with a runner. It was a moment of stubborn defiance, but also
one of cricket’s little ironies—he would become the eighth duck of the day, an
unwanted record-equalling 11th for the match.
As the Barmy Army roared, chanting “Bring on the Aussies!”,
England could reflect on a remarkable turnaround. From an innings defeat in the
First Test to series victors, they had conquered not just Sri Lanka but
themselves—overcoming fragility, adversity, and history.
This was Test cricket at its rawest—unpredictable, unrelenting, and utterly enthralling.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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