By Srian Obeyesekere
Into his 110th Test match batting against England, Angelo Mathews scripted old wine of coupling age and experience by a battling second innings 65 when the chips were down exactly a decade since his hey day mercurial epoch 160 century fireworks to leading Sri Lanka to a historic win over the Brits in the 2nd Investec Test match at Leeds.
Ten years ago June, 2014 was a champagne crowning moment of Mathews then 27 years old, at his element when Sri Lanka won by 100 runs over England fronted by a 249-ball marathon effort leading Sri Lanka from the front in the big boots by a 25 boundary tearing up of an England attack that comprised of their key vanguard James Anderson. Mathew’s big show came in a Sri Lankan composition of star studded names such as Mahela Jayawardene, and Kumar Sangakkara.
A decade hence, into his 37th year of the old shoot, Mathews brought his career to his 11oth test appearance as he fenced a hostile England attack that went more for the body than the wicket. Given the England foursome-pace battery’s physical moot to softening and buying wickets, Mathews personified a typical old soldier at it working his way to past a half century in a rear guard effort with his side pitted against the wall like opposition with their tails up. The worth of 65 off 145 balls consuming 232 minutes in the sedate of 2 boundaries and 1 over the top.
The former campaigner fronted a groveling Sri Lanka 3 for 74 bad case scenario to slogging it out and when he fell Mathews had taken it to the respectability of 173 for 5. It was a stage set up for young Kamindu Mendis to take over in his century blitz. Sri Lanka lost, but the likes of Angelo Mathews had certainly imbibed the gallantry that went to make it a fought out battle from the dumps that won them plaudits.
