England lost the deciding one-day match of the Royal London series amid controversial circumstances after Sachitra Senanayake ran out Jos Buttler for backing up too far during the home side’s innings.
The act, which left Sri Lanka to chase a modest 220 for victory , soured a close series and Buttler was warned by the umpires after having words with Angelo Mathews, after Sri Lanka’s captain had been booed all the way to the crease.
Not that the sledging or the ire of the home supporters put the visitors off their task, after fine half-centuries from Lahiru Thirimanne and Mahela Jayawardene enabled them to win by six wickets with 10 balls to spare.
Senanayake has already courted controversy after being reported for a suspect bowling action in the game at Lord’s, but the boos rang out around Edgbaston after he took the bails off with Buttler out of his crease.
As dismissals go, running a batsman out while backing up has been considered poor form in cricket ever since India’s Vinoo Mankad did it to Bill Brown in the Sydney Test of 1947-48. But that has not stopped the odd churlish bowler from doing so and this was the eighth occasion in international cricket that a batsman has been dismissed by such means.
Yet as most cricketers know from village green to Test arena, taking wickets by such means are against the spirit of the game, though even that had entered a grey area given the off-spinner had already warned Buttler previously about leaving his crease before the ball had been bowled.
The wicket, which left England 199 for seven in the 44th over after they had won the toss and batted first, meant that a big score was unlikely. Chris Jordan found the boundary with some fine strokes but when he went, run out for 30, England’s tail failed to see out the overs and they were dismissed for 219 with 11 balls left.
Sri Lanka will no doubt argue that Buttler was attempting to gain an advantage by leaving the crease at the bowler’s end before the ball had been released. One thing that was unambiguous, though, is that Senanayake flexed his arm more than 15 degrees to break the wicket.
Sri Lanka once had Thirimanne run out in similar fashion by Ravichandran Ashwin when they played India two years ago in Australia.
On that occasion Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s captain, called Thirimanne back, some
thing Mathews, the batsman at the other end when Dhoni made his gesture, chose not to do.
The incident recalled the poor relations between the teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. These things can create friction between players for years and should ensure a feisty Test series when it begins next week.
With the reporting of his action, Senanayake and Sri Lanka clearly feel slighted. Not selected for Sri Lanka’s Test squad, the bowler must now have his action filmed for closer scrutiny in the next 18 days.
Buttler, who had flayed 121 off 73 balls off Sri Lanka’s attack on Saturday, certainly felt hard done by. But his initial incredulity, after umpire Michael Gough raised his finger, eventually gave way to anger and he left the ground swishing his bat angrily.
If you are of the persuasion that Buttler was dozy then he was not the only England player to get out in a soft manner. Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Eoin Morgan and Joe Root were all out in ways in which the bowler could take little credit.
Cook top-scored with 56 off 85 balls but making his first half-century of the series did not prevent Alec Stewart from suggesting he should be dropped in favour of Alex Hales – who made 167 for Nottinghamshire on Tuesday in the championship – in preparation for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Working for BBC’s Test Match Special, Stewart would have based some of his reasoning on England’s batting performance, though that would have been unfair given the pitch was more Mumbai than MCG.
England were undone by India on an Asian-conditions pitch in the final of the Champions Trophy here last year. But if there was an excuse for that, it being the end of a three-week tournament played at just three grounds, there was no excuse for this surface to offer so much succour to Sri Lanka’s spinners.
They were able to call upon four spinners who bowled 28 overs between them whereas England were able to summon just two, James Tredwell and Root. Tredwell took the first two wickets to fall, cuts that looked to turn into major inroads when James Anderson had Kushal Perera lbw.
But Jayawardene, with his touch play and Thirimanne took the sting out of England’s surge by adding 98 for the fourth wicket.
England might have done better had Jayawardene been caught on eight off Harry Gurney, but the edge split Buttler, who should have gone for it, and Jordan at slip. Jordan later got him, caught at mid-off for 53, but the damage had been done and Thirimanne, aided by 42 from Mathews, reached the total without further alarm.
The wicket, which left England 199 for seven in the 44th over after they had won the toss and batted first, meant that a big score was unlikely. Chris Jordan found the boundary with some fine strokes but when he went, run out for 30, England’s tail failed to see out the overs and they were dismissed for 219 with 11 balls left.
