Rex Clementine in London

Test match wins overseas have been rare for Sri Lanka. Extremely rare that other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, they recorded a Test win against any other nation way back in 2019. It came in South Africa when the team won back to back Test matches in Durban and Port Elizabeth to become the first Asian side to win a series in South Africa.

That is why the recent win at The Oval was special. It indeed came against many odds with many predicting a 3-0 whitewash to the hosts, whose new style of batting has earned the admiration of fans.

England’s strategy seems that there should be no more draws. That’s fine. But when you disrespect the basics of the game it comes back to haunt you. England can get away with this style of play against Sri Lanka and West Indies, whom they beat this summer. But when they play their bigger brothers Australia and India, they will face harsher realities and with that public condemnation.

England batters, even those who are out of form charging down the track to seamers and Ollie Pope not willing to give up his attacking field set even when the target was down to double figures were bizarre indeed.

Take nothing away from the manner Sri Lanka played. They assessed the conditions well, changed the composition of the side and more importantly believed in their skill set.

Kamindu Mendis had already cemented his place in the Test side but for someone who was playing in England for the first time to play with the confidence he did, is proof that we are going to see greater things from him.

The selectors resisted the move to push him up the order but next week against New Zealand, he is likely to move up higher in the order to number five and once Angelo Mathews moves on, should own that number four slot where many of our stars from Aravinda de Silva to Mahela Jayawardene have batted.

The reason for Pathum Nissanka to be sidelined from Test match cricket was a recurring back injury. With two World Cups coming up in October 2003 and May 2024, they wanted him to focus only on white ball cricket. Now that both events are over, he is back in the fold again. Bat pad is the fielding position for any player who is trying to find his feet in the side and the selectors will be discussing whether it is worthwhile to let Pathum field there.

While the reasoning for him to be kept away from Test cricket for two years are understandable, he should have played in England from the first Test. The quicks simply had no answers to his batting. The ball always does something in England and even when you are on 80, there are some balls that make the batsman look like not set yet. Which is why Pathum was looking for runs always, and it paid off. It was not just brutal bashing. He played straight drives earlier on and the cross batted shots came on only after he had spent an hour in the crease.

Lahiru Kumara needs just four wickets to claim 100 wickets in Tests and he bowled so well in the second innings at The Oval and he has come a long way from overcoming fitness issues. He had copped hefty fines for having high levels of skinfolds and he has responded well.

Kumara is the senior seamer, but Asitha Fernando has certainly emerged as the leader of the attack on this tour. Chris Woakes in these conditions is a prime contender to emerge as the leading wicket taker but Asitha with his 17 wickets showcased his skill test and became the first bowler since Rumesh Ratnayake in 1991 to take a five wicket haul at Lord’s.

Milan Ratnayake is another player who stood out with the bat and the ball and on the field. An all-rounder with immense potential, the selectors should see whether he could fit into the T-20 side.

All in all, it was a satisfying series and with a bit more luck, Sri Lanka could have won this sereis. They had their moments at Old Trafford but fell about 50 runs short.

The manner in which the fast bowling unit performed and young players contributed on their first tour to England are all indications that this team will go on to do something special moving forward.

The first ever Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand ended on a sad but predictable note as the game was called off without a ball being bowled. It was only the eighth such instance  in the Test history and the first since 1998.

There was an air of inevitability around the call after there was no play in the first four days and heavy rains ended the last two as early as 9.15am. The rain returned on the fifth morning, prompting the umpires to pull the plug at 8.45am.

The clouds hung low and the covers were drenched yet again at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground. A pool of water had formed near one of the boundaries and a few puddles were scattered across the uncovered grass in the outfield.