Sri Lankans make history as they sweep up

ENGLAND lost their first seven wickets of their second innings to a swathe of sweeps. Yes, sweeps — regular, reverse and slog — that modern set of strokes associated with risk and premeditation.

No team had lost more than six wickets to sweeps since data analysts started recording shots 12 years ago, and only when the side of Sam Curran’s off-stump was shaved off first ball did the remarkable finally run break.

If it sounds stupid and poorly thought out, it was not. In fact, the only thing wrongheaded about England’s use of the shots were their reviews after being dismissed lbw. Rory Burns and Ben Stokes burned referrals that would have saved Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, who did not have the opportunity to ask for a second opinion on decisions that would have been overturned.

The fact that England barely drove but swept constantly showed that this was a clear plan for this surface — something it is refreshing to see an England team have on the subcontinent.

Too often in the past, England have been undone on spinfriendly surfaces during series after miserable series in Asian conditions.

And just as it did for Keaton Jennings in his reverse-heavy hundred at Galle, it worked: after 68 overs of the innings, it had brought 110 runs from 79 attempts and underpinned the fast scoring that forged their position of strength.

Not only did they lose more wickets to sweeps than any team ever, but they played more, too.

For each batsman, it played a different role. Jennings and Jos Buttler trust it as much as the forward defence, so it is a safety option. For Rory Burns and Joe Root, it was a reliable source of runs. In the end they fell — but by then the sweep had done its job.