England fall narrowly short to wicked Murali deliveries

MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN had the last laugh in a week of cheer for Sri Lanka as England’s brave rearguard fell narrowly short at Asgiriya.

Despite heroic efforts from Ian Bell and Matt Prior on the final day, Michael Vaughan’s team lost by 88 runs around half-an-hour short of the close of play. Bell and Prior came together 10 minutes after lunch with the tourists 139 for six, spending more than two and a half hours together in a 109-run stand before falling within the space of three Muralitharan deliveries.

Prior had a solid 63 but was undone by a ‘doosra’. Bell, who top-scored with 74, played for a turn that was not there and was also bowled.

Set an improbable 350-run victory target, England’s fate was sealed in the 14th over of the second new ball, when a searing Lasith Malinga delivery yorked Matthew Hoggard.

England lost their fifth wicket of the day, in the fourth over of the afternoon session.

But Bell’s composed approach resulted in a 153-ball 50 while Prior’s gutsy effort included a thudding blow to the helmet when a Dilhara Fernando bouncer hurried him on 31. Prior also survived a confident caught behind appeal on 34 when he cut hard at Murali. The middle-order’s primary target had long been to eat up time after Chaminda Vaas celebrated his 100th Test with a devastating new-ball spell. Left-armer Vaas sent back overnight pair Michael Vaughan and James Anderson in the morning: Vaughan nicked one angled across him while nightwatchman Anderson fell in Vaas’ next over.

Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood then perished to Fernando to leave the tourists five down at lunch.