England forced to follow on

By Ted Corbett

GALLE, FEB. 25. For the second time in 24 hours, Marcus Trescothick made a brave attempt to save England from defeat in the first Test against dominant Sri Lanka today but it seems to have been in vain and Sri Lanka will expect to win on Monday. England is still 99 behind with only eight wickets standing and the ball turning.

It is a sign of Trescothick's maturity that, after being dismissed quickly in the morning as England collapsed, he put a poor shot behind him and played as solidly as he has since his debut seven Tests ago.

Trescothick is 25, tall, upright and a commanding figure at the crease. His footwork has been criticised but then, so has been that of many an opener. They survive by their concentration and courage and he has both in abundance. He made a mistake in the morning but came back to continue his good work until late in the afternoon before his innings ended and now he has five scores of 50-plus in his short career. He is a major discovery and he could even help Mike Atherton, his oh-so-dour partner today and yesterday, extend his career by several years.

Trescothick was not out until he had batted for another three hours - making a total of almost 10 hours in the match - after putting on 101 with Atherton. Even then he was unlucky. The ball from Sanath Jayasuriya ran up his arm before spinning to the wicketkeeper Kumara Sangakkara. Nasser Hussain was lbw too far forward for one, leaving him with Test scores this winter of 7, 0, 23, 5, 51, 6, 3, and 1.

Six wickets fell for 47 runs in 100 minutes of the first session; long enough for Atherton and Trescothick to face an awkward 10 minutes before lunch when the second innings began. Trescothick, having completed his first Test century the night before, added only another three runs before he played a half- hearted, foot- fast shot to Chaminda Vaas and the tumble of wickets had begun.

Graeme Hick made only five before he received the second appalling decision of the innings from umpire Peter Manuel. He was so disturbed to be given out caught at the wicket that he paused for a full five seconds with his arms spread in protest and for that time it looked as if he might refuse to leave as Chris Broad, who was watching, did in Lahore in 1987. The replays were convincing. Hick had not touched the ball. But what was to be blamed? Manuel's eyesight, concentration and understanding of cricket angles; or the incessant appealing. Hick went in his own time but his lengthy pause and his gesture meant that the match referee Hanumant Singh had to take action. He gave Hick a one- match suspended sentence, a little harsh as Hick has been a model pro for many years.

At 217 for six, the Sri Lankans found a new gear. Jayasuriya bowled non-stop at the city end and Murali, squeaking appeals and half-shouts as usual, created more pressure than England could withstand at the Fort end. Only Craig White, whose doubts have been replaced by a growing certainty as he piles up a worthwhile series of scores - 93, 41, 9, 35, and now 25 - this winter, looked in control of the spinners. He was out driving, the ball hitting Sangakkara on his foot and looping up. Jayasuriya also gobbled up the nightwatchman Robert Croft and Andrew Caddick before Murali sneaked the last wicket of Ashley Giles. His figures are a testimony to his skill: 54.3-14-79-3. ``If he was fully fit, instead of 80 per cent, the game would be over,'' said Jayasuriya.

England's next fixture, a three-day game against the Sri Lankan Academy at Kurunegala has been reduced to a one-dayer because it has so many injuries. The captain Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton have back niggles, Ashley Giles an achilles tendon injury, Graeme Hick a calf strain and Alec Stewart has tennis elbow. ``We expect that, with rest, they will all be fit for the second Test,'' said physio Dean Conway. It means there is just the one game in eight days before the second Test. It remains to be seen whether the players need the rest more than the practice.

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