The Arjuna and Murali show
In our run-up to the 2000th Test, we look at some of Sri Lanka's more memorable Tests, which naturally includes some mammoth scores
Steven Lynch
11-Jul-2011
Arjuna Ranatunga made a half-century in Sri Lanka's maiden Test • Getty Images
v England, Colombo, 1981-82
Sri Lanka competed well for the first half of their inaugural Test, with some efficient bowling restricting England to a first-innings lead of just five runs amid a carnival atmosphere at the P Sara Stadium. Their first innings was rescued from 33 for 4 by the stylish Ranjan Madugalle (65) and a well-padded teenager called Arjuna Ranatunga (54). The home side managed only 175 in their second innings - spinners John Emburey and Derek Underwood shared nine wickets - and England got the runs with little fuss. But Sri Lanka had arrived at the top table.
Sri Lanka competed well for the first half of their inaugural Test, with some efficient bowling restricting England to a first-innings lead of just five runs amid a carnival atmosphere at the P Sara Stadium. Their first innings was rescued from 33 for 4 by the stylish Ranjan Madugalle (65) and a well-padded teenager called Arjuna Ranatunga (54). The home side managed only 175 in their second innings - spinners John Emburey and Derek Underwood shared nine wickets - and England got the runs with little fuss. But Sri Lanka had arrived at the top table.
v England, Lord's, 1984
Even though England had just been hammered by West Indies - their first "blackwash" - they didn't expect too much trouble from Sri Lanka in the one-off encounter that rounded off a tiring summer. David Gower decided to bowl first, hoping the visitors would be overawed in their first Test at Lord's, but he didn't expect to still be in the field on the third morning, as he was after the pencil-slim opener Sidath Wettimuny (190 in 642 minutes) booked in for bed and breakfast(s). Arjuna Ranatunga contributed 84, and the even more rotund Duleep Mendis made a memorable century. Sri Lanka eventually declared at 491, and although England saved the match quite easily, there was never any question of the consolation victory Gower craved.
Even though England had just been hammered by West Indies - their first "blackwash" - they didn't expect too much trouble from Sri Lanka in the one-off encounter that rounded off a tiring summer. David Gower decided to bowl first, hoping the visitors would be overawed in their first Test at Lord's, but he didn't expect to still be in the field on the third morning, as he was after the pencil-slim opener Sidath Wettimuny (190 in 642 minutes) booked in for bed and breakfast(s). Arjuna Ranatunga contributed 84, and the even more rotund Duleep Mendis made a memorable century. Sri Lanka eventually declared at 491, and although England saved the match quite easily, there was never any question of the consolation victory Gower craved.
v India, Colombo, 1985-86
Sri Lanka's first Test victory came in only their 14th match, set up by a first-innings century from wicketkeeper Amal Silva and a near-miss from the stylish Roy Dias. Then the bowlers took over: unlike many of Sri Lanka's later home successes, this one was pushed through by the quicker bowlers rather than the spinners. Rumesh Ratnayake, a bouncy seamer with a dislike of blood (he once fainted after hitting a batsman), took nine wickets in the match, although arguably the key dismissal came when Sunil Gavaskar - batting down the order for a change - was stumped in the first innings off the slow-medium wobblers of Arjuna Ranatunga. India never got close to a target of 348. All Sri Lanka celebrated, and two draws in the other matches gave the team the series too.
Sri Lanka's first Test victory came in only their 14th match, set up by a first-innings century from wicketkeeper Amal Silva and a near-miss from the stylish Roy Dias. Then the bowlers took over: unlike many of Sri Lanka's later home successes, this one was pushed through by the quicker bowlers rather than the spinners. Rumesh Ratnayake, a bouncy seamer with a dislike of blood (he once fainted after hitting a batsman), took nine wickets in the match, although arguably the key dismissal came when Sunil Gavaskar - batting down the order for a change - was stumped in the first innings off the slow-medium wobblers of Arjuna Ranatunga. India never got close to a target of 348. All Sri Lanka celebrated, and two draws in the other matches gave the team the series too.
v Australia, Colombo, 1992-93
When Sri Lanka took their lead close to 300, after centuries from Asanka Gurusinha, the inevitable Ranatunga, and the debutant wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana, a maiden victory over Australia seemed likely: it still looked on the cards after the Aussies made 471 in their second innings, with everyone getting into double figures. Chasing 181, Sri Lanka were cruising at 127 for 2 when wickets started tumbling, and Shane Warne made the first of his many indelible marks on Test cricket. He'd had unflattering figures of 0 for 107 in the first innings, but now wrapped things up with three for none in 13 balls. Sri Lanka's last eight wickets had crashed for 37, and Australia had sneaked over the line by 16 runs.
