English summer gives Sri Lanka something to build upon
The scene couldn’t have been any less Sri Lankan. The skies were ashen and the clouds heavy; the harsh gusts of wind warned that winter was on its way. Sri Lanka’s support staff wore hoodies and woolly hats; even the English fielders clung to handwarmers.
Yet, the awful weather couldn’t keep Sri Lanka’s fans away. Nor could it keep Pathum Nissanka quiet. As he nudged the ball past backward point – declaring Sri Lanka emphatic winners of the third Test – smiles lit up South London and lion flags fluttered all around The Oval. Sri Lanka had their fourth victory on English soil. Unexpected? Undoubtedly. Yet it’s hard to say that it wasn’t deserved.
Pathum Nissanka stood tall, arms outstretched, staring up towards the heavens - AFP
Of course, the enduring image from the Test will be of Nissanka celebrating that famous hundred. The diminutive opener stood tall, arms outstretched, staring up towards the heavens. His expression spoke of vindication rather than ecstasy; his stance oozed as much confidence as his crisp straight drives. There was almost something messianic about the scene. That felt fitting, for Pathum Nissanka might just be the man to save Sri Lankan cricket.
Nissanka has achieved a lot this year. He’s overhauled his T20 strike rate and become the island’s first ODI double-centurion, while averaging north of 74 in that format. But, all runs aren’t created equal – and this proved Pathum’s crowning glory. A Test hundred in England makes the cricket world stand up and take notice; on a grim September morning, Nissanka etched his name into the history books.
He became the first visiting batter to score twin 50s at faster than a run-a-ball in England. Equally, his magnificent match-winning 127 not out, off 124 balls, put him on a very short list alongside Don Bradman, Gordon Greenidge and Graeme Smith – just the seventh opposition batter to score a century in a successful Test run-chase in England.
Of course, to reduce Nissanka’s batting to statistics would be to do him – and cricket – a great disservice. Following a quiet return to the Test side at Lord’s, many assumed it would take him time to readjust to the demands of red-ball cricket. Yet, here he was, a week later, batting with the confidence and clarity which have seen him dubbed the great Lankan hope.
Rightly so. Nissanka’s batting was imperious: his dashing strokeplay turned a potentially awkward chase into a walk in the park. There were textbook drives early, and scything hooks into the stands once he reached three figures. This was a new Nissanka, combining the technical solidity of his early red-ball career with the prodigious growth he’s shown in white-ball cricket.
Sri Lankan fans should be very excited about his future: surely, their days will be brightened by many more hundreds from his bat.
Of course, he didn’t do it alone. For much of the series, Sri Lanka’s quicks bowled with heart and soul – fittingly, it was the four horsemen who laid the foundations for the team’s success. Many felt a Lankan side without a spinner was as strange as cricket played under a sunless sky; yet the Fernandos – Asitha and Vishwa, Milan Rathnayake and Lahiru Kumara reminded the world that the island is in the midst of a seam-bowling revolution.
After a poor first day, they were magnificent – consistently putting balls in good areas and finding movement through the air and off the pitch. Asitha Fernando has threatened all summer long, and ended up the series’ leading wicket-taker with 17 at 24.64. Lahiru Kumara showcased surprising discipline and durability. Milan Rathnayake grew into his work, while providing gritty runs and proving a livewire in the field. And Vishwa, so disappointing at Old Trafford, returned to pick up the crucial wickets of Joe Root and Harry Brook with a pair of searing inswingers.
Clearly, the quicks have been working hard behind the scenes. By series’ end, England’s seamers looked out on their feet. Asitha, who played all three Tests and got through 99 overs, was still raring to go. That’s no small thing: Sri Lankan fast bowlers have often been derided as brittle; it’s no exaggeration to suggest that the island’s seam stocks have never been deeper. Rarely has the team been in a better position to compete in Tests outside of Asia: Asitha and Co. should be licking their lips at the prospect of two matches in South Africa at the end of the year.
Equally, special praise must go to Kamindu Mendis – who passed 50 in all three Tests and was rightly named Sri Lanka’s player of the series. His hundred at Old Trafford gave the team hope when all looked lost – his flashing blade lighting up the Manchester gloom. Had he not run out of partners, he may well have struck another at Lord’s. And again, at the Oval, he was central to Sri Lanka’s fightback: mounting a crucial partnership with his captain when the team looked to be sliding towards another inevitable defeat.
Like Nissanka, Kamindu has the ability to rebuff the good balls and punish bowlers when they stray into his areas. These two young batters are clearly technically sound, yet they have equally impressed with their temperament over the past few weeks. Sri Lanka must build their batting around Nissanka and Mendis moving forward; plainly, Kamindu cannot continue to languish at number seven.
Others played their part too. Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and captain Dhananjaya de Silva made important runs; across the first two Tests, Prabath Jayasuriya bore a heavy load. The fielding was superb throughout – with Sri Lanka taking outstanding catches in all three Tests. Recently at least, it’s hard to remember the team battling with so much spirit.
There have been times over the past few years when Sri Lanka have seemingly buckled under pressure. Here, whenever the chips were down, they found deep reserves of strength. Credit for that must go to Sanath Jayasuriya, who has clearly inspired the players, and spoke with passion and intensity at the series’ conclusion.
Jayasuriya may have tactical shortcomings, but so much of coaching is about intangibles: for now at least, it feels undeniable that he has connected with this side in a way that no foreign coach could. And his results are hard to question: a first Test win against England in a decade, off the back of a first ODI series victory over India since 1997. In my eyes, he has earned the right to remain at the helm in the short term.
Equally, this team now has a platform to work with. Over the next three months, they will play four Tests against New Zealand and South Africa. Each of those matches presents a huge opportunity; if Sri Lanka can build on their current momentum, they will continue to earn plaudits – and upset the perceived order of things.
Given the game’s current state, the tour of England felt especially important. A poor performance from Dhananjaya’s men would have been a fillip for those elitists who reckon Test cricket has no future beyond the ‘Big Three’. Instead, the skill, spirit and resilience Sri Lanka showed – often in the face of adversity – reminded fans across the world that this team can still produce dynamic cricket. If they keep fighting like they did over the past few weeks, and keep playing with so much style, they will continue to climb up the World Test Championship standings. And they might not have to wait eight years to be invited back to England.
Nicholas Brookes is the author of ‘An Island’s Eleven: The Story of Sri Lankan Cricket’. He podcasts about Sri Lankan cricket for
‘The Murali End’ and tweets @brookeswrites.