Not So Sweet For England In Kandy        
Michael Vaughan was back among the runs again yesterday, but the Second Test against Sri Lankan was sliding the home side’s way after day two. Vaughan scored 52, but England slipped to 163-4 and start the third day still 219 runs behind on a turning wicket in Kandy.                                                                                           

The Sri Lanka tail once again frustrated England as the last three wickets added more than 100 runs - Muttiah Muralitharan controversially out last after the third umpire ruled he had been bowled.

Vaughan and his opening partner Marcus Trescothick set about the Sri Lankan attack with relish and quickly recorded their highest partnership of the series, but once Trescothick went to the last ball before tea a mini-collapse followed.

Surrey’s Graham Thorpe and Durham’s Paul Collingwood set about rescuing the situation with a late stand which took England to 163 for four at the close. Vaughan’s immediate predecessor as captain, Nasser Hussain, was cleared of misconduct by match referee Clive Lloyd following an interchange between the Essex man and Muralitharan when the teams left the field at the end of the home side’s innings.  

Test Match Itinerary

1st Test - 2-6 December, Galle
2nd Test - 10-14 December, Kandy
3rd Test - 18-22 December, Colombo   

                              
       
Written by Martin Hardy on behalf of ISM