Roshan Mahanama

Roshan Mahanama's promotion as Jayasuriya's opening partner was skipper Ranatunga's concession to the need for technical competence at the top of the order. And early on, it looked as if Mahanama was doing the job just right -- shrugging off the occasions when he was beaten for movement around off, the experienced batsman concentrated on playing in the V, working the singles and rocking back to pull or cut only when the ball was short enough for the shot.

When the score got to 40/0 at the end of 10, Lanka seemed to have done what they were supposed to do after being inserted -- namely, see off Gough without letting England's 'enforcer' do any damage.

But then, Mahanama made a meal of it when, in Mullaly's first over, he went on his knee to take a huge swipe -- bad shot selection there, to a ball not short enough for the intended pull. As it happened,

Next