Rain frustrates Sri Lanka, likely to save England

Chris DHAMBARAGE reporting from Galle

Heavy rains continued to frustrate Sri Lanka in their attempt to win the third and final Test match against the touring England team on the penultimate day at the reconstructed Galle International Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka are looking to wrap up the series two nil following their success in the opening Test in Kandy and move into the second place of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship Team Rankings.

A light shower forced the players to return back into the dressing room with England struggling to survive on 102 for 1 in their second innings at the break after being forced to follow on. The downpour then further increased in intensity during the lunch interval with covers placed across the whole ground.

The rains eased at around 1.00 p.m and there was a moment when the ground staff started to pull the covers off. But then again the rains returned to the Galle Stadium getting even heavier there after.

The umpires Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and Daryl Harper (Australia) then in consultation with the match referee Jeff Crowe (New Zealand) and the two teams decided to call of play for the day at 3.00 p.m.

England still need a further 316 runs to make Sri Lanka bat again with nine second innings wickets in hand. Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene rotated his bowlers more regularly in search for a breakthrough while using five bowlers in all.

But apart from two close edges for four by left-hander Alastiar Cook both of which landed short of the slips on way through to the boundary there were very few chances for the Sri Lankan bowlers during the morning session.

Cook overtook his captain and opening partner Michael Vaughn twice while punishing left arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara in the 14th over of the innings for superb boundaries.

Cook then reached his third half century in the current series with his seventh boundary in the next over when he bisected two fielders on the off side with an excellent extra cover drive from the bowling of Tillekeratne Dilshan.

The England opener has so far occupied the crease for 145 minutes and faced 117 deliveries.

England continued to play their shots despite the need for survival and Michael Vaughan’s dismissal came about when he chased a wide delivery from left-armer Welegedara and sliced it into hands of skipper Mahela Jayawardene fielding at second slip in the 19th over of the day.

Welegedera on his debut impressed a lot in the second innings too with a slinging action and good control of line.

Vaughn batted quite confidently until then where he also shared a crucial 67 run opening stand.

The England captain batted for 87 minutes and faced 57 deliveries without stroking a boundary.

Ian Bell joined Alastiar Cook and the pair took England past their shameful first innings total 81 runs with an unfinished second wicket stand of 35 runs.

England survived the first one hour of play to reach 38 for no loss and brought up their fifty runs in 14.5 overs.

Muttiah Muralitharan was introduced in the previous over but his eight over spell did not have the bite of his earlier performances in the series where he dominated the proceedings in Kandy and in Colombo capturing 19 wickets in the process.

There was of course slightly less venom from the two opening bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga with the new ball than their more destructive burst on the previous day.