The Reverse Sweep

It's time to end the farce of Two-Test series - Johnny Rotten agrees

Did anyone feel a bit short-changed when the Test match in Colombo finished the other day? England may have won after enduring a winter nearly as arduous as the German Sixth Army in frozen Stalingrad during World War II, but we couldn't feeling it was all a bit of an anti-climax.

The reason? Well, it's simple really. We cannot abide two Test 'series' - even calling it a series seems absolutely ridiculous.

Indeed, it was the third successive two Test series this winter (we're on English time here) to have end one Test all.

All very unsatisfactory, we hope you'll agree and a good excuse for our latest piece for All Out Cricket, which we've also managed to get in a famous quote from Johnny Rotten during his time with The Sex Pistols. We're still congratulating ourselves about that one. Well, someone has to.

Have a read of End Two-Test Series Farce and let us know if you agree with us.

Where next?

2nd Test: Sri Lanka vs England - Sri Lanka marks out of 10

2nd Test: Sri Lanka vs England - England marks out of 10

County Championship XI of the week #1

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2nd Test: Sri Lanka vs England - Sri Lanka marks out of 10

Lahiru Thirimanne - 2: Fell twice to Anderson with the new ball to total just 28 runs for the series, and with a Test match average currently under 20 has plenty of work to do to establish himself at this level. 

Tillakaratne Dilshan - 5: Contentious second innings dismissal showed up limitations of DRS and meant his wait for a Test hundred extends to 21 innings. Won't be signing up for KP's Switch Hit fan club. Bowled well enough to suggest a bid for all-rounder status would not be unwarranted.

Kumar Sangakkara - 2: Fell to his second successive 1st innings golden duck and is in danger of becoming Anderson's bunny. Undone by a beauty by Swann second time around to complete a dismal series for the man that began it is the world's top ranked batsman.

Mahela Jayawardene - 9: Produced another masterpiece to follow up his big hundred in Galle and then resisted again in the 2nd innings before even he was unable to escape a ripper from Swann.

Thilan Samaraweera - 7: As in Galle, got going in both innings before losing his wicket when a big hundred looked to be in the offing.

Angelo Mathews - 7: Came in after injury prevented his participation in Galle and proved that he can adapt his style to the long-form of the game with a patient fifty in the 1st innings and a similarly sedate 46 second time around. 

Prasanna Jayawardene - 5: Solid again with the gloves but no heroics this time with the bat as he fell for single figure scores in both visits to the crease.

Suraj Randiv - 4: Dealt with contemptuously by Pietersen and was unable to reprise his impressive performance at Galle as England's batsmen played him much more confidently this time. 

Dhammika Prasad - 4: Performed admirably as a nightwatchman opener in the 2nd innings but whilst tidy proved mostly unthreatening with the ball.

Rangana Herath - 8: Bagged his third six wicket haul in a row but lacked the support at the other end he had received in Galle.

Suranga Lakmal - 2: Disappointing with the ball - lacked threat, didn't take a wicket and went at nearly four runs per over.

Where next?

1st Test England marks out of 10 and Sri Lanka marks out of 10

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

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2nd Test: Sri Lanka vs England - England marks out of 10

Andrew Strauss - 7: Whilst Trott and Swann defended him off the pitch, the captain did his talking on the field with a dogged fifty to set up England's reply and keep the wolves from the door for now.

Alastair Cook - 8: After a poor winter, the vice-captain was at his obdurate best with a painstaking  94,which gave KP the platform he needed to cut loose. With the shackles released, Cook was far more fluent in the second innings as England cantered to their winning target.

Jonathan Trott - 7: Carried on from his hundred at Galle with another resolute innings here to end a difficult and error ridden winter on a positive note.

Kevin Pietersen - 10: After wintering worse than the German Sixth Army in Stalingrad in 1942-43, the real KP returned with what must go down as one of his best Test hundreds. On a pitch where fluency eluded everyone else, he took the Sri Lankan attack apart as he brought up his 20th Test ton.

Ian Bell - 4: Kept Pietersen company in his match defining innings, but has lost all semblance of his imperious form and confidence of 2011. Could do with being allowed to rediscover his touch in the County Championship for Warwickshire.

Matt Prior - 5: Not at his best with the bat this time, but for once this winter others above him did their jobs. Was his usual reliable self with the gloves.

Samit Patel - 6: Didn't look out of place at this level for the second successive match. He was tidy if not particularly threatening with the ball and added useful runs with the bat.

