Murali magic not enough for SL

For much of his career, particularly in the Test match arena, Muttiah Muralitharan has appeared to be waging a one-man war against the opposition. A burst of swing from Chaminda Vaas has occasionally stolen the spinner’s limelight, yet ultimately Muralitharan only has had the ability to turn the tide of a Test.

However the shavings of support, previously there as the magician’s apprentices, have now evaporated. Vaas may still be capable of preventing a landslide of runs, but his potency has been reduced to that of a toothless tiger. Muralitharan stands alone, a calculating assassin against the intimidating force of Pietersen and Flintoff. Is his reputation worse for it? Do the wickets keep on tumbling?

Sri Lanka will be thankful to Muralitharan for pulling them through the Edgbaston Test with a smidgeon of credit, rather like the efforts of Kulasekara and Vaas were the sole reasons why they escaped from a draw at Lord’s. Chasing just 78, England pushed their way to victory despite losing four wickets to the hands of the Sri Lankan offspinner.

To have any chance of forcing a win, the tourists’ lower order had to push the lead up to the regions of 150: their last five wickets clattered for just twelve runs this morning. Resuming 40 ahead, Michael Vandort and Farveez Maharoof struggled against the swinging new ball before the latter could only dig a ball off his ribcage to the hands of bowler Andrew Flintoff.

Liam Plunkett continued to impress with a hostile spell of pace bowling. Vaas, who has certainly looked more at ease with the bat than the bowl this series, slapped to Paul Collingwood at gully for just a single. Nuwan Kulasekara fell to the next delivery – prodding a decent delivery from Plunkett to slip – and Sri Lanka fell apart. Vandort completed his laboured hundred, from 295 balls, but was in no position to take the attack to the home seamers.

Flintoff removed tailender Lasith Malinga, caught in the slips, before Plunkett took his match figures to 6-60 when Vandort was also caught behind – last man out for 105.

Setting off in chase of their paltry target, England cannot have been surprised by the early introduction of Muralitharan, who almost instantaneously trapped Trescothick leg before with a doosra. Andrew Strauss was the next batsman to be bamboozled by the spinner’s multitude of variations, though the ball that lobbed up to slip appeared to have struck the pad rather than his sweeping bat.

Further wickets followed for Muralitharan, bowling not only off-breaks and doosras but also traditional leg-breaks. Kevin Pietersen, whose barnstorming 148 was the main contribution to England’s first innings total, misread a doosra and fell LBW, while Paul Collingwood, undone by excessive bounce and turn, was caught behind, giving the spin maestro a 15th ten wicket haul . But one man alone with so few runs to play with could not prevent a solid, if not convincing, England win. Alaistair Cook finished unbeaten on an assured 34, doing his selection chances for the third Test no harm. Sri Lanka will be out to salvage a drawn series, although one feels that regardless of their batting performance, Muralitharan will be the key man once again.

Sri Lanka 141 all out
Chaminda Vaas 30*, Tillakaratne Dilshan 27, Lasith Malinga 26
Liam Plunkett 3/43, Sajid Mahmood 2/25, Andrew Flintoff 2/28

England 295 all out
Kevin Pietersen 142, Andrew Strauss 30,
Muttiah Muralitharan 6/86, Lasith Malinga 2/68

Sri Lanka 231 all out
Michael Vandort 105, Tillakaratne Dilshan 59
Liam Plunkett 3/17, Matthew Hoggard 3/64, Andrew Flintoff 2/50 Monty Panesar 2/72

England 81-4
Alastair Cook 34*
Muttiah Muralitharan 4/29

England won by 6 wickets

Cricket Web Man of the Match: Kevin Pietersen