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Young batsman stranded two runs shy of maiden century

Paul Edwards04-Jun-2019
This has been a fine week for officials at Liverpool CC. While they could do nothing about the rain that allowed only one session’s play on this second day, they have proved themselves perfectly capable of hosting first-class cricket, a claim some had doubted in the very recent past.However, when this game is over and a review is taking place, someone should suggest the value of a scoreboard people can see in bright light. Many spectators squinted in vain at the small electric effort in the corner of the ground and their irritation was only aggravated by the placement of a completely blank, old-style board directly alongside its wretched counterpart. Perversely, of course, as the rain fell the dratted board displayed for hours the one number which had disappointed Lancashire supporters. Underneath No. 20 shone 98, the career-best score Josh Bohannon had made when last man Richard Gleeson edged Dieter Klein to Harry Swindells just before lunch.Until that reverse Liverpool’s green stage had offered fine cricket to a sparse audience. Indeed, the attendance on Tuesday morning suggested people might have paid too much attention to the regional weather forecast and nothing like enough to a microclimate which often ensures Aigburth remains dry while rain falls in the city centre. The most famous instance of this meteorological quiddity occurred late in Lancashire’s championship season when Simon Kerrigan bowled his side to a tremendous victory over Hampshire while adjoining districts were cursed with storms, tempests and plagues of frogs.Perhaps forgetting that day of glory, Merseyside folk remained by their hearths this morning, and that was a shame because those who stayed at home missed an entertaining session, albeit under lowering skies. The best fun was supplied by Bohannon and Tom Bailey, who had extended their eighth-wicket stand to 131 before Bailey carved Chris Wright to Neil Dexter on the deep point boundary. In the previous over Bailey had reached his fifth first-class fifty with a siege-gun six off Wright which arced over the sightscreen at the River End.However, the changed balance of the contest was shown by Wright’s almost impassive reaction to his dismissal of both Bailey and Graham Onions. By then the crowd’s interest had shifted to Bohannon and the few dozen spectators wondered if he could reach his century.He couldn’t. All he was able to do was watch as Gleeson fenced fatally at Klein. Bohannon immediately turned on his heel and casually tossed his bat into the air, catching it in the manner of juggler with a club. It was the gentlest of gestures, one which revealed more phlegm than fury. Then, mindful of his responsibilities to his team, Bohannon slapped reconciliatory gloves with Gleeson as the pair returned to the pavilion.Yet there is surely consolation available to this fine player, who only celebrated his 22nd birthday in April. Josh Bohannon, you see, county cricket in a way that cannot be coached. In just seven first-class matches he has proved himself well-suited to his chosen trade. And so when he scores his maiden hundred, which he should do quite soon, let us hope he achieves the feat before a few thousand spectators in a match blessed by generous skies and a kind sun.

The North v South challenge has switched from the UAE to Barbados but for the North it brought a familiar story as they lost for the fourth successive time

Dan Norcross19-Mar-20183:03

‘It was a real team effort with the bat’

Four times South have played North and four times they have emerged victorious. The latest victory even came with a record attached – an imposing total of 348 which was a List A record for all matches, domestic and international, played at the Kensington Oval.Middlesex’s opener Nick Gubbins smashed a century in Barbados in this prelude to the county season to maintain South’s 100 percent record in this fixture since it was first played in the UAE last Spring.Their total was built on the sturdy foundations of an enterprising opening stand of 134 off 112 balls between Gubbins and Daniel Bell-Drummond, both of whom are England Lions regulars with international ambitions.When Gubbins was well caught by Saqib Mahmood off D’Oliveira for a 99-ball 116, his last 17 had been scored on one leg as severe cramp hindered him so badly he would take no further part in the game,Things looked ominous for North from the outset. Richard Gleeson opened proceedings with a 10-ball over containing four wides and was whipped out of the attack after his first two overs conceded 16 runs.The introduction of spin in the shape of Brett d’Oliveira in the fifth over failed to stem the flow as Bell-Drummond drove off both front and back foot with the elegance, grace and ease that alerted the touring Australians to his abilities back in 2015.Gubbins began scratchily, telegraphing his advances down the wicket but somehow finding the boundary, including one towering six over midwicket, when it looked more likely he was about to give his wicket away. He was particularly severe on North’s captain Steven Mullaney, whose four overs went for 38 runs.When eventually Bell-Drummond departed in the 19th over for a 53 ball 52, caught behind off a sharply lifting delivery from the pacey and consistently impressive Zak Chappell, this was the cue for Gubbins to cut loose. Partnerships of 52 and 45 with Sam Northeast and Laurie Evans came and went in a mere 88 ballsUpon his dismissal, South, on 231 for 3 with nearly 17 overs remaining, were eying the sunlit uplands of 380-400. That they didn’t get there was down almost entirely to a remarkable spell of fast, reverse swing bowling from Mahmood, Lancashire’s promising young quick bowler.His first five overs had been plundered for 44 runs as he strayed in line whilst repeatedly peppering the middle of an unresponsive wicket. His final three overs brought five wickets, all bowled, for just a further 16 runs and restricted South to a mere, albeit record, 347 all out, t total which overhauled the 328 made at the ground by England against West Indies last March.Nick Gubbins heaped on more agony for North – and for himself•Getty Images