When Sri Lanka took their lead close to 300, after centuries from Asanka Gurusinha, the inevitable Ranatunga, and the debutant wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana, a maiden victory over Australia seemed likely: it still looked on the cards after the Aussies made 471 in their second innings, with everyone getting into double figures. Chasing 181, Sri Lanka were cruising at 127 for 2 when wickets started tumbling, and Shane Warne made the first of his many indelible marks on Test cricket. He'd had unflattering figures of 0 for 107 in the first innings, but now wrapped things up with three for none in 13 balls. Sri Lanka's last eight wickets had crashed for 37, and Australia had sneaked over the line by 16 runs.
v Pakistan, Faisalabad, 1995-96
Already one down in the series, Sri Lanka looked up against it when they conceded a lead of 110. But a century from Aravinda de Silva helped stretch the target to 252, then regular wickets from Chaminda Vaas - and a couple from the young Muttiah Muralitharan, who had taken five in the first innings - allowed Sri Lanka to level the rubber. A similar performance in the next Test, in Sialkot, allowed Ranatunga's side to complete a rare come-from-behind series victory away from home.
Already one down in the series, Sri Lanka looked up against it when they conceded a lead of 110. But a century from Aravinda de Silva helped stretch the target to 252, then regular wickets from Chaminda Vaas - and a couple from the young Muttiah Muralitharan, who had taken five in the first innings - allowed Sri Lanka to level the rubber. A similar performance in the next Test, in Sialkot, allowed Ranatunga's side to complete a rare come-from-behind series victory away from home.
v India, Colombo, 1997
When India declared at 537 late on the second day - after hundreds from Navjot Sidhu, Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin - they could hardly have envisaged conceding a lead of more than 400. But after an early wicket, Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama embarked on a partnership of 576, a world record at the time. Jayasuriya made 340 and Mahanama 225, then a century from Aravinda de Silva ensured that Sri Lanka also passed the 59-year-old record for the highest Test total, England's 903 against Australia at The Oval in 1938. India's debutant spinner Nilesh Kulkarni took a wicket with his first ball in a Test... but finished with 1 for 195 as Sri Lanka piled up 952 for 6. There wasn't time to bowl India out - indeed there wasn't time for them to bat at all - but the statisticians had a field day.
When India declared at 537 late on the second day - after hundreds from Navjot Sidhu, Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin - they could hardly have envisaged conceding a lead of more than 400. But after an early wicket, Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama embarked on a partnership of 576, a world record at the time. Jayasuriya made 340 and Mahanama 225, then a century from Aravinda de Silva ensured that Sri Lanka also passed the 59-year-old record for the highest Test total, England's 903 against Australia at The Oval in 1938. India's debutant spinner Nilesh Kulkarni took a wicket with his first ball in a Test... but finished with 1 for 195 as Sri Lanka piled up 952 for 6. There wasn't time to bowl India out - indeed there wasn't time for them to bat at all - but the statisticians had a field day.
England, The Oval, 1998
Arjuna Ranatunga's decision to put England in to bat in this one-off Test looked cock-eyed when they scored 445 - Graeme Hick and John Crawley made hundreds - but a double-century from Sanath Jayasuriya and 152 from Aravinda de Silva started alarm bells ringing in the home dressing room. Muttiah Muralitharan had taken seven wickets in the first innings, and soon got going again, winkling out 9 for 65 - the other one was run out - as England subsided for 181. Sri Lanka's openers knocked off their target of 36 in quick time, while Ranatunga was patiently explaining that he had deliberately fielded first to ensure that Murali would have a decent rest between his expected marathon bowling stints.
Arjuna Ranatunga's decision to put England in to bat in this one-off Test looked cock-eyed when they scored 445 - Graeme Hick and John Crawley made hundreds - but a double-century from Sanath Jayasuriya and 152 from Aravinda de Silva started alarm bells ringing in the home dressing room. Muttiah Muralitharan had taken seven wickets in the first innings, and soon got going again, winkling out 9 for 65 - the other one was run out - as England subsided for 181. Sri Lanka's openers knocked off their target of 36 in quick time, while Ranatunga was patiently explaining that he had deliberately fielded first to ensure that Murali would have a decent rest between his expected marathon bowling stints.
v Australia, Kandy, 1999-2000
A low-scoring thriller probably hinged on a terrible collision in the outfield, when Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie clattered into each other while running for a catch. Gillespie broke his leg and Waugh fractured his nose. Even with them up and running, Australia had been bowled out for 188 in their first innings - Ricky Ponting (96) and Gillespie engineered a recovery from 60 for 7 - but the nine un-hospitalised men could manage only 140 in the second innings. Sri Lanka needed just 95 to win, and even Shane Warne couldn't stop them this time. Two draws in the remaining matches gave Sri Lanka the series, but this remains their only Test victory over Australia.
