Distracted batsmen so easily dismissed

A year ago, when Sri Lanka were always fighting their corner and winning consistently, their batsmen would have made a much better fist of it than they did in their first innings. Now, they are an unhappy side with a management that has not endeared itself to the players and this was reflected in their batting.

A year ago, when Sri Lanka were always fighting their corner and winning consistently, their batsmen would have made a much better fist of it than they did in their first innings. Now, they are an unhappy side with a management that has not endeared itself to the players and this was reflected in their batting.

It was announced on Saturday that Chandra Schaffter, their manager, has not had his contract renewed, although he will stay on until the end of this tour.

England were in an immensely strong position and one would have thought this would have made the Sri Lankans even more determined to try and fight their was out of it. Yet their main batsmen played as if they had only half their minds on the job.

It was so important that Mahela Jayawardene should have played a big innings. After being dropped off one pull, he went for another big hit off Tudor, who found a bit more bounce than the batsman expected and it skied off the top edge back to Tudor.

Sangakkara, who owed his side a big innings, was lured into an uncontrolled drive at Matthew Hoggard without much footwork and was caught at slip. Aravinda de Silva was then the victim of a brilliant piece of captaincy, but he should have foreseen the result.

A short man, he does not care for rib balls and Nasser Hussain, realising this, brought in a forward short-leg and stationed himself very close at backward short-leg. The danger signals should have lit up in De Silva's mind. When he tried to fend another which Andrew Flintoff slanted into his ribs, Hussain came up with a beauty of a catch.

Everything for Sri Lanka now rested with Sanath Jayasuriya batting at No 6, and Hashan Tillakaratne. Giles flighted one up and, oh dear, Tillakaratne fell for the bait and his slog-sweep went straight into Flintoff's hands at deep-midwicket. The Sri Lankan management have much to answer for.