Tim Bresnan - 7: Held up an end and went at only two runs per over in his first Test of the winter. Now has 11 wins from his 11 Tests, which must make him the largest leprechaun in history.

Graeme Swann - 10: Bagged a ten wicket haul to confirm once and for all his supremacy as England's premier spinner. His six wickets in the second innings included Sri Lanka's big four -Mahela Jaywardene, Sangakkara, Samaraweera and Dilshan making his contribution to the win just as significant as Pietersen's. 

James Anderson - 8: Produced another potent burst with the new ball on the first morning and would seem to have a batsman as great as Sangakkara in his pocket. No one in this side deserved a win this winter more than Dale Steyn's nearest challenger as the best fast bowler in the world.

Steve Finn - 7: After a sterling performance over the winter with the drinks tray, Finn confirmed the impression from the one dayers in India and versus Pakistan that he is quicker and more venomous than before even if the pitch didn't exactly play to his strengths.

Where next?

1st Test England marks out of 10 and Sri Lanka marks out of 10

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

Dropping Andrew Strauss

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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1st Test: Sri Lanka vs England - England marks out of 10

Andrew Strauss - 3: Too negative in the field on the occasions England were on top and  horrendous run with the bat continued with two cheap dismissals having done the hard work and played himself in each time. Has just one hundred in his last 48 innings, averages a paltry 25.50 since relinquishing the one day captaincy and has now lost four Tests on the bounce. Is he now more Captain Caveman than Captain Marvel? 

Alastair Cook - 2: A Test to forget for England's best batsman. Fell to an excellent delivery to his fifth ball in the 1st innings before falling foul of DRS second time around. Has only passed 14 four times in his last 14 visits to the crease in Tests. 

Jonathan Trott - 9: Recovered from an embarrassing dismissal in the 1st innings to become the first England batsman to reach three figures this winter. It was a heroic knock too and provided a template to his colleagues in terms of its judgement and patience.

Kevin Pietersen - 4: Failed first time around but looked close to his best in the 2nd innings before carelessly giving it away early on the fourth morning. That said, looks set to go big in Colombo - England's number one Test ranking could depend upon it. 

Ian Bell - 5: There were flashes of the batsman who dominated Test cricket in 2011 in his 1st innings fifty, but despite his obvious class Bell clearly struggles against spin on slow wickets. There was no better evidence of this than the injudicious sweep that led to his dismissal second time around.

Matt Prior - 6: Assured behind the stumps as usual. Learned from his 1st innings dismissal when he was leg before playing back to form what looked like a matchwinning partnership with Trott before an unfortunate dismissal led to the final denoument. Good enough to bat in the top six.

Samit Patel - 4: Not the easiest Test to make a debut but Patel didn't let anyone down. Kept it tight with the ball and grabbed a couple of wickets, although will need to learn from his dismissals in both innings if he is to prosper at this level.

Stuart Broad - 4: Was clearly not fully fit and looked to have worsened his injury by the end of the match. Costly no ball enabled Sri Lanka to add another 47 2nd innings runs and was one of eight he bowled in the match. Brief 1st innings cameo with the bat threatened to drag his side back into contention.

Graeme Swann - 8: Expensive in the 1st innings when Jayawardene certainly tucked in, but back to his attacking and potent best second time around with six wickets to prove once and for all he is England's number one spinner.

James Anderson - 8: Heroic bowling in the 1st innings as he bagged his 12th five wicket Test haul and overtook fellow Lancastrian Brian Statham on England's all-time leading wicket taker list. His batting continues to improve.

Monty Panesar - 5: A tidy enough performance with the ball but lacked real threat and generally didn't trouble the Sri Lankan batsmen. Comical in the field where his two drops of Jayawardene ultimately cost England dear.

Where next?

1st Test: Sri Lanka vs England - Sri Lanka marks out of 10

Summer 2011: England v Sri Lanka: England series marks out of 10

Ian Bell, The Prince and The Pauper

Is Ravi Bopara the unluckiest cricketer in the world?

Dropping Andrew Strauss

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1st Test: Sri Lanka vs England - Sri Lanka marks out of 10

Lahiru Thirimanne - 4: Failed twice with the bat but as King Cricket explains made himself big like a goalkeeper at short-leg where his bravery and anticipation changed the course of the match when he caught Prior in the second innings.

Tillakaratne Dilshan - 3: Had a game to forget with the bat, but kept it tight with the ball and performed a fielding masterclass with four catches and several breathtaking stops.

