COLOMBO, 22 December 2003 — Muttiah Muralitharan gave a superb display of spin bowling to help Sri Lanka post their biggest-ever victory over England with more than a day to spare in the final cricket Test here yesterday.
Mystery spinner Muralitharan bagged 4-63 as Sri Lanka won by an innings and 215 runs to clinch their first-ever Test series against England after two drawn matches at Galle and Kandy.
The off-spinner broke the back of England’s batting with his alarming turn and bounce as the tourists were shot out for a meager 148 in their second innings after conceding a massive 363-run lead on the fourth day. The hosts had earlier declared their first innings closed at 628-8 in reply to England’s 265.
Muralitharan, who took 19 wickets in the first two Tests, finished with 26 victims and was named man of the series.
The 31-year-old was brilliantly supported by left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya (2-5) and paceman Dilhara Fernando (3-27) as England surrendered meekly.
Muralitharan’s victims included front-line batsmen Graham Thorpe (19) and Nasser Hussain (11) as he plotted the England collapse along with Jayasuriya. Fernando made short work of tail-enders.
Muralitharan was on a hat trick when he had Thorpe (19) and Gareth Batty (nought) stumped off successive balls.
Thorpe jumped out to Muralitharan, but failed to read the turn as the ball moved the other way and went through his bat and pad for wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara to effect an easy stumping. Batty was dismissed first ball as he played forward and Sangakkara brought off a smart stumping.
The wicketkeeper had earlier caught former England captain Hussain to give Muralitharan his first victim. The spinner then dismissed tail-ender James Kirtley to complete his tally.
After Muralitharan had shaken the foundations of England’s batting, Jayasuriya sent back Mark Butcher (37) and Chris Read (nought) in the space of 10 balls.
Butcher was bowled while Read was trapped leg-before as Jayasuriya kept a tight line and conceded just five runs in his nine overs. Sri Lanka, resuming at 563-5, batted 49 minutes in the morning before declaring their innings closed.
Tillakaratne Dilshan, 72 overnight, was bowled by left-arm spinner Ashley Giles for 86 after hitting three fours in his 131-ball knock. Upul Chandana (76) struck two sixes and seven fours before being dismissed by fast bowler Kirtley.
Tail-ender Muralitharan made an entertaining 21 not out off just 10 balls with two sixes and a four. Giles, Kirtley and Flintoff finished with two wickets apiece.
