R Philip: Sri Lanka - World wonders (5 Sep 1998)

5 September 1998

Sri Lanka - World wonders

By Robert Philip

NOW that's what I call a Test match. Which is why, instead of attempting to belittle Sri Lanka's dazzling triumph at the Oval as England coach David Lloyd sought to do with his ungracious innuendo, all cricket should celebrate their graduation from World Cup curiousities into a unique five-day force.

Faced with England's first-innings total of 445, any other captain would have ordered the battening down of the hatches in the hope of salvaging a draw. Sensing the possibility of an outrageous victory, however, Arjuna Ranatunga chose to mount a dazzling counter-attack utilising the flashing blades of Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya, plus the sorcery of Muttiah Muralitharan.

The off-spinner's match-haul of 16 wickets on a benign pitch was one of the sporting wonders of the world and will be recalled in awed tones long after Lloyd's churlish outburst has been confined to the dustbin of history.

But it is not only Muralitharan who deserves an unreserved apology. Sri Lanka's second successive Test victory over England came five-and-a-half years after the first. Just what the hell do they have to achieve in order to be granted full five-Test status?

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)