Kumar Sangakkara - 2: Cricket's most renowned orator bagged a golden duck in the 1st innings before being undone by a beauty by Swann second time around. Spilled a catch at leg slip to reprieve Pietersen that fortunately for him did not prove crucial in the final reckoning - it's a lot harder without the gloves Kumar.

Mahela Jayawardene - 10: An absolutely brilliant and sublime hundred gave his team an initiative that they were to never truly relinquish. His intelligent attacking strategies in the field suffocated the life out of England's batsmen and demonstrated that Sri Lanka are a completely different side with him at the helm.

Thilan Samaraweera - 5: Exhibited extreme caution to help his captain repair the early damage on day one before a desperately unlucky run out. Was more fluent second time around before uncharacteristically giving his wicket away when well set.

Dinesh Chandimal - 4: Is clearly a fantastically talented young batsman but needs to learn not to give his wicket away cheaply after playing himself in as he did in both innings here.

Prasanna Jayawardene - 8: An electric performance behind the stumps and a crucial unbeaten 61 in the 2nd innings, which helped his side add a decisive 87 runs for the last two wickets. Hugely underrated.

Rangana Herath - 9: He may not be a  Murali or a Saeed Ajmal, but he was still too good for England's spin shy batsmen as he bowled with control to bag a match haul of 12 wickets.

Suraj Randiv - 8: Proved to be a good foil for Herath especially in England's 2nd innings and took six wickets in the match. Useful contribution with the bat as nightwatchman.

Chanaka Welegedara - 5: Just the one wicket and a big one too as it was Pietersen. Dug in both times with the bat adding 54 and 40 for the ninth wicket with the Jayawardenes.    

Suranga Lakmal - 6: Started off England's 1st innings demise with a wonderful ball to dismiss Cook and looked lively enough throughout excepting a mini dismantling by Stuart Broad.

Where next?

1st Test: Sri Lanka vs England - England marks out of 10

Sri Lanka's far from ideal preparation

Thilan Samaraweera takes aim at the Sri Lankan selectors

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

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Ian Bell, The Prince and The Pauper

Set in the last days of King Henry VIII, Mark Twain's The Prince and The Pauper tells the story of two young boys who are identical in appearance: Tom Canty, a pauper who lives with his abusive father; and Prince Edward, the heir to the throne.

One day Tom and the Prince meet and decide it would be a great jape to swap clothes. While dressed in the pauper's rags, the Prince leaves the palace to admonish a guard who had knocked Tom down. Unfortunately, thinking that Edward is Tom the palace guards throw the Prince out into the street.

Each boy feels uncomfortable in the other's clothes. The Prince fares poorly because he insists on proclaiming his identity as the true Prince of Wales to much hilarity amongst the people of Tudor London. Meanwhile despite Tom's repeated denial of his birthright, the court and the King insist that he is the true prince gone mad. After the death of Henry VIII, Edward interrupts Tom's coronation just in time and the boys explain, switch places, and Edward is crowned King of England.

We're not sure if Ian Bell has read the book or seen one of the several film adaptations of Twain's novel, but given the disparity between Bell's forays to the crease last year and this, one could be forgiven for wondering whether England's silky smooth batsman had been replaced by an incompetent impostor.

In 2011, Bell scored 950 Test runs at 118.75 and stroked five hundreds from just 11 visits to the crease. Bell batted so confidently, so effortlessly and with such serenity it seemed that nothing could stop his relentless march to the top of the rankings.

Then he- or perhaps it really was a batting pauper in Bell's clothing - went to the United Arab Emirates for a winter break. On that trip, 'Bell' stumbled to 105 runs in ten first-class innings and had the dubious honour of becoming Saeed Ajmal's bunny.

It seemed the carrot eating impostor was still in tow when England reached Sri Lanka with scores of 0, 14 and 11 meaning that Bell's first-class average for 2012 stood at 10.83 going into the 1st Test at Galle. So whilst, England's capitulation to 193 all out brought depression and despondency all around, at least the sight of the 'real' Bell stroking 52 attractive runs meant that the impostor had been discovered and sent on his way.

Andy Flower can now turn to the problem of the other imposters filling the specialist batting positions in England's Test side. He needs to hurry as this is only a two match 'series'. 

Where next?

The best Test XI of 2011

Is Ravi Bopara the unluckiest cricketer in the world?

Sri Lanka's far from ideal preparation

Dropping Andrew Strauss

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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Sri Lanka's far from ideal preparation

When picking through the wreckage of England's green-wash in the desert against Pakistan, coach Andy Flower partly blamed himself for the limited preparation that saw just two warm-up matches after several months of inactivity for the number one ranked side.