With his first ball back in the attack, Mahmood produced the perfect yorker to dismiss England Under-19 all-rounder Delray Rawlins who was playing just his second List A match following his debut against South Africa last summer. Rawlins’ 53 from 41 balls contained five fours and two towering sixes. On the strength of this match, in which he also produced six tidy overs of left arm spin, he is a man to watch this season.North’s reply began with two early reprieves for both openers, Alex Davies and Joe Clarke, dropped by Rawlins at slip off the impressive Sam Curran who was the pick of the new ball bowlers on display.Having reached 100 for 1 after 15 overs the nominally home side looked well placed but Somerset off-spinner Dom Bess picked up both Clarke for 46 and Keaton Jennings for a duck in the day’s only maiden to induce a squeeze that would turn the match irrevocably in his side’s favour.South’s three-pronged spin attack of Bess, Ravi Patel and Rawlins sucked the life out of the innings in the middle overs and despite a 61-ball partnership of 89 between d’Oliveira and the hugely underrated Steven Mullaney, South were only ever a good over away from slamming the door shut.That it was provided by Sam Curran was only fitting as he emulated Mahmood’s earlier efforts by bowling both d’Oliveira and Chappell with successive balls, the latter with a beauty that turned the Leicestershire all rounder inside out before parting his off and middle stumps like a hillbilly’s teeth.Mullaney followed next ball to Middlesex’s Tom Barber, a wild card pick who has impressed in the winter’s fast bowling camp, to complete the team hat trick. Curran eventually delivered the coup de grace when he had Mahmood caught by Simpson off a skier with North 63 runs short.In spite of the scepticism in some quarters as to the value of this fixture, England coaches Paul Collingwood and Mark Ramprakash, who are in charge of the teams, will have been impressed by a number of players. As well as the outstanding contributions of Gubbins, Mahmood,
Bell-Drummond and Rawlins, Bess, until his last two overs showed exactly why so many Somerset supporters have been singing his praises.The powerfully built Chappell was distinctly rapid on a slow pitch, getting a couple of balls to leap off a length at good pace, and both Clarke and Sam Hain looked class acts at the top of the order. It’s worth remembering that Dawid Malan impressed in this series last Spring and is now an established presence in the senior side.The series continues with two further matches on Wednesday and Friday.

Umpire Paul Reiffel has dismissed the idea of wearing a helmet while officiating in Test matches, despite suffering a concussion after being hit by a fielder’s throw in the fourth Test of the ongoing India-England series

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2016Umpire Paul Reiffel has dismissed the idea of wearing a helmet while officiating in Test matches, despite suffering a concussion after being hit by a fielder’s throw on the first day of the fourth Test of the ongoing India-England series. Reiffel is currently home in Melbourne, after the ICC deemed him unfit to take the field in the final Test in Chennai.Speaking to , the former Australia fast bowler said wearing a helmet would complicate the umpiring process for him. “It would be too heavy and too hot, five days with a helmet on, it just would be impossible,” he said. “It’s hard to hear [with the helmet on]. I’ve put one on and thought ‘could I umpire in this?’, and I thought I’d really struggle.”Reiffel, who was standing at square leg when he was hit by a throw from India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, said the accident occurred because he took his eyes off the ball thinking it was dead. “Always keep your eye on the ball,” he said. “I just didn’t do it. I feel a bit silly not doing that. It’s like playing; if you watch the ball you should come out all right. It was just an accident. I’d back myself to get out of the way if I see it coming.””The batsmen had stopped running, the fieldsmen were taking their time. I must have relaxed and expected him to throw it to the keeper over my head and he decided to throw it halfway to the fieldsman. He got it wrong and hit me on the back of my head. It got me behind the ear and hit me flush, that’s what’s done the damage.”He said he could remember little of what happened thereafter, and, in hindsight, was glad the ICC took the decision to make him stand down for the rest of the Test. “Apart from that, I don’t really remember a lot about it. I suppose it did hurt. I’ve watched the replay and I went down pretty quick. I was rolling around a bit. It certainly shook me up.”The next day you feel as though you should be out there. The England cricket team doctor put me through a few tests and I didn’t pass them that well, so they decided it was best not to do the Test and have a bit of a rest and come back later. The ICC decided it was for the best I had the rest. I’m glad about that because I needed it. I was pretty sick for a few days there.”Reiffel is expected to return for the New Zealand-Bangladesh ODI series, which begins on Boxing Day.

