Sangakara denies the victory for Pak as the match ends in a draw!

In the end, neither team wanted it badly enough. Sri Lanka couldn't quite summon up the courage for one final dash, and Pakistan spent much of the afternoon merely going through the motions. When play was called off with the 15 mandatory overs to be bowled, Sri Lanka were 101 short of the 492-run target, and Pakistan had toiled all day for just one wicket. Kumar Sangakkara's 19th Test century was the story of the day, but even his performance was overshadowed by an utterly placid pitch. After 21 wickets fell in the opening two days, the bowlers on both sides could manage just 12 in the next nine sessions.

When Angelo Mathews struck a couple of boundaries soon after reaching his half-century after tea, there was the prospect of a Twenty20-like thrash in the final hour, but ultimately Sri Lanka decided to settle for the 2-0 series win.

With Sri Lanka resuming from their overnight 183 for 3, Pakistan would have fancied their chances of pulling off a consolation victory. But with Sangakkara remorselessly grinding the bowling into the SSC dust, and Thilan Samaraweera contributing a classy 73 to a partnership of 122, Younis Khan was left to forlornly shuffle a tiring bowling pack.

As he showed in Hobart not so long ago, Sangakkara is capable of dazzling counter-attacks in pressure situations. This, on a day when survival rather than urgency was the priority, was all rearguard and little flair, with occupation of the crease the main mantra. The odd languid drive through the covers, or the precise sweep to the spinners would occasionally reveal some intent, but by and large, circumspection was the name of the game.

With Angelo Mathews showing omly brief glimpses of his shot making potential,the runrate slowed up a bit after Samaraweera's removal.He was suffering from cramp in his leg and also got a blow on his helmet by a bouncer from Mohammed Aamer before he was trapped by a doosra from Saeed Ajmal.

Apart from a brain-fade where he nearly handled the ball after digging out a yorker from Younis, Samaraweera had constantly challenged the bowlers, never allowing them to settle into a rhythm. Danish Kaneria, the scourge of Sri Lanka's first innings, was attacked and only Ajmal managed to exercise any real control.

Younis was also badly let down by Umar Gul, who struggled with no-balls and served up dross with the second new-ball. Each mistake was pounced on by Samaraweera, whose classical drives invoked another age. Pakistan still had a slight edge, but with no Flintoff-like talisman to turn to, Younis' brow became increasingly furrowed as the afternoon wore on. Sangakkara's smile only grew wider

Aussies in trouble as they face record chase to win

Australia were left needing to set a new world record if they were to win the second Test against England at Lord's.

England, when rain forced an early close on Saturday, the third day, were 311 for six, a lead of 521, with two days remaining.

Whether they declared on that total overnight, as seemed likely, or batted on, it meant Australia would have to set a new world record for the highest fourth innings total to win a Test, surpassing the 418 for seven made by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.

Both totals were well in excess of the corresponding record for a Test at Lord's, the 344 for one made by the West Indies against England in 1984.

England, bidding for a first Test win over Australia at Lord's in 75 years, were indebted to a stand of 86 in 74 balls between Paul Collingwood (54) and wicket-keeper Matt Prior (60).

Their innings had stalled during the second session but Prior, who faced just 42 balls with nine fours, regained the initiative, and helped justify captain Andrew Strauss' decision not to enforce the follow-on, before he was run out by Marcus North's direct hit.

Collingwood, who'd batted for over six hours to help England secure a draw in last week's series opener in Cardiff, posted his third fifty in four innings in a brisk 72 balls.

They were contrasting innings but each ideally suited to England's task at hand.

Collingwood was eventually out for 54, having shared a stand of 51 in 50 balls with Andrew Flintoff, who ended the day on 30 not out.

Flintoff took England's lead past 500 with an off-driven four off struggling left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, who at one stage completely lost all semblance of line and length.

Much of Australia's fielding was unusually shoddy, with several fumbles, a dropped catch by captain Ricky Ponting no less and a scruffy display by wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, who conceded 16 byes, aiding England's cause.

Neither Ravi Bopara nor Kevin Pieterson were at their best during a third-wicket stand of 73.