The same excuse won't wash if England suffer a similar failure in Sri Lanka later this month. England are already on the island whilst their hosts are on the latest leg of a one day international jamboree that rivals a tour by U2 or The Rolling Stones given the sheer number of dates.

Since being battered by South Africa in the deciding Test at Newlands at the start of January, Sri Lanka have played five ODIs against the Proteas, 11 more in the CB series and are now dragging their tired limbs through the Asia Cup for another three or four games.

If the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene pitch up for the 1st Test in Galle on 26th March in their blue pyjamas they should be forgiven their absent-mindedness. England should be ready.

Where next?

Two Indian bookmakers, a Bollywood actress and some New Zealanders

So Sri Lanka are not like Jesse Ryder after all

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So Sri Lanka are not like Jesse Ryder after all

Imagine an inebriated Jesse Ryder at the top of a steep hill. Now factor in that the hill is actually a mountain covered in treacherous icy snow and Ryder has somehow managed to strap himself onto a snowboard covered in grease.

The result would be both messy and inevitable as an out of control Ryder came hurtling down the hill faster than Chris Gayle jumping aboard the latest T20 gravy train.

A few months ago we wrote that Sri Lanka's cricket team were travelling downhill just as quickly as Ryder in his insobriety. Thankfully - Sri Lanka are our second favourite team (aren't they everyone's second team?) - our suggestion of their demise has proved to be greatly exaggerated.

Irrespective of whether they win the deciding final in Adelaide on Thursday, Sri Lanka have looked the best side in the CB Series. Sure they started slowly, and yes they allowed an adrenalin charged Virat Kohli to lead India to a target of 320 in less than 36 overs, but they still look a better all round one day side than number one ranked Australia and World Cup holders India.

The top four have all scored runs. Tillakaratne Dilshan unencumbered by the captaincy looks like the man who has averaged around 46 since moving up to open in 2009. Kumar Sangakkara is as serene as ever and Mahela Jayawardene has been clearly energised by his restoration as captain. Finally, Dinesh Chandimal looks a batsman that Sri Lanka can build a new generation on.

Add in the brilliance of the now injured Angelo Mathews and a deceptively varied bowling attack led by Lasith Malinga who has been sublime one day and ridiculous the next in this series and Sri Lanka look a damn fine one day side.

Memories of a disappointing tour of England last summer, which formed a prelude to a chastening home defeat by Australia and finishing second best to Pakistan in all formats in the UAE have dissipated slightly.

They may have only won one Test since the retirement of Murali, but it seems that they are gathering momentum at just the right time before England visit Sri Lankan shores in the coming weeks. They also look a decent bet to win the Asia Cup.

All in all and unlike Ryder, Sri Lanka no longer look like they are going to end up in a disorientated heap at the bottom of the hill in the near future.

Where next?

Virat Kohli's very very special innings

Beware Brad Haddin; John Inverarity & the NSP are coming to get you

Thilan Samaraweera takes aim at the Sri Lankan selectors

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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David Warner doesn't do things by halves

One possible reaction to David Warner's maiden one day international ton at the Gabba yesterday was to say "about time" given that he had only passed fifty three times in his previous 18 ODI matches and prior to his 157 ball knock had been a major disappointment in the CB Series.

However, rather than focussing on the negative (for once) we couldn't help thinking that just like his previous two hundreds for Australia, Warner had once again not settled for a boring mundane three figure score.

Warner's first hundred came in his second Test at Hobart, where he became only the sixth Australian to carry his bat since the World War II with an innings marked by responsible strokeplay and impressive resilience. Virtues that many - including us - had hitherto considered were not part of Warner's armoury.

Then there was Perth and the 3rd Test against India, where Warner smashed the joint fourth fastest Test hundred in history and the quickest by an opener in a knock that saw the birth and probable death of Vinay Kumar's Test career.

And now Warner has the highest ODI score at the Gabba and the sixth highest ever by an Australian. Not bad.

That David Warner - he certainly doesn't do things by halves.

Where next?

David Warner blasts a 69-ball hundred as euthanasia becomes a serious option for India

Virat Kohli's very very special innings

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England win the Carling Cup

A pitch slower than Vinay Kumar and some strong death bowling from Jade Dernbach and Stuart Broad helped England life international cricket's equivalent of the Carling Cup last night.

Whilst this success and the FA Cup win last week suggest that England are coming to terms with playing 50 and 20 over cricket in Asia, it shouldn't hide the fact that overall this tour has been disappointing.

As the Premier League is to football, Test matches are to cricket and England showed relegation form in the chastening 3-0 series green-wash.

