Romesh Kaluwitharana

Romesh Kaluwitharana, pushed down the order, was a revelation -- and easily the best batsman on view in the first half of the match.

He seemed to have figured out, early on, that he needed to cut his backlift down, and jab rather than hit at the ball. Having figured that out, he discovered a reservoir of patience -- or rather, Ranatunga discovered it for him -- and did precisely what the situation demanded. Pushes and prods when the ball was on length and line, firm, clinical hitting at the first sign of error, and Kalu came up trumps with an innings of 57/66.

The bulk of his forcing shots were off the back foot -- another indication that the diminutive keeper-batsman had read the conditions right.

But once Ranatunga went, so too did his patience. In the 37th over, he first danced down to Mullaly and missed completely. Unfazed, he stood back to the next one and waved his bat at one pitching off and leaving him, the outer edge putting Stewart in business. A bad end to an innings that played a big part in saving Lanka some serious blushing.

Kaluwitharana caught Stewart bowled Mullaly 57/66, FoW: 7-155 ( 36.5).

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