Bopara's scratchy innings of 27 finally came to an end when he turned off-spinner Nathan Hauritz straight to Simon Katich at short leg.

Pietersen, who had been regaining some of his old fluency, fell for 44 when caught off the inside by Haddin off persevering paceman Peter Siddle.

Bopara had made just nine when he edged Siddle only for Ponting, at second slip, to stun his side by dropping the seemingly routine chance.

At lunch, England were 57 without loss after Strauss, who made 161 in the first innings, had opted not to enforce the follow-on.

But off-spinner Hauritz, whose selection for this tour was much derided in Australia, brought his side back into the match with two wickets for no runs in eight balls as both Strauss and fellow opener fell for 32.

Cook was lbw before Strauss edged a well-flighted, turning, delivery to M Clarke at first slip.

Johnson had bowled poorly during England's first innings and his problems showed no sign of easing when his second delivery after lunch barely landed on the cut strip, forcing Haddin to dive in front of first slip to take the ball.

Earlier, Graham Onions finished off the work started Friday by James Anderson with two wickets as Australia, 156 for eight overnight, were bowled out for 215, 11 runs shy of the follow-on avoidance target of 226, after England had made 425.

Flintoff to retire from test cricket

Andrew Flintoff has announced that he will retire from Test cricket at the end of this Ashes summer, although he still intends to make himself available for Twenty20 and ODI cricket, and is expected to be fit for tomorrow's second Test against Australia.
Flintoff, who has missed 25 of England's last 48 Tests through a variety of injuries, suffered another fitness scare on the eve of the Lord's Test, when he reported soreness and swelling in the same right knee that required surgery back in April, after he tore his meniscus while playing in the IPL.
"It's not something I have just thought of overnight, it's something that's been on my mind for a while regarding this series," said Flintoff. "With the knee flaring up again and getting the injections on Monday, now is a time I felt comfortable with doing it. There's been a lot of speculation over my future for the past few weeks, so I wanted to get it out there, and concentrate on playing cricket.
"I've had four ankle operations and knee surgery, so my body is telling me things, and I'm actually starting to listen. I can't just play games here and there while waiting to be fit. For my own sanity, and for my family's, I've got to draw a line under it. I've been going through two years of rehab in the past four, which is not ideal."
Prior to England's practice session on Wednesday morning, Flintoff gave the team talk in a sombre atmosphere, and afterwards Paul Collingwood immediately came up and shook him by the hand. "Freddie simply said that these four Tests would be his last in Test cricket," a team insider told Cricinfo. Andrew Strauss, the England captain, said the team were saddened, though not surprised, about Flintoff's decision to stand down from Test cricket.
"As players we've had a feeling this would come sooner rather than later," Strauss said. "We feel sad he's had to make this decision at his age, but we're sure it will motivate him even more for this series."
The knee injury that has threatened his participation at Lord's followed a spirited performance in the first Test at Cardiff, in which Flintoff bowled 35 overs but was once again under-rewarded with figures of 1 for 128. Strauss was optimistic on Wednesday that Flintoff will come through a fitness test and make himself available for selection, and he was seen skipping during England's warm-up in the indoor nets, before padding up for batting practice, then sending down a few pacey overs on the outdoor nets.
"The indications are that he's going to be fine," Strauss said. "He had a good bowl today, we just need to see how he reacts to what he did today before we can be 100% sure. At this stage we are hopeful but we can't be sure.
"When you go in with three seamers, you've got to expect all three to bowl a lot of overs. Fred understands that, but this week in all likelihood there will be four seamers and maybe [they] won't have quite as big a workload. We'd never play any bowler in a Test match who we didn't think could contribute as fully as anyone else."
Though he acknowledged that Flintoff's overall statistics do not bear greatness, Strauss lauded Flintoff's effect on the modern game.
"He's had a dramatic impact in English cricket over the past few years, in the style with which he's batted, and for a long period he's been one of the bowlers in world cricket that batters least like facing, although the figures maybe don't show that," Strauss said. "And also as a personality, he's done a huge amount for cricket in the way he's played with a smile on his face. Test cricket will miss him, there's no doubt about that. I'm sure he'll go out in a style that befits his quality, with a bang, with big performances, and with some stories to tell at the end."
Regardless of his immense stature in the England dressing-room, the statistics of Flintoff's recent form and impact on the Test side are not flattering. Since the 2005 Ashes, he has averaged 28.25 with the bat and 34.68 with the ball in 23 Tests (both figures down on his overall Test record of 31.69 and 32.51), and he has not managed a century or five wickets in an innings in any series since then.
Moreover, he has been unable to impose himself on matches in the same way that he did in his 2005 pomp. Although some leeway has to be made for the quality of the opponents he has faced - Flintoff has often been recuperating during low-key series in preparation for the marquee events - the statistics paint a sorry tale. In the 25 matches that Flintoff has missed since 2005, England have won 12, drawn 10 and lost on only three occasions. In the 23 matches in which he has been present, those numbers are almost exactly reversed - won 3, drawn 7, lost 13.
"I would have liked to have stamped my mark more, but I had three years from 2003 to 2005 when I had everything going my own way," said Flintoff. "I got a few Man-of-the-Series awards on the bounce, and I tried wholeheartedly and gave my best every time I went out there.
"Since 2005 I have just been plagued with injury so I've got the opportunity now to finish on a high by helping England to win the Ashes and it will give me great pleasure if I can play my last Test at the Oval and we can win the Ashes - it doesn't get any bigger than that."
Flintoff received a cortisone injection on Monday, and is sure to play through the pain if he has to. "For the next four Test matches I'll do everything I need to do to get on a cricket field and I'm desperate to make my mark," he said. "I want to finish playing for England on a high and if you look at the fixtures going forward, the way my body is suggests I won't be able to get through that."