In football parlance, England's strike force was potent, but the defence could not cope with Pakistan's Barcelona-esque attack of Ajmal, Rehman and Gul.

Fortunately for England, another series is never far away and they will have the opportunity to display their hitherto Champions League form in Sri Lanka in a few weeks.

Whether the Sri Lankan bowlers will have recovered from the hiding just administered to them by Virat Kohli is quite another thing.

Where next?

Sir Charles Colville and other cricket unthinkables 

England's topsy-turvy menu in the desert

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All out for 88, 80, 72, 74, 98, 82, 96, 47, 51, 72, 99: Cricket or skittles?

Being bowled out for under 100 used to be commonplace back in the time of Queen Victoria, but until recently instances were few and far between in the modern game and normally (although not always) featured Bangladesh. 

However, since Pakistan visited England in 2010, it is as if the likes of George Lohmann and the Demon have been reincarnated such has been the regularity in which batsmen have been skittled.

In just 18 short months there have been 11 instances of a side being bowled out for less than 100. Pakistan leads the way with four, closely followed by Australia with three and England, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe all with one each.

And with India’s batsmen hardly covering themselves in glory and none of Bangladesh, New Zealand and West Indies having a line-up that would have bowlers quaking in their boots, we seem to be entering a new era (with DRS undoubtedly playing a vital part). And they say cricket is a game for batsmen?

There have of course been several instances in the same period of batsmen gorging themselves on impotent bowling attacks. For example, India conceded ten individual scores of 150+ to batsmen in their recent tours of England and Australia and most will recall Alastair Cook’s passable impersonation of the great Jack Hobbs in Australia last winter.

In contrast to the 11 sub-100 scores there have been two team totals of over 700 (one each for England and India) and another seven above 600.

Test cricket seems to have become a game of extremes and is all the better for it. The leading teams all have their problems: England struggle against spin in Asia, India against seam and swing outside the subcontinent, Australia’s batting is still suspiciously brittle, Sri Lanka are sliding, Pakistan’s strength is its bowling attack and South Africa seem unable to grasp the mettle despite perhaps having the best balanced side. It all makes for appetising viewing for fans.

It all goes to show that despite some opinions to the contrary, Test cricket is and always will be the most exciting and unpredictable form of the game.

Where next?

Michael Clarke, Lara Bingle and Australia's 47 all out

88 all out & other batting collapses

Geoff Boycott's dose of Yorkshire humour on England's 72 all out

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Thilan Samaraweera takes aim at the Sri Lankan selectors

We don’t always get it right at The Reverse Sweep, but it seems we hit the nail on the head when we wrote recently that Thilan Samaraweera had experienced a raw deal from the Sri Lankan selectors and was someone they could ill afford to leave out.

Samaraweera strikes us as a polite non-confrontational kind of chap who prefers to do his talking through weight of runs. He certainly did this with some aplomb in the Test series with South Africa. Remember he had only made the trip because of injury worries over  Mahela Jayawardene.

Samaraweera seized the opportunity with both hands and eloquently demonstrated the idiocy of the decision to leave him out for the recent series with Pakistan in the UAE.

He hit a second innings hundred at Durban, which helped set-up Sri Lanka’s first ever win in South Africa and then followed this up with another hundred in the final Test in Cape Town. In total Samaraweera scored 339 runs at 67.80 – not bad for a batsman who supposedly does not flourish outside of the sub-continent.

In many ways Samaraweera’s success shouldn’t come as a surprise (especially to the Sri Lankan selectors) as he is arguably the best batsman in the world over the last five years.

A ridiculous assertion? Maybe, but if we use batting average as the sole criteria for our judgement than no-one can beat Samaraweera’s 2933 runs at 66.65 in Tests played since the beginning of 2007.

Averages aren’t everything of course, but Samaraweera’s record puts him in the undroppable category for us. Perhaps that was the reason for his machine gun celebration on reaching three figures at Kingsmead. Had he spotted a Sri Lankan selector in the ground?

Where next?

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

The ten most poignant cricket memories of 2009 featuring Thilan Samaraweera

No bowlers, no chance for Sri Lanka

The best Test XI of 2011

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

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South Africa's trouble at home

Pakistan seem to be doing quite nicely thank you despite security concerns preventing them from playing home internationals in their own country. As England may well find out in a few weeks, the pitches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have proved a home from home for Misbah-ul-Haq's side.

South Africa must be giving serious consideration to inventing security concerns in their own country given that they have not won a series at home since defeating the mighty Bangladesh in both Tests of a two match series way back in November 2008.

