On this day in 2016: England demolish Sri Lanka inside three days

James Anderson is a bowler par excellence. The control that he exhibits with the ball in hand is impeccable, and his ability to swing the ball both ways makes Anderson a tough customer to deal with. And, in the Test match between England and Sri Lanka that ended on 21st May 2016, the bowling colossus sliced through the Sri Lankan batting line-up to help England thrash the visitors by an innings and 88 runs.

The Test

Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to field first. Even though as many as 9 out of the 11 England batsmen could not even cross the 20-run mark, the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales stood up for the England side with the bat. While Hales scored 86 off 206 deliveries, Jonny Bairstow scored a classy 183-ball 140 as England scored a total of 298 in their first innings.

In reply, Sri Lanka had no answers to the questions posed by James Anderson. In the 11.4 overs that he bowled, England’s most accomplished bowler scalped 5 wickets and gave away just 16 runs. Stuart Broad played his part with the ball as well, and scalped 4 wickets, giving away 21 runs in 10 overs and Sri Lanka were shot out for just 91.

Sri Lanka were asked to follow on, and once again the Angelo Mathews-led side produced a shoddy performance with the willow. Except for Kusal Mendis, none of the Sri Lankan batsmen could even cross the 20-run mark in the second essay. In fact, after Mendis who scored 53, the next highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka was Lahiru Thirimanne, who scored 16.

In the second innings too, it was Anderson who destroyed the Sri Lankan batting lineup. The right-arm pacer yet again scalped another five-wicket haul and gave away 29 runs in the 13.3 overs that he bowled. And, Sri Lanka were shot out for 119, as England thrashed them by an innings and 88 runs inside three days.

Jonny Bairstow won the Player of the Match award for his rollicking century for England in the first innings.