Bangladesh register a historic win against the Windies

The shortcomings of West Indies' second-string line-up were harshly exposed as the hosts slumped to a 95-run defeat against Bangladesh.

The home side were missing all their regular starters due to a contract dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board but gave themselves a fighting chance after setting a victory target of 277 by dismissing Bangladesh for 345 in their second innings on Monday morning.

West Indies' run chase failed to crank into life, however, David Bernard's dogged unbeaten 52 the best the hosts could manage as they were skittled for only 181 in the 71st over on the final day of the first Test in Kingstown.

Bangladesh's spinners proved the difference on a turning pitch, Mohammad Mahmudullah leading the charge with five for 41 while Shakib Al Hasan weighed in with three for 39.

But it was man-of-the-match Tamim Iqbal's impressive knock of 128 on Monday that ultimately put the game beyond the hosts as Bangladesh claimed a first overseas Test triumph.

The hosts' run chase got off to a shaky start as they lost two wickets in 18 overs bowled before lunch.

Dale Richards reached 14 before he was run out attempting a quick single while fellow opener Omar Phillips fell for the same score three overs later when he was trapped lbw by Shakib.

Travis Dowlin and Floyd Reifer both made 19 before they were dismissed within two overs of each other after lunch, while Chadwick Walton made 10 before he was trapped lbw by Mahmudullah.

Darren Sammy, the hero earlier for the hosts when he claimed a five-for, also fell on 19 to leave the Windies six wickets down after only 40 overs.

Nikita Miller went for five after tea, and, despite the best efforts of Bernard, the rest of the Windies' tail swiftly followed.

Ryan Austin departed for a duck when trapped leg before by Mahmudullah while Kemar Roach (3) and Tino Best (9) offered little resistance as Mahmudullah and Shakib mopped up the tail.

Resuming on an overnight score of 321 for five, Bangladesh had earlier failed to get to grips with the bowling attack of Sammy and Roach as the tourists' strong second innings petered out.

Sammy in particular looked in fine fettle, completing a five-wicket haul that included the key scalp of Shakib, who added only four runs to his overnight total of 26 before he was caught at mid-off.

Shakib's overnight partner, Mushfiqur Rahim, fared little better, adding only nine more runs before he was bowled between bat and pad by Roach for 37.

The remaining four batsmen fell for only nine runs as Bangladesh lost their heads.