Since then they have lost one and drawn another series with Australia, also drawn with India and somehow let England escape with a 1-1 scoreline back in 2009/10.

What is the reason for this malaise? It is certainly not because they are a weak side. Dale Steyn at his best is reminiscent of Malcom Marshall in his pomp and a top six containing the likes of Hashim Amla, AB De Villiers, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis is as good as any in world cricket.

An unadventurous approach, a surprising tendency for batting collapses and the lack of a penetrating spinner whilst Imran Tahir gets his bearings are all possible reasons, but there must be a confidence issue too.

What else can explain the performance against a Sri Lankan side that hadn't won in its 15 previous Tests and had never won a Test in South Africa?

Smith's side may well right the wrong in the series decider in Cape Town this week, but the vulnerability that was on show at Kingsmead last week and The Wanderers against Australia just a few weeks ago means that what should be a very powerful side is someway short of challenging England as the best Test side around.

At the moment the sum of England's whole exceeds its parts, the same can not be said for the Proteas.

Where next?

The best Test XI of 2011

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

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Cricket memories of 2011: Sangakkara and Dravid dazzle at and away from the crease

It is hard to name any current or recently retired international cricketers with more class on and off the field than Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara. Indeed, if we were picking our fantasy government made up entirely of cricketers we’d probably opt for King Kumar as Prime Minister and The Wall as his Foreign Secretary and chief diplomat.

2011 was a phenomenally good year for both of them.

Dravid started the year with many questioning his continued presence in the Indian side. He ends it as the highest run scorer in Tests (1145) and resounding acclaim for his inspiring Bradman Oration in which he fiercely defended Test cricket and urged cricket's players and administrators to tackle the game's challenges by taking decisions that would always "respect the fan."

India’s obdurate number three tends to perform at his best when his team’s back is up against a wall (no pun intended) and there was no better example of this then during India’s tortuous series in England. Whilst the rest of India’s star-studded batting line-up – even the mighty Tendulkar – struggled, Dravid calmly stroked three defiant hundreds to finish with 461 runs at 77 – just short of a quarter of India’s total runs in the series.

Dravid’s starring role came soon after Sangakkara had rescued the first ever Rose Bowl Test with a near six hour knock having prior to that struggled on England’s early season wickets.

Like Dravid, Sangakkara’s calm demeanour and impeccable technique is ideal with dealing with adversity; something that may help slow if not prevent Sri Lanka’s tumble down the rankings post Vaas and Murali. He emulated Dravid’s feats in England through his singular manning of the barricades during the series with a dominant Pakistan in the UAE this autumn.

Whilst he couldn’t prevent Pakistan from winning the series, Sangakkara saved the 1st Test with a heroic and monumental 644 minute 211, and amassed 516 runs at 86 during the three match series. His year has culminated with another hundred in the current Durban Test, which has seemingly set up a rare victory for his side and enabled him to pass 1,000 Test runs for the calendar year - the only player other than Dravid to achieve this in 2011.

But it was his Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s that dazzled even more than his stylish accomplishments at the crease in 2011.

Sangakkara began by speaking of how cricket in Sri Lanka had slipped “through the crack of our anti-western defences and has now become the most precious heirloom of our British Colonial inheritance”, before explaining to a captivated audience the part cricket had played in easing the island’s pain of terrorism, civil war and the terrible Tsunami of 2004.

He finished by painting his vision of cricket as a unifying force in a country facing a testing period of reconciliation following the end of the civil war: "Fans of different races, castes, ethnicities and religions who together celebrate their diversity by uniting for a common national cause. They are my foundation, they are my family. I will play my cricket for them. Their spirit is the true spirit of cricket. With me are all my people. I am Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim and Burgher. I am a Buddhist, a Hindu, a follower of Islam and Christianity. I am today, and always, proudly Sri Lankan."

Dravid and Sangakkara – as riveting to listen to as they are to watch at the crease.

Where next?

Rahul Dravid - The impenetrable wall

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story

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No bowlers, no chance for Sri Lanka

Watching some of the two Tests over the weekend confirmed to  us that there are a number of fairly mediocre sides operating in Test cricket at the moment.

Nevertheless, the likes of West Indies, Australia and even New Zealand (as they so ably demonstrated in Hobart last week) have the bowling firepower that means on any given day they can win their respective sides a Test match.

Sri Lanka do not have that luxury and actually seem to be plunging alarmingly quickly towards Bangladesh territory.

