LAWRENCE BOOTH’S RATINGS:
ENGLAND
RORY BURNS 6 Showed skill and promise at Pallekele, where he set the tone for england’s second-innings sweepathon. But his judgment needs work — both of a quick single, and of which balls to attack. To his credit, though, barely anyone mentioned Alastair Cook. Bat ave. 25.83 KEATON JENNINGS 7 SCored 192 of his 233 runs in the first Test at Galle, where he showcased his preference for spin over seam. Struggled with the bat after that and Australia’s quicks will test him next summer. But at short leg he made the difficult look routine — his anticipation was almost telepathic. his catches were among the highlights of the series. Bat ave. 46.60 JONNY BAIRSTOW 8 Took out his frustration on missing the second Test, despite being fit, with a typical up-yours hundred in the first innings in Colombo. The gloves may not be his for a while, if ever again, so his challenge now is to solve england’s problem at No 3. he has the bloodymindedness to be able to do it. Bat ave. 62.50 JOE ROOT 7.5 hiS 124 at Pallekele has already gone down as one of the great innings by an england batsman in Asia. Just as important was his willingness to set an example: when in doubt, attack. it felt like a seminal moment for the team and he scored more quickly than anyone bar Buttler. one grumble: root fell five times out of six to left-arm spinners. Bat ave. 38.16 Bowl ave. 46.00 BEN STOKES 7 PlAyed three important innings and even tried his hand at No 3 — an experiment that lasted one knock. ran out dimuth karunaratne to change the mood of Sri lanka’s first innings in Pallekele, but his greatest contribution came with the ball in Colombo: a tireless 10-over spell on the second day which brought him three for 30 and helped alter the match. Bat ave. 31.16 Bowl ave. 20.40 JOS BUTTLER 8 iNflueNCed almost every innings with his strokeplay, batting sensibly in Galle, sweeping and reverse- sweeping like a whirling dervish in Pallekele, and using his feet incessantly in Colombo. his strike-rate of 72 was the best in the series and he was a livewire in the field. how did england cope without him? Bat ave. 41.66 MOEEN ALI 7.5 hiS batting disintegrated (it’s looking like No 8 for the Ashes), but his off- spin continued to improve, and — like leach — he claimed more wickets in the series than anyone bar dilruwan Perera. Bat ave. 13.00 Bowl ave. 24.50 BEN FOAKES 9 The find of the tour, not that Surrey supporters will be surprised. foakes’s century at Galle changed the make-up of the team, possibly for good, and he finished as top scorer on both sides. he added crucial lastwicket runs with Anderson in Pallekele, and kept immaculately throughout, pulling off stumpings that england keepers in this part of the world have missed as a matter of routine. Bat ave. 69.25 SAM CURRAN 7.5 CoNTiNued his knack of counter-attacking from No 8, hitting 48 as england fought back in Galle, then a spectacular 64 in Pallekele, launching six sixes. But he bowled only 15 overs before a side strain ruled him out of the third Test: his effectiveness with the ball outside england remains unclear. Bowl ave. 50.00 Bat ave. 37.33 ADIL RASHID 7.5 Added a string to england’s bow with his ability to beat both sides of the bat and produced two incredible balls to dismiss dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Mathews at Pallekele. five wickets in the first innings in Colombo took his aggregate since his Test recall to 22 wickets at 29. Part of a strong lower order. Bowl ave. 28.16 Bat ave. 28.25 JACK LEACH 8 The tightest of england’s three spinners, which allowed Ali and rashid to attack at the other end. looked dangerous against the right-handers, less so against the lefties. his tail-end batting could count against him. Bowl ave. 21.38 Bat ave. 5.00 STUART BROAD 6 PATieNTly waited for his chance, then watched in disbelief as root dropped two catches off him in Sri lanka’s first innings in Colombo. Pace was good and he will feel refreshed. Bowl ave. N/A Bat ave. 0.50 JIMMY ANDERSON 6 AdMiTTed he felt like a ‘spare part’ in the first two Tests and may have been secretly relieved to be rested for Colombo. for once, his batting outshone his bowling: without the 101 runs he helped add for england’s last wicket in Pallekele, the third Test might have been a decider. Bowl ave. 105.00 Bat ave. 19.00