William Bosisto’s maiden first-class century and an unbeaten fifty from wicketkeeper Sam Whiteman helped Western Australia salvage a draw against Victoria as the visitors were only two wickets away from losing the match

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Sam Whiteman fought till the end with an unbeaten 51•Getty Images

William Bosisto’s maiden first-class century and an unbeaten fifty from wicketkeeper Sam Whiteman helped Western Australia salvage a draw against Victoria as the visitors were only two wickets away from losing the match. Set a target of 390, WA ended the day on 282 for 8 in 106 overs as James Pattinson and Fawad Ahmed took three wickets each at the MCG.WA started the day on 25 for 1 and lost nightwatchman David Moody early in the day before Shaun Marsh joined Bosisto for a stand of 65 runs. But legspinner Fawad had Marsh caught for 33, and Victoria set an unusual field with two slips wearing helmets, before twin strikes from James Pattinson left WA on 173 for 5 just before tea. Bosisto withstood Victoria’s charge at the other end and his crucial stand of 76 runs with Whiteman ensured WA approached 250 as they survived 29.1 overs together.When Bosisto fell for 108 off 288 balls, WA were 249 for 6 with at least ten overs left in the day. Victoria closed in further when Glenn Maxwell had Ashton Agar stumped for 10 and Fawad took a return catch from Hilton Cartwright to leave them on 282 for 8. Whiteman’s presence till the end for his 51 not out from 121 balls avoided WA’s second loss in three matches. Fawad finished with eight wickets in the match.

Michael Klinger’s century ensured Gloucestershire had no trouble in chasing 188 to beat Leicestershire by nine wickets at Grace Road, their first win of the season

03-May-2013Gloucestershire 280 (Taylor 61, Freckingham 4-69) and 191 for 1 (Klinger 103*, Dent 71) beat Leicestershire 250 (Thakor 75, Howell 5-57) and 217 (W Gidman 4-39) by nine wickets
ScorecardMichael Klinger, seen here for Worcestershire last season, steered Gloucestershire home•Getty Images

Australian Michael Klinger hit his first County Championship century to lead Gloucestershire to a nine-wicket victory on the final day at Grace Road.After surviving a tricky first half-hour, openers Klinger and Chris Dent shared a stand of 129 to ensure there would be no major problems chasing a target of 188.Dent was out for 71 to the last ball before lunch but Klinger hit the winning runs and reached his century at the same time with his 16th boundary. He was unbeaten on 103 from 172 balls.It was Gloucestershire’s first win of the season and earned them 21 points, while Leicestershire collected five as they slipped to their first defeat of the season following drawn games against Hampshire and Kent.With Gloucestershire starting the day on 16 for 0, Leicestershire needed to take early wickets if they were to have any chance of snatching an unlikely victory. Pacemen Ollie Freckingham and Robbie Williams bowled well without any luck early on a slow pitch starting to show signs of uneven bounce.Both batsmen played and missed on several occasions and three times the ball flashed through the slip cordon down to the vacant third-man boundary. But as the shine went off the ball, the sting went out of the bowling, and both Klinger and Dent began to play with far more confidence and assurance.Dent was the first to reach his 50 off 68 balls with eight fours and Gloucestershire captain, Klinger, brought up the 100 partnership with a well-timed square drive to the boundary off Freckingham.A neat late cut off Michael Thornely saw Klinger reach his 50 off 100 balls, and Leicestershire’s frustrating morning was summed up when Josh Cobb put down an easy slip catch offered by Dent off Jigar Naik’s off spin.Naik gained some revenge by having Dent lbw with the last ball before lunch. But Klinger remained in good touch, straight driving Claude Henderson for a six before square cutting another boundary off Shiv Thakor to reach his landmark century and clinch victory.

