Revitalised England seek slice of history

Revitalised England seek slice of history
Reuters

Colombo, March 13 : Nasser Hussain’s England team face the Test decider against Sri Lanka on Thursday hoping for a fourth successive series win, but without the acrimony that has soured the previous two games.

Victory in the third Test in Colombo would give England a fourth consecutive series success for the first time for 22 years.

The touring team set up the prospect of an intriguing finale by edging to a three-wicket win in the second Test in Kandy a match in which mounting controversy and ill-feeling over poor umpiring came to a head.

A “final warning” about their behaviour from match referee Hanumant Singh will be ringing in the ears of the players of both sides as they go into the Test, for which England all-rounder Craig White says the touring team should be regarded as favourites.

“We have the psychological advantage after Kandy,” he said.

“The pitch in Colombo will be the first which I think will favour us. We must consider ourselves as favourites.

“Sri Lanka are very competitive, with world-class bowlers and batsmen but we can definitely win.

Both pitches for the first and second Tests were prepared with Sri Lanka’s spinners in mind.

The Colombo pitch, however, will be harder and faster, offering more encouragement to England’s pace bowlers, who have performed beyond expectation in sweltering conditions on slow pitches.

Exploiting the new ball to perfection while becoming increasingly effective with the old, they have claimed 18 of 23 Sri Lankan wickets to fall in the series, with Darren Gough, man-of-the-match in Kandy, claiming nine.

Gough said: “I didn’t really enjoy Galle the ball sat up there but you don’t mind if a wicket is flat as long as there is some carry, some pace and bounce.”England have had a remarkable run since Hussain and coach Duncan Fletcher teamed up 18 months ago, beating Zimbabwe and West Indies at home before winning in Pakistan. The 3-1 series win over the West Indians was the first against them, home or away, for 31 years, while England had not won in Pakistan since the 1961-62 success under Ted Dexter. Sunday’s victory, their first in Sri Lanka since 1982, ended a run of three consecutive defeats against their hosts.

England have to look back to 1978-79 to find their last run of four series successes, against Pakistan, New Zealand, Australia and India.

Hussain is expected to shrug off a groin strain for the Colombo game, while Graeme Hick will come under increasing pressure from Michael Vaughan for the number six batting slot. Sri Lankan off-spinner Kumar Dharmasena, meanwhile, looks vulnerable.

Despite a battling 54 with the bat to give the home side a chance in the second Test, he has failed to make an impression as a bowler, taking three for 171 to date.