Their top six is as good as most other sides, which has helped them save Test matches at the Rose Bowl, Pallekelle and Abu Dhabi over the last few months. Indeed, if you had to choose between England’s top six and the Sri Lankan top six that was on show at Centurion, it wouldn’t be an easy decision and one might be tempted to go for the latter on a sub-continental track.

But whilst a good batting line-up can help set-up or save a Test match it is invariably the bowlers that win it for you. England have the perfect balance; Sri Lanka sadly don’t.

It is clearly not a coincidence that Sri Lanka have now failed to win a single Test match in the 15 they have played since Muttiah Muralitharan’s glorious curtain call at Galle 17 months ago. With Chaminda Vaas also retired and Lasith Malinga not available for Tests, their bowling attack is about as threatening as an army equipped with catapults and stones on the modern battlefield.

The top six didn’t bat well at Centurion, but the comparison between the home bowling attack and Sri Lanka’s was as wide as the Pacific Ocean. The lack of any sign of venom on the bowling front puts the batsmen under an obscene amount of pressure and they cannot be expected to always be able to bale out the side.

As Kumar Sangakkara so wonderfully articulated in his Cowdrey Lecture, Sri Lankan cricket is in crisis through a combination of mismanagement, greed and corruption. This has seen the players not being paid and has also seen the legacy provided by the likes of Murali and Vaas squandered away.

Dark days would seem to lie ahead.

Where next?

Sri Lanka know what they had and they know that it has gone

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Thilan Samaraweera's raw deal

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Thilan Samaraweera's raw deal

Who do you think has the best Test average of those that have played at least three matches since New Years Day 2008?

Perhaps surprisingly, it is not Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla or even Jonathan Trott. No, the man who heads the table is that most underrated of cricketers - Thilan Samaraweera.

Samaraweera has scored 2,561 runs in 28 Tests during this period with seven hundreds and an average of 69.21 - only Younis Khan and AB De Villiers average over 60 during the same time.

But this excellent record didn't prevent Samaraweera from being dropped by Sri Lanka after the home series defeat by Australia in August.

Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors, has stated that Samaraweera, who is 35, would not figure in the long-term plans of the selectors who intended to give more opportunities to youngsters.

That is all very laudable, but Sri Lanka can ill-afford to leave someone of Samaraweera's quality, experience and recent record out of the side at the moment. Indeed, there is a sense that they are a side in freefall with no bowler to speak of (Lasith Malinga apart, and he doesn't play Test cricket).

Samaraweera has been belatedly called up to the squad for the daunting looking trip to South Africa, where to be frank one fears for Sri Lanka's ability to make the Test series competitive.

It was ridiculously harsh to drop him and we have no doubt that Sri Lanka will need him over the next few weeks as they rely on Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Samaraweera to keep the effervescent Dale Steyn from running through their batting.

Where next?

Sri Lanka know what they had and they know that it has gone

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

The ten most poignant cricket memories of 2009

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Sri Lanka know what they had and they know that it has gone

We're not sure in the case of Sri Lanka that they didn't know what they had until Muttiah Muralitharan had retired and gone, but even they probably didn't realise how bad it would be without their spin genius.

If things carry on as they are, then Sri Lanka's fall from cricket's top table may make the demise of the West Indies look positively pedestrian in comparison.

With no Murali, no Chaminda Vaas and no Lasith Malinga for Test matches, Sri Lanka's bowling attack is about as dangerous as a pack of chihuahuas trying to take on an especially large, vicious and hungry tyrannosaurus rex.

If it wasn't for the fact that in Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka possess two of the finest batsmen of their generation then we would already be talking about the 1996 World Champions in the same breath as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

But for some particularly bad weather in England and a gem of an innings by Sangakkara at the Rose Bowl, the series with England would probably have ended as a whitewash in favour of the home side.

Then a rebuilding Australia built them more comfortably on their home patch then the 1-0 scoreline suggests.

Now they are struggling badly against an improving but still limited Pakistan side with Sangakkara again saving their skins in the 1st Test with a battling double hundred. Their last win came in Murali's final Test at Galle - 13 Tests ago.

Sangakkara himself highlighted that the Sri Lankan board have taken their eye off the ball in recent years and succession planning for the likes of Murali, Vaas, Sangakkara and Jayawardene seems to have been completely forgotten.

The success of Sri Lanka in winning the World Cup and then reaching the last two finals as well as regularly being high up in the ICC rankings for the last 15 years has been a case of David triumphing regularly over Goliath.

Sadly, it seems those giantkilling days are long gone and the future looks very bleak indeed.

Where next?

