Is this the correct word to use? Well, it may not be ethically correct but it is nothing wrong to say that Sri Lanka embarrassed England. Sri Lanka is just like every other Asian team who struggles against the swinging ball. They were thoroughly outplayed in the first and second Tests. So much so that they needed miracle to leave alone winning but to even draw a Test. It was a magnificent performance by all means but at the same time, a much unexpected result. England will have to blame only themselves for not sweeping the summer with 6 wins. This England side could have repeated what Vaughan’s team did 20 years ago when they won 7 out of 7.
“Of course, we want to be a team that wins every game, as everyone does, and it’s been 20 years since we’ve done it,” Pope said at the close. “That was an extra bit of motivation this week, so there’s that slight bit of frustration that we’ve not done that. But at the same time, at the start of the summer, had someone said we’re going to win five out of six Test matches, you probably would have taken it as well.”
England were certainly complacent. They might say anything to the contrary but the fact of the matter is that they thought that all they have to do is to turn up at The Oval and they can win the game. Well, cricket is not that simple a game. Michael Vaughan, was quite critical of the way England batted in the second innings. He wondered whether England would have done the same against India or Australia.
Better win
This was Sri Lanka’s 4th Test win in England. A creditable achievement considering that they have played less than 30 Tests in England. India despite playing for almost 100 years, have been able to win only 10 Tests. The 1998 win, on the back of a bludgeoning double hundred by Jayasurya and 16 wickets by Muralitharan was achieved on a much drier surface whereas this win was on a lively surface. Jayasurya, the interim coach, feels that his was a much better win than the 1998 one.
“But these guys played in different conditions altogether. It was tough conditions, with the grass, the weather, and everything was cloudy and cold. All credit to these boys. The fielders fielded well and the batsmen took responsibility in the second innings.”
There were quite a few bright spots for Sri Lanka. The performances of the youngsters, Nissanka and Mendis means that they can build a side around them. The Kusal Mendis experiment seems to have been stopped. The emergence of the fast bowler, Fernando is another welcome addition.
Change in strategy
During the course of the summer, England seems to have deviated from their much touted game, Bazball. Insofar as not completely dismantling it, they were definitely slower than they were during the Bazball era. Perhaps, there are a couple of reasons for that. First, the heavy defeats in India prompted a rethink of the all-out aggression. It was epitomised by the ill-advised ramp shot by Root. To good a batsman to be dismissed in such a fashion. The wheels simply came off during that series for England. Now, it seems that they have decided on controlled aggression rather than all-out aggression. Ofcourse, in the second innings at The Oval, they went back to their earlier version but it came unstuck.
Second, the absence of their star aggressors, Zak Crawley and Johnny Bairstow has prompted a change in strategy. Johnny Bairstow was dropped on form. A series of low scores over the last couple of years, has put him out of contention whereas I do not have an idea about Crawley. Surely, he wasn’t dropped because he was their best batsman in India.
Root in top form
Root has been a glorious form over the last 4 years. His consistency, particularly at home, is amazing. He is head and shoulders above the next top batsman during this period. An average of 55 puts him 2 points above his closest rival, Khawaja. During the course of the series, he displaced Alastair Cook from the top for most centuries by an English batsman. He is also within touching distance of Cook’s tally of runs. Opinions are being aired that Tendulkar’s record for most runs is within the striking distance of Root. He is 34 with another 3 years left in him. If he can continue in this fashion, it could become a reality.
However, the one glaring omission from his resume will be the lack of 100s in Australia. He has toured Australia for more than a couple of series and hasn’t got a hundred to show for. He will get one final chance in 2025. If he misses that, his career will have a permanent blot because before 2029, he will not be playing anymore.
Wrapping up Sri Lanka embarrassed England
This loss has ruled England out of the WTC finals once again. This is the 3rd straight instance they will not be part of the showpiece event in their own country. It surely must rankle them. Sri Lanka on the otherhand, need to win all the 6 remaining Tests. With a majority of them being played in Sri Lanka, it could be possible.
Some blogs about England
https://icricketcritique.com/dont-discard-bazball-england/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-series-from-englands-perspective/
https://icricketcritique.com/englands-series-against-india/
https://icricketcritique.com/mathew-motts-sacking/
https://icricketcritique.com/mccullums-role-and-lyon/