The Hindu : Sport : Prior helps England to a fighting total

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Tuesday, Dec 11, 2007
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Prior helps England to a fighting total

Ted Corbett

Murali bags another five-wicket haul; Jayawardene, Vandort lead Lankan reply

— PHOTO: AP

PLUCKY EFFORT: Matt Prior was instrumental in England making 351 in the first innings.

COLOMBO: Commonsense was given free reign on the second day of the Test between Sri Lanka and England and we have to be thankful for that step forward even though there is a long stride still to be taken.

It happened before lunch when England was still not sure how to make the standard scratch score of 350 and there was a huge appeal against the tail-ender Ryan Sidebottom, who has only one fifty in a long first class career, was applying himself diligently in his role as junior partner in a stand with the wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

A sharp chance went to the Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene in the slips off Dilhara Fernando and the umpires could not decide if he had caught the ball cleanly. So they asked the third umpire (remember he was left out of the loop on day one when Kevin Pietersen was given out in similar circumstances) who saw that while Jayawardene probably caught the ball successfully it had gone to him off Sidebottom’s body.

Amendment

The old regulation said that the TV umpire could only rule on whether the ball had been taken cleanly but an amendment now says that if it is clear that the batsman has not hit the ball, the third umpire should tell the on-field umpire.

So that is what happened, Sidebottom was allowed to continue his innings and although he hardly played the innings of the season he did complete a stand of 74 with Prior which gave the England score a respectable look. I hear that Richie Benaud, the wisest man in cricket, had a hand in making the change and if that is true he deserves unlimited praise.

The rule should be amended again so that if the TV umpire detects anything that will bring the correct decision he must tell the umpires in the middle. (Five years ago Marcus Trescothick had to be given out though the third umpire realised there had been a no-ball.) New technology is here to stay, players welcome the justice it provides and in the 21st century it must be given a chance.

Thanks to Prior, who spent the time when Phil Mustard was the England ’keeper for the one-day series by working hard on his keeping and his batting, and Sidebottom England got to 351 although Muttiah Muralitharan swept the last few batsmen aside to take his 62nd five-wicket haul. He now totals 718 Test wickets and you cannot get a bet that he will take 30 in this three-match series.

Looking good

England should have made more runs and, in temperatures close to 100 degree Fahrenheit and humidity beyond bearing, it was made to suffer by Jayawardene on his own pitch and the impressive blocker Michael Vandort. They are still together in a third wicket stand of 83 and on day three they can be expected to build a score which will give Sri Lanka the whip hand and probably win the series.

Stuart Broad, tall, 21 years old, and the most promising young player in the country, got off to a wretched start when he was twice called for running on the pitch. I think umpire Aleem Dar did his best to avoid calling Broad but it was unavoidable.

Sound temperament

Subsequent events proved that at least Broad has the temperament to become a star. He was tried at the other end and bowled with fire and if not with any great success showed why the selectors have such faith in him.

His first Test innings ended quickly and many other young bowlers might have collapsed under the strain. Not Broad. He looks the part.

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