Sri Lanka will no doubt argue that Buttler was attempting to gain an advantage by leaving the crease at the bowler’s end before the ball had been released. One thing that was unambiguous, though, is that Senanayake flexed his arm more than 15 degrees to break the wicket.
Sri Lanka once had Thirimanne run out in similar fashion by Ravichandran Ashwin when they played India two years ago in Australia.
On that occasion Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s captain, called Thirimanne back, some
thing Mathews, the batsman at the other end when Dhoni made his gesture, chose not to do.
The incident recalled the poor relations between the teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. These things can create friction between players for years and should ensure a feisty Test series when it begins next week.
With the reporting of his action, Senanayake and Sri Lanka clearly feel slighted. Not selected for Sri Lanka’s Test squad, the bowler must now have his action filmed for closer scrutiny in the next 18 days.
Buttler, who had flayed 121 off 73 balls off Sri Lanka’s attack on Saturday, certainly felt hard done by. But his initial incredulity, after umpire Michael Gough raised his finger, eventually gave way to anger and he left the ground swishing his bat angrily.
If you are of the persuasion that Buttler was dozy then he was not the only England player to get out in a soft manner. Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Eoin Morgan and Joe Root were all out in ways in which the bowler could take little credit.
Cook top-scored with 56 off 85 balls but making his first half-century of the series did not prevent Alec Stewart from suggesting he should be dropped in favour of Alex Hales – who made 167 for Nottinghamshire on Tuesday in the championship – in preparation for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Working for BBC’s Test Match Special, Stewart would have based some of his reasoning on England’s batting performance, though that would have been unfair given the pitch was more Mumbai than MCG.
England were undone by India on an Asian-conditions pitch in the final of the Champions Trophy here last year. But if there was an excuse for that, it being the end of a three-week tournament played at just three grounds, there was no excuse for this surface to offer so much succour to Sri Lanka’s spinners.
They were able to call upon four spinners who bowled 28 overs between them whereas England were able to summon just two, James Tredwell and Root. Tredwell took the first two wickets to fall, cuts that looked to turn into major inroads when James Anderson had Kushal Perera lbw.
But Jayawardene, with his touch play and Thirimanne took the sting out of England’s surge by adding 98 for the fourth wicket.
England might have done better had Jayawardene been caught on eight off Harry Gurney, but the edge split Buttler, who should have gone for it, and Jordan at slip. Jordan later got him, caught at mid-off for 53, but the damage had been done and Thirimanne, aided by 42 from Mathews, reached the total without further alarm.
SL 222/4
FOW: WICKET - Dilshan c Root b Tredwell 28 (SL 55-1)
James Tredwell has got the knack, hasn't he? His first ball is dispatched
with interest to the off side boundary by Tillakaratne Dilshan and his second is
smashed into the grateful hands of a diving Joe Root at short extra
cover.
WICKET - Sangakkara c Jordan b Tredwell 2 (SL 59-2)
WICKET - Sangakkara c Jordan b Tredwell 2 (SL 59-2)
Classy stuff, England. James Tredwell pitches one into the rough and it
squares up the left-handed Kumar Sangakkara and the Lord's centurion edges to a
diving Chris Jordan at slip. Is there anything Jordan can't do on a cricket
field? What an athlete.
WICKET - Perera lbw b Anderson 19 (SL 62-3)
Since the very first over of the innings, James Anderson has been setting
Kusal Perera up with a stock delivery which swings away, ready to smash one into
the opener's pads. The review shows the ball was just clipping the top of off
stump, meaning the umpire's original decision is upheld. Game on.
WICKET - Jayawardene c Anderson b Jordan 53 (SL 160-4)
WICKET - Jayawardene c Anderson b Jordan 53 (SL 160-4)
They can't, can they? They won't, will they?
Chris Jordan again makes things happen for England as he induces Mahela
Jayawardene into a steepling shot which ends with James Anderson taking a good
catch at mid-off.Dilshan c Root b Tredwell 28
K Perera lbw b Anderson 19
Sangakkara c Jordan b Tredwell 2
M Jayawardene c Anderson b Jordan 53
Thirimanne not out 60
Mathews not out 42
Extras 12w 6lb 18
Total for 4 222
ENG 219
FOW: WICKET- Bell c&b Mendis 37 (Eng 76-1)
A horrible dismissal for Ian Bell. After twice playing shots in which he
didn't seem in total control, the opener pops a very strange, and very simple,
return catch to mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis.