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

All hail King Mahela of Colombo

Who writes Muttiah Muralitharan's scripts?

800 wickets for Murali - what a way to go

India and Sri Lanka star in Groundhog Day remake

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Deciding matches in ODI series

 
We’ve never been keen on having five and especially seven match ODI series.

The exception is when it is all square going into the last game. Everything is up for grabs and the match takes on the feeling of a final.

Much of the cricket in the current England-Sri Lanka series has been poor but after two crushing victories for each side, today sees an all to play for decider at Old Trafford.

Will Cook continue to do a passable impersonation of Virender Sehwag? Will Stuart Broad finally put in a good performance this summer? And will Kumar Sangakkara pause prematurely during his innings and regale the watching supporters with more of his Churchillian oratory?

All will be revealed later on today.

And it isn’t it nice to see an international at Old Trafford again?

Where next?

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

 
There are intelligent and articulate sportsmen and women (and cricket has produced more than its fair share), and then there is Kumar Sangakkara whose words are as equally silky and smooth as his wonderfully graceful cover drives.

We have just finished listening to the riveting MCC Spirit of Cricket Lecture he delivered at Lord’s on Monday evening and thoroughly recommend that everyone else should too.

King Kumar’s story of Sri Lanka and how cricket slipped “through the crack in our anti-western defences and has now become the most precious heirloom of our British Colonial inheritance” is a truly fascinating one.

He provided vivid and horrific detail of the civil war that plagued the beautiful island paradise for 30 years and how the stunning win in the 1996 World Cup enabled cricket to become a unifying force for all Sri Lankan people irrespective of background, ethnicity and religion.

Sangakkara also spoke of the horrors of the Tsunami and praised Muttiah Muralitharan in particular for his heroic and instrumental role in organising relief and then rebuilding shattered communities and villages.

We enjoyed the humour that infused the lecture such as when he amusingly described Arjuna Ranatunga as a “slightly over-weight and unfit southpaw” when detailing how his leadership inspired the World Cup win of 1996.

Sangakkara even manages to instil humour into his gripping retelling of the Lahore terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus as the following extract from his speech powerfully demonstrates:

'Tharanga Paranvithana, on his debut tour, is also next to me. He stands up, bullets flying all around him, shouting “I have been hit” as he holds his blood-soaked chest. He collapsed onto his seat, apparently unconscious.

I see him and I think: “Oh my God, you were out first ball, run out the next innings and now you have been shot. What a terrible first tour.” '

Wonderful stuff. To be harrowing and amusing at the same time takes some skill.

Predictably, much of the reporting of the lecture has been on Sangakkara’s damning words about the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and the unwelcome interference of the country’s Sports Minister.

He certainly doesn’t hold back as he eloquently details how accountability and transparency has been replaced by partisan cronies, corruption and a wanton waste of board finances and resources.

The real reason for his resignation of the captaincy becomes clear when he challenges the administrators to adopt the same values of the team: integrity, transparency, commitment and discipline. He also calls on the ICC to suspend boards with direct detrimental political interference and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

Sadly but not unsurprisingly, Sri Lankan Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has already ordered a probe into the lecture so Sangakkara looks like he will have to face the consequences for his frank honesty and strong words.

Kumar Sangakkara – a credit to himself, his sport and above all his country. We salute him as a true cricketing hero.

Where next?

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

The best Test XI of 2010

Our best XI of the 2011 World Cup

All hail King Mahela of Colombo

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Podcast: Wrap-up of England-Sri Lanka, India vs West Indies & Australian absurdities

 
We had the pleasure of joining Dave and Murray for this week's One Hand One Bounce podcast on the excellent World Cricket Watch to review the England-Sri Lanka Test series, preview the forthcoming ODI series between the same two sides and look forward to the visit of India to English shores later this summer.

Last week they had Gideon Haigh as a guest on the Podcast. This time they had to settle for the humble Reverse Sweep!

Dave and Murray also cover the latest cricket news including the West Indies-India Test series, strange goings on with the recently announced 25 man Australian elite squad and something called Abortion Lasagne.

Give it a listen below:

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Don’t miss a single episode of the One Hand One Bounce Podcast. Automatically get each new episode by subscribing via iTunes or subscribing to the RSS feed.

Where next?

England v Sri Lanka: England series marks out of 10

Experimental England? Our XIV man T20/ODI squad to face Sri Lanka

Chris Tremlett is a weapon of mass destruction

Ian Bell, The Stone Roses and some considerably large numbers

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

Farewell and a tribute (of sorts) to Shane Warne

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep