Law admits to Cardiff embarrassment

Sri Lanka's interim coach, Stuart Law, says that the time for talking is over, as Sri Lanka seek to atone for their dreadful final-day display in Cardiff by bouncing back to form in Friday's second Test at Lord's. Despite being renowned as one of the best batting line-ups in world cricket, Sri Lanka proved powerless to resist as England rolled them aside for 82 to win the match by an innings and 14 runs, and Law admitted that embarrassment had been the over-riding emotion in the dressing-room after the match.

"We didn't really compete on that last day," Law told reporters after Sri Lanka's practice session at Lord's. "It was obviously very disappointing but embarrassing as well, to get bowled out in 25 overs with some of the world's best batsmen in our line-up. We sat down for a good 40 minutes after the day's play and spoke about different aspects and ways of coming back. We didn't dwell on the negatives. We batted well in first innings, we batted well in second innings in Derby [against England Lions], but in each game we haven't batted well in both. That's what we need to do in this Test."

The events of the final afternoon in Cardiff were quite extraordinary. A game that had been meandering to a soggy draw burst into life after a 3pm start, thanks to some outstanding bowling from Chris Tremlett and Graeme Swann, as well as an inhibited Sri Lankan line-up that baulked at the prospect of batting for 51 overs to secure the stalemate. With nothing apparently at stake, the players simply failed to switch on mentally, and were caught napping by an England team that has now secured six innings victory in the past 12 months of action.

"It can't be a skills issue because our boys are highly skilled players," said Law. "It was a stop-start Test match with weather intervention, and we were not sure when we were going to start and always guessing when we'd be ready to go. We had a mental block coming into bat because we should have been able to bat for 51 overs easily, but suddenly you lose a few wickets and you're under pressure. It's amazing what pressure can do to you, it makes the mind think wrong decisions."

Having lost an unloseable Test in Cardiff, Sri Lanka are now back at a venue where, five years ago, they drew an undrawable one. At Lord's in the first Test of the 2006 tour, England led by 359 runs on first innings with almost two-and-a-half days in which to close out the match. However, with Mahela Jayawardene leading the way with his second Lord's century, Sri Lanka dug in for 199 overs to save the match with nine wickets down.

"It's a good thing we've come straight to Lord's, it's a good inspiration," said Law. "The wicket will as always be even paced and even bounced, and it's one of my favourite grounds to come and play, so hopefully that will inspire our boys to greater heights. The boys aren't stupid, they know what's expected, and there's no-one more disappointed than the 11 guys who played that game in Cardiff. They are ready to go out and show they can compete at this level, because if things continue like that it won't be much fun on the rest of this trip."

The bowling attack that awaits them, however, could be one of the most physically daunting line-ups in Test history, with Tremlett, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn - James Anderson's likely replacement - all measuring between 6'6" and 6'8". The uncapped Jade Dernbach could yet be selected to provide variety to the pace attack, but he will not exactly provide respite, having picked up nine wickets in that Lions game in Derby.

The challenge of replicating such a towering line of attack is a stiff one for Sri Lanka, none of whose bowlers come close to such heights, but Law appealed to his batsmen to rediscover the fighting qualities that went missing in the closing stages at Cardiff.

"Whichever combo they play will be tough work, but we have to come up with better plans on how to attack and defend," he said. "It's difficult trying to get into the mindset of getting forward to a half-volley that's hitting you in the chest, but that's what we've got to face, and our players are skilled and talented enough to work it out.

"Talk is cheap," he added. "You can provide talk and words, but it's a matter of the players absorbing that and putting it into action. The talking is finished. We can't just keep talking a good game, we've got out to play a good game."

Despite lacking depth with the bat and a cutting edge with the ball during England's only innings at Cardiff, Law insisted that Sri Lanka had no regrets about the balance of the side they put out for the first Test, and hinted they would persevere with five specialist batsmen in a bid to take the 20 wickets needed to get back into the series.

"We're 1-0 down, but we're not here to lose," said Law. "I don't think the combination we played in Cardiff was wrong, we just didn't play well for 25 overs. Sri Lankan cricket should never go into its shell. Our players should always think positive, because when they think positive they think clearly, and that's half the battle won."

Law said that he expected Dilhara Fernando to be available once again after missing the first Test with a knee injury, and hinted that the spinner Ajantha Mendis would be regarded as a horses-for-courses pick after struggling on an unresponsive Cardiff surface. But one player he did not envisage calling upon at this stage is the veteran Chaminda Vaas, who claimed match figures of 10 for 82 in Northants' innings victory over Glamorgan on Wednesday, and who has signalled a willingness to return to international cricket at the age of 37.

"It's good to see Vaasy going strong, and he looks after himself," said Law. "But we've picked a squad, and settled on it, so to draft someone in to make up numbers wouldn't be the right way to go about it. We've got to put faith in the players we've got in the squad now, and try to go forward, although if there's an injury then we'll consider.

"But now we'll be better for the knowledge on the England players, and how to bowl in Test match cricket in England. For this Test we'll be better prepared."