Mahmudullah added eight before he was trapped lbw by Roach, Mashrafe Mortaza was out for a duck while Rubel Hossain became Sammy's fifth victim, trapped leg before.

Sammy's five-for came at the cost of 70 runs while Roach claimed three for 67, but the Bangladesh total always looked ominous and the tourists duly delivered a historic victory.

The final match in the the two-Test series gets under way in St George's on Friday.

A special win for Srilanka

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara hailed his players for "stepping up and taking responsibility" against Pakistan in Colombo.

The home side won inside three days by overhauling their victory target of 171 with seven wickets to spare to clinch a series triumph with one game to go.

It marked an astonishing turnaround on a day which Pakistan started in the ascendancy.

The visitors looked in complete control in the morning session with debutant Fawad Alam and skipper Younus Khan amassing runs with ease.

But Younus' dismissal shortly before lunch prompted an astonishing collapse with the remaining nine Pakistan wickets going down for just 35 runs.

Alam can be excused as his sparkling 168 was the highlight of a largely disappointing display from the tourists while, for Sri Lanka, it was nearly all positives.

Nuwan Kulasekara finished with match figures of eight for 58 while Rangana Herath took five for 99 in Pakistan's second innings.

Sangakkara hit 87 in the first innings and a vital 46 in the run chase and was delighted with the way his team responded to the fluctuating fortunes in the match.

 

"It's a very special win and something that all of us wanted. But we didn't expect to win in this fashion," he said.

"They have been two very absorbing Test matches with the balance swinging this way and that between the two sides.

"But I think the key for us was that whenever we needed someone to step up and take responsibility there was always someone to put his hand up.

"So this series triumph belongs to everyone in the side because everyone chipped in and performed very well.

"We've had our opportunities in the past against Pakistan, but I remember Shoaib Malik saving the game for them at the SSC a few years ago.

"This time I'm glad we took the opportunity when it came."

Sangakkara was particularly impressed with Kulasekara and Herath, adding: "It was hot, the wicket wasn't offering much in either turn or pace, but the two of them really turned the tables.

"It just goes to show if you have heart and if you bend your back and put in the effort, the rewards will come."

Younus put his side's failure down to their recent lack of Test cricket due to safety issues in the Asian nation.

"It wasn't the first time we have collapsed," he said.

"The problem I think is the fact that we haven't played much Test cricket in the last couple of years.

"Everyone knows Test cricket is a massive test of skill.

"In the first game too we were in a good position and then we collapsed. The same thing happened here.

"The bounce was low on this wicket and think we have to tailor our game according to the situation.

 

"This wicket required a change in technique and style."

Younus refused to admit his team had a weakness against quality bowling.

"I don't think it's a problem of weakness against either spin or pace," he said.

"In the morning the story was exactly the opposite with Alam and I putting on that 200-run partnership.

"It was a fantastic comeback after being bowled out for 90 in the first innings and then conceding a 150-run first-innings lead.

"It looked as if we would get a lead of 300-plus, but in the end I think we fell short by about 100 runs."

Younus reserved special praise for 23-year-old Alam, who became the first Pakistan player to score a century away from home on debut.

"Alam was fantastic and one of the positives for us," he said.

"He was very doubtful about opening because he has played all his cricket in the middle order.

"There was an opportunity and I asked him if he would open. I told him he could become a big star.

"His response was fantastic and he is one for the future."

Chappel plays down Ponting accusations

Australia had England on the mat in Cardiff on all five days till Paul Collingwood stepped in with a gritty 74 and the last pair of James Anderson and Monty saw off a desperate effort by the Aussie bowlers to eventually work out a draw.

However, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting accused England of employing delay tactics to force a draw.

"I don't think that was required," Ponting said. "He had changed his gloves the over before and his glove is not going to be too sweaty in one over.”

England all-rounder Bilal Shafayat ran onto the field during the 69-ball last wicket stand between Anderson and Panesar to offer the former batting gloves while physio Steve McCaig had to retreat after angry Australian players asked him to go off on the second occasion.

Chappell does not agree with Ponting

Former Australian captain Chappell, however, disagreed with Ponting: “I don’t think any team should complain about the tactics. It is best left to the umpires to handle such situations and the umpires were not strong enough to deal with the situation in Cardiff.”

