By Mahinda Wijesinghe
Surely, after the World Cup win in 1996, this must be Sri Lanka's proudest hour on the international cricket field. Bearding the British Lion in their own den, the Lanka Lion now stalks ten feet tall. Winning the Emirates Triangular One-day series was not something wholly unexpected from the reigning World Champions. But, annihilating England in every department of the game in the traditional version of the sport and spoiling their summer (!) was not something most gambled for.

Completing two successive Test wins - separated by 7 years! - against an opposition reluctant to grant Sri Lanka a 3-Test series, though now there are some ramblings, has a satisfying ring about it. Sadly, however, the England coach, David Lloyd, has decided to sling mud at the Sri Lankan win by casting doubts on Muralitharan's bowling action. May be Lloyd was thinking of Tony Lock, the former Surrey and England left-arm spinner, who on this very ground - his home turf - 'threw' many a batsman out until he was forced to change his action.

Why the bumbling by bumble?
If one is to condone Lloyd's contention, then it must be conceded that Lloyd - who is also aptly known as "bumble" - must have been in dreamland when Murali was earlier bowling against England in the Triangular series, one match which in fact they won, and during the first innings of the Test itself when Crawley even reverse-sweeped our hero. Then, why the sudden bumbling by Bumble? The likely reason could be that coach Lloyd who suddenly became an unlikely hero when England won their series against a jaded South African outfit, simply could not accept defeat at the hands of a team they do not even consider worthwhile playing a 3-Test series. Lloyd's job was in jeopardy. Paradoxically, judging from the reports seeping in, his churlish comments may now cost him his job. Anyway, if coach Lloyd does get the chop and somebody else goes in his stead to Australia, Lloyd will be lucky. Because, mark my words, barring any sensational happenings, the Australians, playing in their own patch, will have this lot for breakfast!

Sanath, Aravinda and Arjuna
Presently, Sri Lanka has hit the high spots with their performances in England. The boys could not have done better and all credit to Arjuna and the lads. They were simply marvellous. Sanath came up with a sizzler of an innings. Hitting a Test hundred in 124 balls and completing a double hundred with 33 fours and a six would have knocked the wind out the sails of any side. Then came the maestro Aravinda de Silva, becoming the first Sri Lankan to score 5000 Test runs and registering his 17th Test hundred with a masterful knock of 152, and Arjuna who came up with a cameo half-century. Can also one forget the last wicket stand of 59 runs between Suresh Perera and Muralitharan, where the former showed all the potential of an accomplished batsman? Perera is increasingly becoming reminiscent of the recent young Indian 'find', Ajit Agarkar. Let us hope he receives the proper guidance and encouragement. He has the potential of being a winner.

Murali - The match-winner
But, the star of the show was undoubtedly Muttiah Muralitharan, the smiling assassin, who spun a web of deceit and intrigue around the panic-stricken England batsmen and entangled all the England batsmen, except Stewart, at least once in the match. True, Sanath Jayasuriya became the fifth Sri Lankan to become a Test double centurion, but Murali returned the fifth best bowling analysis - 16/220 - in the history of Test cricket. Only Waqar Younis and former Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmet have captured 200 Test wickets in lesser number of games than Murali's 42 Tests. If only, Murali had a leg-spinner from the other end to support him. For that matter, any bowler who could have commanded respect. In fact, in the first innings when Crawly was in full flow, and in the second innings when Ramprakash and Gough were batting resolutely, there wasn't any bowler who looked like getting a wicket. Good old Murali had to step in again when Skipper Arjuna must have been feeling so near but yet so far! For how long can Murali keep this one-man show going? He is the only bowler of quality Arjuna has presently in his pack. It is not fair on Murali nor on Arjuna. Already there are ramblings about Murali's shoulder. Sri Lanka needs quality bowlers - spinners and pacemen - if we are to succeed consistently at Test levels.

Manager Ranjit Fernando's Comments
Referring to the much-discussed decision of putting England in to bat first by skipper Arjuna Ranatunga. It is unwise to pass judgement on a decision made by an experienced Skipper whilst being thousands of miles away from the scene. However, most 'experts' on the scene disagreed with Arjuna's decision. In other words, the consensus of opinion was that Sri Lanka should have batted first. Manager Ranjit Fenando, speaking to London's Daily Telegraph at the end of the England innings on Day 1, after they totalled what then seemed an imposing total of 228/4, came to the defence of the Skipper stating that it was a decision taken by senior players and management. "They probably thought there was a bit of juice and a tinge of green in the pitch. It hasn't quite worked that way out, but we have the new ball first thing" Later however, Manager Fernando was quoted as having said: "Many people were surprised at this (the decision to put England in) but the secret was that we didn't want to be in a situation where England might have to follow on and then Muralitharan be forced twice to bowl around 50 overs in an innings without a break." I am still trying to reconcile this.

The Fate of another Skipper who put them in
Anyway, the bottom line is that Sri Lanka cantered home. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga can tell all the critics to stuff themselves and claim that: "I did it my way." Now, who is to argue with that? That is how the game of cricket sometimes rolls out. On the other hand, in the 3rd Test between England and Australia played at Leeds in 1926, England skipper A. W. Carr won the toss and invited Australia to bat. England's opening bowler Maurice Tate then dismissed Australian skipper and opening batsman, Warren Bardsley, with the first ball of the match! In came Australia's most accomplished batsman of the time, the imperious Charles Macartney known as 'The Governor-General'. Tate's fourth delivery in the same over bamboozled Macartney who snicked it straight to skipper Carr himself in the slips. If Carr clung on to it the scoreboard would have read 0/2 in the very first over itself and his decision to insert the opposition justified. He did not and the next wicket fell at 235!! Macartney scored 112 not out in 116 minutes before lunch and became the second batsman - after Victory Trumper - to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test. Cricket can be a cruel game.

Sri Lanka Must consolidate the gains
Well played Arjuna and the lads, including the back-up boys such as the physio Alex Kontouri. Performing well in England, the traditional home of cricket, is somehow what every team hopes to. That was done. Now it is a question of maintaining the heights we have achieved. A few nuts will have to be tightened, and I am sure they have been identified. Sri Lanka must now consolidate the gains made on the Test arena.