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England v Sri Lanka, Test series: Five Things We Learned

England v Sri Lanka, Test series: Five Things We Learned

Only 12.2 overs were possible on the final day, as the match was abandoned. England win the Test series 2-0 and lead the Super Series is 10-2. Here’s what we learned from a one-sided Test series…

MAN OF THE SERIES: Jonny Bairstow

I mean, who else, really? Sure, James Anderson was in with a shout. At times, his bowling this series, at all three venues, was mesmeric (more on him later). But Bairstow’s 387 runs, at an average of 129, came in such a convincing manner that the award was as much a recognition of Bairstow’s work in the last three years as it was for his exploits over the last three weeks. He has adopted that quality of suddenly having 20 runs to his name without the opposition even realising. His two centuries – one at his home ground, the other at the home of cricket – were devastating. As for the keeping, the jury is still out, but 19 dismissals in the series isn’t bad going. In fact, the record in a three Test series, held by Ian Healy, is 19.

DEADLY ANDERSON

James Anderson finishes the series with 21 wickets at an average of 10.8. Those are the best figures in a three-match Test series by an England bowler since Derek Underwood in 1969. Sure, he bowled in favourable conditions, against a batting line-up that only awoke at the dregs of the second Test. But his control, speed and tactics were as good as they ever have been. In what little play we had today, he managed to set-up Kaushal Silva for an inswinger which the opener left alone and allowed to hit his pad. It was a splendid piece of high class swing bowling.

SILVA LINING

A heading done to death – within these pages alone – but Kaushal Silva was one of the few batsmen to show consistent fight. It’s worth noting, too, that his place was up for grabs going into the Test series and yet, batting at the toughest times – early in the day, against a fresh Anderson and Stuart Broad armed with a dark, shiny Dukes ball – he dug deep when he could and, in the last two Tests, brought up some scores of note, including a best of 79 notched in the first innings of this final Test. He also now has a bit of variety to his dismissals: today, for the first time in 10 innings in England, he wasn’t caught behind.

STRAIGHT IN FOR COMPTON

Trevor Bayliss was very tactful on the subject of Nick Compton’s future in the England line-up, handing over the matter to the selectors, who will deliberate over the next few weeks before deciding on who makes the Pakistan series. In terms of replacements, there can really be only one. Scott Borthwick, with a touch under 3,000 Division One runs since 2014, has not only been scoring his runs at number three, but has done so while playing most of his cricket at Chester-le-Street’s seamers paradise. There is talk of perhaps throwing in another middle order batsman and pushing Joe Root to pen (even bringing in Jos Buttler to take the gloves and shifting everyone down a spot). But the manner in which Borthwick scores his runs – quick, in the V with an ability to mess with the opposition field – sees him as the ideal candidate. Moreover, he deserves it.

WHAT NEXT

Well, out with the red ball and in with the white. No sooner had the Test finished the squads for the limited overs series against Sri Lanka came through. Bairstow makes his way into both squads, but neither Broad nor Anderson manage to force their way in for ODIs. Probably right, too. There are T20 call-ups for the uncapped Tymal Mills and Dawid Malan. Sussex’s Mills has been bowling around 94mph in the T20 Blast this season - and bowling well, it has to be said - while Malan, now Middlesex’s limited overs captain, has spent the last three years coming good on potential.