Meanwhile, Chappell, who is now one of the most respected cricket brains and commentators in the world, said it was high time Australia came out of missing Glen McGrath and Shane Warne, when asked if the team missed the two legends more so after the way the two tail-enders frustrated an intense bid by the men from Down Under.

“Warne and McGrath have retired and they are not going to come back. It is irrelevant now to think of what they could have done. The others have to be good enough to step up.

All teams lose good players at some point of time and they have to recover.”

Despite Australia missing out on a certain victory to the last two England batsmen after getting rid of their more established players, Chappell did not seem to agree with former Australian tearaway Jeff Thompson, who had said that Ponting was “crap as captain.”

“Well, it is not easy to get rid of Ponting. If you want to get rid of him, you have to look at who is better than him.

As far as the current Australian team is concerned, no one is better than Ponting and it is not easy to replace him.”

"I was wrong about England"

Chappell said he thought England had the better bowling attack going into the first Test but he had to change his views after he saw their bowlers bleed runs and allow the Aussies to amass 674 for six (declared), with four of their batsmen scoring hundreds.

Chappell was also critical of the way England swashbuckler Kevin Pieterson threw his wicket away in the first innings after looking all set to score a big one.

“The kind of shot Pietersen played in the first innings was ridiculous. He has got to work out for himself what kind of shot he wants to play.”

Pietersen played a horrible shot against Nathan Hauritz on 69 and has since drawn the ire from former players from Australia as well as England.

The two teams clash for the second Ashes Test on July 16 at Lord’s.

England pull off a sensational draw

         The last wicket pair of James Anderson and Monty Panesar battled hard to register a tense draw when it all but seemed headed for a victory for Australia.

Mitchell Johnson has got rid of Andrew Flintoff, who had just dropped anchor for England in Cardiff.

Nathan Hauritz hit back at his critics to claim two key wickets as England slumped towards a comprehensive defeat on the final day of the opening Ashes Test.

The Australian off-spinner, dismissed as a potential threat in the build-up to the start of the npower series after suffering mixed fortunes in the warm-up matches, played a key role in England's slide towards defeat on the final morning.

Hauritz claimed the key scalps of captain Andrew Strauss and wicketkeeperMatt Prior as England lost three wickets for 39 runs and slumped to 102 for five at lunch - still needing a further 137 runs just to avoid an innings defeat.

Resuming the day on 20 for two and 219 runs adrift knowing they needed to bat out the day to prevent Australia claiming victory, England suffered a desperate start with influential batsman Kevin Pietersen falling in the fourth over of the morning.

Pietersen had already survived one close call in the previous over when he shouldered arms to a full-length ball from swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus which was rejected by umpire Aleem Dar.

But Pietersen failed to heed the lesson of that narrow escape and fell in Hilfenhaus' next over when he left a similar delivery and this time it knocked out his off-stump.

Having removed England's most influential player, Australian captain Ricky Ponting turned to the spin of Hauritz, who struck in his second over to remove Strauss's 79-minute stay at the crease.

He had already gone some way towards answering his critics by out-bowling England's two spinners earlier in the match and after Strauss cut him for the first four of the morning, Hauritz struck next ball with a delivery which bounced a little more and the England captain edged behind attempting the same shot.

New batsman Paul Collingwood was fortunate not to become Hauritz's second victim of the morning when he pushed forward and gloved the ball off his pad just out of Simon Katich's reach at short leg.

Collingwood also had to stop the ball rolling on to his stumps off Hauritz's next delivery by halting it with his right boot, but it was wicketkeeper Prior who became his next victim and sent England plunging towards defeat.

Prior had already had one close shave when he edged seamer Peter Siddlethrough gully for his only boundary, but was completely deceived by Hauritz as he rocked back attempting a late cut, was surprised by the extra bounce and steered the ball to Michael Clarke at slip.

It left Collingwood and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff with the responsibility of surviving the remaining 34 minutes until lunch, which they achieved but they still have a further two sessions to survive if Australia are not going to claim an early Ashes advantage.