Sri Lanka v England 2007-08

First Test Match

Sri Lanka v England 2007-07

Apr 9, 2008: Wisden's match report for the first Test between Sri Lanka and England, 2007-08

Sanath Jayasuriya

The great entertainer

Dec 5, 2007: Jayasuriya's free-spirited, electrifying talent will be sorely missed. So long, Sanath

Tributes to Sanath Jayasuriya

Inspiring a generation of cricketers

Dec 5, 2007: Sri Lanka's captain and vice-captain, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, paid tribute to their team-mate and former leader, Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day

'We need to press this advantage' - Jayawardene

Dec 5, 2007: Patience, Mahela Jayawardene said, was the key to Sri Lanka winning the first Test against England at Kandy and going 1-up in the three-Test series

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day

England undone by straight-faced Murali

Dec 5, 2007: England did astonishingly well to repel Murali for as long as they did. For 32 overs he toiled without reward. But then the wickets flooded in

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day

When the sheets hit the fans

Dec 5, 2007: Andrew Miller provides the plays of the fifth and final day between Sri Lanka and England at Kandy

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day

Spectators hurt as stand roof blows off

Dec 5, 2007: At least four England supporters suffered minor injuries on the final day of the first Test at Kandy, when the corrugated-iron roof of their stand blew off in high winds and landed on the seats below

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day

Sri Lanka beat the light to secure victory

Dec 5, 2007: Sri Lanka claimed the first Test by 88 runs at Kandy, but England came with about 20 minutes of salvaging a draw

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day

Hoggard 'looking doubtful' for second Test

Dec 5, 2007: England's captain, Michael Vaughan, has conceded that Matthew Hoggard's prospects of playing in Sunday's second Test at Colombo are slim

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 4th day

Sangakkara senses greatness in his grasp

Dec 4, 2007: Andrew Miller on Kumar Sangakkara's batting soliloquy at Kandy

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 4th day

Drop-kicking Bell over the monastery

Dec 4, 2007: Andrew Miller provides the plays of the fourth day between Sri Lanka and England at Kandy

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 4th day

Sangakkara century sets up victory chance

Dec 4, 2007: After Muttiah Muralitharan enjoyed his record-breaking moment yesterday it was the turn of Kumar Sangakkara to do the rewriting as Sri Lanka finally exerted their home advantage on the fourth day at Kandy

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy

Pietersen will bat despite finger break

Dec 4, 2007: Kevin Pietersen will be available to bat in England's second innings in Kandy despite breaking a bone in his finger

Full coverage

Murali breaks Warne's record

Dec 3, 2007: Full coverage of Muttiah Muralitharan breaking Shane Warne's record for most wickets in Tests

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 3rd day

Sides prepare for fourth-day scrap

Dec 3, 2007: While the magnitude of Muttiah Muralitharan achievement rightly dominated the day's proceedings, somewhere beneath the hype and felicitations, a good old-fashioned nuggety Test match was taking shape

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 3rd day

The modest masterblaster calls time

Dec 3, 2007: It was an exit that brought to mind Mike Atherton's sheepish departure at The Oval in 2001. No-one knew for sure that this was his final innings in Test cricket, but the way Sanath Jayasuriya shyly saluted his standing ovation was telling in the extreme

Plays of the day

Jayasuriya's bash and Cook's klutzy misfield

Dec 3, 2007: Andrew Miller looks back at the plays of the day on the third day of the first Test in Kandy

Highest wicket-taker in Tests

The Murali story in numbers

Dec 3, 2007: A stats analysis of Muttiah Muralitharan's 710 Test wickets

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 3rd day

Sri Lanka build lead on Murali's record day

Dec 3, 2007: Sri Lanka lead by 78 after the third day at Kandy following a half-century from Sanath Jayasuriya, which followed Muttiah Muralitharan's record-breaking wicket earlier in the day

Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 3rd day

Murali sparks delirium in Kandy

Dec 3, 2007: He was made to wait, longer than he or any of his legions of admirers could ever have imagined, but in end, the inevitable could not be postponed indefinitely as Muttiah Muralitharan took his 709th Test wicket and the world record