Two years on, England’s Galle win still hurts

England completed a rare win in Galle in the opening Test match of the 2018 series.

England barely last three days in Galle. The extreme heat, turning tracks and little help for seam bowlers makes the venue a nightmarish experience for most visiting teams, particularly the ones from England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. But exactly two years ago to this week, England achieved the unimaginable. They won a Test match in Galle which has been a true fortress for successive Sri Lankan teams over two decades.

Sri Lanka Cricket makes a kill when England visit the island. Everyone – from hoteliers to small business owners make huge profits. Us, poor journalists, who book our rooms in the last minute, can’t find anything in Galle and have to go beyond Hikkaduwa to find accommodation. Tickets per day are priced at Rs. 5000 and when some 5000 Barmy Army fans land in Galle, it is a financial windfall for the board. So when a Test match that is supposed to last five days ends in three days, a lot of people are unhappy, particularly SLC. One meticulous treasurer of the board told journalists that when a Test match involving England’s ends with two days to spare, the board loses Rs. 50 million from gate collection alone.

So, how come Sri Lanka who have dominated England in Galle lose in 2018? They played some sloppy cricket and had very little back up plan.

There was unnecessary distractions for the hosts on the eve of the opening Test as their premier fast bowler was sent home on disciplinary grounds.

This eventually resulted in Sri Lanka going into the first Test with a lone seamer and poor Suranga Lakmal had too much on his plate as Akila Dananjaya who was returning to the side after a ban for a suspect bowling action was less effective.

Making debut for England was 25-year-old Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and he had a fabulous game. He made a century in the first innings, a crucial 37 in the second essay and was neat behind the stumps. He was Man of the Match. Much accomplished England players had come to Sri Lanka and their technique in playing spin had been found wanting. So how did a debutant have such a massive impact?

Foakes was out three times when he made the hundred in the first innings. But Sri Lanka had run out of their referrals. The team’s use of referrals was so poor that they had exhausted their referrals even before their premier bowler – Rangana Herath had come onto bowl.

Herath had decided to quit after the first Test and it wasn’t the farewell he wanted as England handed his side a thumping 211 run defeat.

Sri Lanka’s use of reviews never improved throughout the series. The series was a disaster. The hosts were thrashed well and truly 3-0.