A low-scoring thriller probably hinged on a terrible collision in the outfield, when Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie clattered into each other while running for a catch. Gillespie broke his leg and Waugh fractured his nose. Even with them up and running, Australia had been bowled out for 188 in their first innings - Ricky Ponting (96) and Gillespie engineered a recovery from 60 for 7 - but the nine un-hospitalised men could manage only 140 in the second innings. Sri Lanka needed just 95 to win, and even Shane Warne couldn't stop them this time. Two draws in the remaining matches gave Sri Lanka the series, but this remains their only Test victory over Australia.
v South Africa, Colombo, 2006
With Sri Lanka 14 for 2 in answer to South Africa's 169, a quick finish looked likely. But the next wicket was not to fall for almost two days, as Kumar Sangakkara (287) and Mahela Jayawardene (374) raised the world-record Test partnership to a dizzy 624. After Sangakkara finally fell, the tension mounted as Jayawardene closed in on Brian Lara's Test-record 400 - but a shooter from Andre Nel ended the fun 26 short of the milestone. South Africa fought hard in the face of a deficit of 587, but still fell well short of making the home side bat again. The other match in the series was a thriller, which Sri Lanka eventually won by just one wicket.
With Sri Lanka 14 for 2 in answer to South Africa's 169, a quick finish looked likely. But the next wicket was not to fall for almost two days, as Kumar Sangakkara (287) and Mahela Jayawardene (374) raised the world-record Test partnership to a dizzy 624. After Sangakkara finally fell, the tension mounted as Jayawardene closed in on Brian Lara's Test-record 400 - but a shooter from Andre Nel ended the fun 26 short of the milestone. South Africa fought hard in the face of a deficit of 587, but still fell well short of making the home side bat again. The other match in the series was a thriller, which Sri Lanka eventually won by just one wicket.
v India, Colombo, 2008
The match followed Sri Lanka's ideal template for the time: run up a big score (600 for 6, with four individual hundreds) then unleash Muttiah Muralitharan (5 for 84 and 6 for 26). With Murali's new partner-in-mystery Ajantha Mendis taking eight wickets, Sri Lanka won by a huge margin. India bounced back well in Galle, but the home side won the third Test to clinch the series.
The match followed Sri Lanka's ideal template for the time: run up a big score (600 for 6, with four individual hundreds) then unleash Muttiah Muralitharan (5 for 84 and 6 for 26). With Murali's new partner-in-mystery Ajantha Mendis taking eight wickets, Sri Lanka won by a huge margin. India bounced back well in Galle, but the home side won the third Test to clinch the series.
v India, Galle, 2010
This match, the first of another series between these two frequent opponents, was almost overshadowed by Muttiah Muralitharan's quest for an unprecedented 800th wicket, in what he had vowed would be his final Test match. Five wickets in India's first innings, as they struggled after Sri Lanka's 520, suggested he was on course... but then further scalps proved worryingly elusive in the follow-on. However, Murali obviously had a good script-writer: he got there at the last possible opportunity, removing last man Pragyan Ojha (fittingly, caught by Mahela Jayawardene, his record 77th catch off the great man's bowling) to kick off nationwide celebrations. Sri Lanka's openers hurried to a ten-wicket victory amid the fireworks, but India squared the series against their Murali-less hosts in the final Test.
This match, the first of another series between these two frequent opponents, was almost overshadowed by Muttiah Muralitharan's quest for an unprecedented 800th wicket, in what he had vowed would be his final Test match. Five wickets in India's first innings, as they struggled after Sri Lanka's 520, suggested he was on course... but then further scalps proved worryingly elusive in the follow-on. However, Murali obviously had a good script-writer: he got there at the last possible opportunity, removing last man Pragyan Ojha (fittingly, caught by Mahela Jayawardene, his record 77th catch off the great man's bowling) to kick off nationwide celebrations. Sri Lanka's openers hurried to a ten-wicket victory amid the fireworks, but India squared the series against their Murali-less hosts in the final Test.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2011.