Kent made a faltering reply to Northamptonshire’s first-innings on the second day of their Championship Division Two clash against Northamptonshire at Canterbury.

17-May-2012
ScorecardKent made a faltering reply to Northamptonshire’s first-innings on the second day of their Championship Division Two clash against Northamptonshire at Canterbury.The hosts went in at stumps on 123 for 3 after Northamptonshire had extended their overnight score of 244 for 4 to 418 all out. Having taken just over nine hours to dismiss the visitors on what appeared a placid pitch, Kent’s top order all experienced some difficulty contending with fading light and variable bounce.On-loan opener Scott Newman went for 16 just after tea, inside edging Lee Daggett’s delivery on to his off stump. But it was the bowling of Northamptonshire captain and one-time Kent overseas player Andrew Hall that did most to derail the reply mid-way through the final session.The South African allrounder ended a decent second-wicket stand of 63 by enticing left-hander Ben Harmison to drive wide outside off stump, picking out David Willey at backward point.Then, in his next over from the Nackington Road End, Hall got one to hold its line against the slope and brush the edge of Rob Key’s bat to give a regulation catch to another former Kent man, wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien.Key batted a shade over two hours for his 48 but, with the floodlights on, fourth-wicket partners Michael Powell and Brendan Nash saw out the final half-hour to go into day three trailing by 295 runs.The day had started with David Sales and James Middlebrook hogging centre stage with their side’s record fifth-wicket stand against Kent – 205 in 66.1 overs – beating the county’s previous best against Kent, the 187 set by Rob Bailey and Richard Williams at Wantage Road 22 years ago.Sales contributed an excellent 140 to the cause having batted 319 minutes for his part in the stand. His innings ended when, having just driven James Tredwell for two successive boundaries, he attempted an impudent lap-sweep against the England offspinner only to top-edge to the keeper. Middlebrook was leg before soon after, off balance and playing across the line to a full ball from Matt Coles, the former Essex man gone for 73.That brought together Con de Lange and Willey for another century stand, this time for the seventh wicket. On a docile pitch – and against an old ball – scoring became such an easy past-time that Kent skipper Key introduced his own brand of slow bowling in an effort to encourage an early declaration. His one over cost 11 runs, but failed to have the desired effect as the visitors batted on.Willey was finally caught in the deep for a career-best 64 in 85 balls, Daggett clipped one to short mid-on and last man Jack Brooks dragged on against Darren Stevens to complete the Northamptonshire innings.

A round-up of matches on the fifth day of the ICC World Cricket League Division Seven competition in Gaborone, Bostwana

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2011Nigeria have ensured they finish top of the points table – as a result qualifying for World Cricket League Division 6 – by beating Botswana by eight wickets in a rain-affected game in Gaborone.Going into the match tied on points with Botswana, Nigeria chose to field. The decision paid off, as none of the host’s batsmen were able to build on the starts they got, folding for 123 in 37.2 overs. Legspinner Sean Philips was the pick of the bowlers, stifling the batsmen to finish with 3 for 10 in 6.2 overs. Nigeria’s openers, Ademola Onikoyi and Segun Olayinka, got the chase off to rapid start, putting on 71 in 10.2 overs. But then play was interrupted by rain, and subsequently the target reduced to 120 off 47 overs. After the resumption, Nigeria knocked off the 49 more required for a win without much drama, with Olayinka batting through.Endurance Ofem, the Nigeria captain, said the ease of the victory was unexpected. “I expected more from them [Botswana] today, considering they chased down 272 [against Norway on Thursday]. But I told my guys that if we do well in the morning then the afternoon would be ours for the taking,” he said. “Our bowlers worked hard today and it really paid off for us.”Nigeria will take on Kuwait in the final on Sunday, while Botswana will play Germany for third place.Norway needed a massive win against Germany to avoid relegation to WCL Division 8, but could not pull it off, succumbing by 18 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-curtailed match.Choosing to bowl, Norway’s bowlers did well to restrict Germany to 184. While medium pacer Babar Shahzad knocked over a couple early, opening bowler Waseem Gill bowled an impressive second spell, carving up the middle and lower order with three scalps. S Satyanarayana was the only batsman to make a sizeable contribution, adding respectability to the total with 52 off 47 balls. In the mid-innings break the rain came down and the revised target for Norway was 141 in 29 overs. The right-left combination Rajeev Vohra and Ehsan Latif were hard to manoeuvre early on in the chase, picking up two apiece to leave Norway 40 for 4 in the ninth over. Norway didn’t recover and fell 18 runs short, all out for 122 in 25.4 overs. Latif claimed two more wickets, finishing with 4 for 26 in 5.4 overs.German captain Asif Khan said his team were happy to keep their place in Division 7. “On the whole, we’re delighted that we’re a part of Division 7,” he said. “Our batting didn’t click so well today, but Satya [Satyanarayana] proved his worth under pressure. I think to have got them out for under 140 on this wicket is a real achievement.”Germany will play Botswana for third place on Sunday, while Norway will take on Japan in the fifth-place play-off.The match between Japan and Kuwait was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The sides split points, taking one apiece.Japan have finished at the bottom of the table, meaning they have been relegated to WCL Division 8, irrespective of the result of the fifth-place play-off in which they play Norway on Sunday. Kuwait, who are No. 2 on the points table, have made WCL Division 6, and will take on Nigeria for the Division 7 title.