WICKET- Ballance c&b Malinga 10 (Eng 98-2)
WICKET- Ballance c&b Malinga 10 (Eng 98-2)
Further proof that this pitch is a slow 'un. Lasith Malinga is brought back
into the attack and his first ball - a cutter from back of a length - is popped
straight back to him by a puzzled Gary Ballance.
WICKET- Root c Sangakkara b Priyanjan 10 (Eng 116-3)
WICKET- Root c Sangakkara b Priyanjan 10 (Eng 116-3)
And Joe Root is indeed sent packing - a good referral from Sri Lanka, with
replays showing the bowler Ashan Priyanjan got a bit of extra bounce, hit the
batsman's gloves as he tried to sweep and Kumar Sangakarra did the rest. Over
and out, Joe.
WICKET- Cook c Sangakkara b Senanayake 56 (Eng 136-4)
WICKET- Cook c Sangakkara b Senanayake 56 (Eng 136-4)
Another dismissal, another catch which pops up to the fielder. Alastair Cook
tries to sweep Sachithra Senanayake but he gets a top edge straight into the air
and wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara has the simple task of running back and taking
the dolly of a catch.
WICKET- Morgan c Jayawardene b Mathews 17 (Eng 142-5)
WICKET- Morgan c Jayawardene b Mathews 17 (Eng 142-5)
What a crazy over! First Ravi Bopara is almost run out, then Eoin Morgan is
almost run out, then Eoin Morgan is out - caught at deep backward square after
playing a lofted shot around the corner off Angelo Mathews.
WICKET - Bopara b Mendis 17 (Eng 170-6)
WICKET - Bopara b Mendis 17 (Eng 170-6)
If footballers hate being 'megged', cricketers certainly hate it - Ravi
Bopara is a little red-faced as he hauls himself off the field after being
bowled through his legs while aiming a horrible slog into the leg side at
Ajantha Mendis.
WICKET - Buttler run out 21 (Eng 199-7)
WICKET - Buttler run out 21 (Eng 199-7)
Controversy at Edgbaston. Sachithra Senanayake, who had warned Jos Buttler
about backing-up at the non-striker's end in his last over, takes off the bails
in his delivery stride and appeals to the umpire for a run out. The umpire asks
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews if he would like the appeal to stand, he
appears to say yes and the finger is raised. England are livid, as are the
supporters inside the stadium.
WICKET - Tredwell b Malinga 0 (Eng 201-8)
WICKET - Tredwell b Malinga 0 (Eng 201-8)
Full, fast and straight. Bowled. Off you pop, James.
WICKET - Jordan run out 30 (Eng 218-9)
Yes. No. Yes. No. Doh! Chris Jordan pays for a mix-up between himself and James Anderson, and he's run out for a well-constructed 30 runs.
WICKET - Anderson b Malinga 5 (Eng 219 all out)
WICKET - Jordan run out 30 (Eng 218-9)
Yes. No. Yes. No. Doh! Chris Jordan pays for a mix-up between himself and James Anderson, and he's run out for a well-constructed 30 runs.
WICKET - Anderson b Malinga 5 (Eng 219 all out)
Lasith Malinga is the master of skittling the tail, and he takes his third
wicket of the innings by bowling James Anderson, who was aiming a wild slog into
the leg side.
Cook c Sangakkara b Senanayake 56
Bell c and b A Mendis 37
Ballance c and b Malinga 10
Root c Sangakkara b Priyanjan 10
Morgan c M Jayawardene b Mathews 17
Bopara b A Mendis 17
Buttler run out Senanayake 21
Jordan run out K Perera 30
Tredwell b Malinga 1
Anderson b Malinga 5
Gurney not out 0
Extras 1nb 12w 2lb 15
Total all out 219
Cook c Sangakkara b Senanayake 56
Bell c and b A Mendis 37
Ballance c and b Malinga 10
Root c Sangakkara b Priyanjan 10
Morgan c M Jayawardene b Mathews 17
Bopara b A Mendis 17
Buttler run out Senanayake 21
Jordan run out K Perera 30
Tredwell b Malinga 1
Anderson b Malinga 5
Gurney not out 0
Extras 1nb 12w 2lb 15
Total all out 219
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