Chamari Polgampola, the right-arm fast bowler, will replace Shashikala Siriwardene in the Sri Lankan women’s squad for the ICC World Twenty20

Cricinfo staff02-May-2010Chamari Polgampola, the right-arm fast bowler, will replace Shashikala Siriwardene in the Sri Lankan women’s squad for the ICC World Twenty20, the ICC has confirmed. Siriwardene, the off spinner, had to pull out of the tournament due to an illness and the ICC’s event technical committee approved of her replacement on Sunday.Polgampola last played for Sri Lanka during the World Twenty20 in England in 2009. Siriwardene did not bat during Sri Lanka’s warm-up game against South Africa at St Kitts on Sunday. Sri Lanka kick-off their campaign against Pakistan at Warner Park on Thursday.

Chelmsford proves unhappy temporary home for Seaxes as they suffer 98-run thumping

ECB Reporters Network31-May-2024Matt Parkinson claimed a hat-trick as Kent thrashed Middlesex by 98 runs at Chelmsford to open their 2024 Vitality Blast campaign with a win.Parkinson, who made the move from Lancashire over the winter, shone for his newly adopted county, claiming the scalps of Jack Davies, Tom Helm and Henry Brookes in his third over on route to figures of 4 for 25.It meant the hosts, playing the first of two home games at Chelmsford in this campaign were hustled out for 107 to fall way short of their victory target of 206.Earlier, Joe Denly was the mainstay of Kent’s 205 for 8 with 56 in 33 balls complete with two sixes and seven fours. Daniel Bell-Drummond, another man to be the scourge of Middlesex in the recent past, provided good support with 38. Luke Hollman returned 3 for 27 and Blake Cullen 3 for 47 in his first match of the season.Bell-Drummond and England opener Zak Crawley made an explosive start, each striking Cullen for huge sixes in the third over as they posted a 50-stand within 23 balls.It took a super catch running back at mid-wicket by Leus Du Plooy to end Crawley’s effort on 26, but Bell-Drummond continued the assault, pummelling Henry Brookes back over his head for six before being dropped by Joe Cracknell in the deep.The miss wasn’t costly as Tom Helm pulled off a ‘worldy’ in the next over diving full length at deep mid-on to send Bell-Drummond on his way for 38. It was the first of two in two balls for the impressive Hollman as Sam Billing suffered a first-ball duck. Hollman would snaffle a third when Tawanda Muyeye struck him straight to Cracknell to leave Kent 79 for 3.Denly was though in no mood to see a collapse and played the innings of substance, striking the ball powerfully straight and employing the scoop to good effect in a well-paced effort. He was one of three late wickets for Cullen but nevertheless the target of 205 looked daunting.Middlesex promoted du Plooy to opener, but the move backfired as he fell for 11 bowled by Grant Stewart.Ryan Higgins’ stay was brutal yet brief, one huge six followed by a mishit which ballooned to mid-off, Beyers Swanepoel the bowler to profit and skipper Stephen Eskinazi also holed out on the fence to give Stewart a second wicket.Eyes were now on Max Holden who made 121 in the same fixture last season. There would though be no repeat as he drilled one straight to Crawley on the boundary at mid-off from the spin of Marcus O’Riordan and at 49 for 4 the hosts were in a mess.Cracknell down at an unfamiliar position of No. 6 rather than at the top of the order came and went bowled by Parkinson. Davies blossomed briefly but then came Parkinson’s party piece to hasten the end of the rout.

He backs Sri Lanka to make a serious push for victory at the Hagley Oval on Monday

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Mar-2023Sri Lanka has the seam-bowling weaponry to make a serious push for victory on Monday. So believes Angelo Mathews, their centurion from day four, who was most responsible for setting New Zealand a target of 285.In the 17 overs Sri Lanka bowled at New Zealand before stumps, the seamers were probing and disciplined. Kasun Rajitha claimed the wicket of Devon Conway, and New Zealand could not score at more than 1.64 an over, finishing at 28 for 1, with Tom Latham and Kane Williamson the overnight batters.In the first innings, Sri Lanka’s seamers had had New Zealand at 188 for 6, before an outstanding Daryl Mitchell hundred, and lower-order hitting from Matt Henry pushed the hosts into a narrow lead.”We’ve got the fast bowlers to exploit the conditions,” Mathews said after play. “We’ve got some fantastic fast bowlers in the group, and we have the belief that if the batters get the runs on the board, the fast bowlers will definitely come into play, with the conditions. They’ve done exactly that.”We’ve given ourselves a great chance to win the Test match. We have to turn up tomorrow and just go for it. The game is evenly poised. Latham and Williamson – we all know they are world class. We need to strike early to get into the game. If we can open one end, we can put a lot of pressure on the Kiwis.”Related

• Mathews says SL not getting enough Tests, especially this year

• Mathews' 115 helps SL set NZ a stiff target

The surface did not appear especially treacherous on day four – though there was still some movement off the seam for the quicks. The Hagley Oval surface has in the past tended to get lower and slower as a match goes on, though spinners have been effective at this venue late in the game as well.”You can’t predict a wicket 100%, but there was variable bounce today,” Mathews said. “But hoping he [Prabath Jayasuriya] can hit the rough spots. Especially to the left-hander there’s a big rough on either side. The spinner also might come into play – you never know.”His own 115 off 235 balls, which was his 14th Test ton and his second in successive tours of New Zealand, Mathews put down to experience. It was a vital innings, during which he forged a 105-run partnership with Dinesh Chandimal, then put on 60 alongside Dhananjaya de Silva.Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara shared five wickets between them in the first innings•AFP/Getty Images

Although in the first innings Sri Lanka rattled along at almost four an over, they were prevented from scoring freely for much of day four, by some disciplined New Zealand bowling.”The more you play the more you learn, and I’ve played a lot of cricket in New Zealand, and in Christchurch as well,” Mathews said. “I know what kinds of conditions we are getting here. Credit should go to the New Zealand bowlers as well. After Neil Wagner got injured, the other three fast bowlers gave nothing away. It was hard work out there, but they kept pegging away, and we had to work extremely hard to get those runs. We had to keep grinding all day, which we did, I thought.”Scoring was especially difficult before lunch, when New Zealand sent down 28 overs and conceded just 67 (a run rate of 2.39).”You come set to play certain shots because they aren’t giving anything away,” Mathews said. “You kind of know what you get from each bowler, so you kind of mentally plan it out. The first session they gave nothing away at all. We had to keep fighting for sngles and twos – forget about the fours. We all know [Tim] Southee is a world-class bowler, and no matter how tired he is he lands it on the spot. Matt Henry bowled extremely well, as well as [Blair] Tickner though he’s young and new to the Test arena, he bowled with a lot of gas. We knew what’s coming with each and every bowler, and we had to plan accordingly.”Sri Lanka must win this match, and the next one, to stand any chance of making the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval later this year. Mathews lauded the work of coach Chris Silverwood and captain Dimuth Karunaratne for creating a vibe through which a side that is not particularly studded with standout players, has been able to come close to making a major final.”The captain and the coach play a major part in the team’s environment. And us seniors will back it up with them. Chris Silverwood and his support staff and the captain has done a fantastic job in creating a great environment, to play cricket with a lot of freedom. That’s what you want – to put everything aside, and go out there and enjoy yourselves, which we’re absolutely doing.”