No play before lunch as Sri Lanka flag row flutters onon

Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne hits the ball on the fourth day of the third test match aga
AFP

London (AFP) – Rain meant there was no play before lunch on the fifth and final day of the third Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Monday.

Sri Lanka were 32 without loss, needing a further 330 runs to reach their victory target of 362, with England 2-0 up in the three-match series.

Dimuth Karunaratne was 19 not out and Kaushal Silva 12 not out.

As Sri Lanka players surveyed the scene, there was no sign of the national flag that had been draped across their dressing room balcony on Sunday in protest at a wrongly called no-ball that denied them a key wicket.

England opener Alex Hales who eventually made 94, was on 58 he was bowled by Sri Lanka paceman Nuwan Pradeep.

But Australian umpire Rod Tucker had already called a no-ball.

Replays indicated part of Pradeep’s front foot had landed just behind the crease but fielding teams are unable to challenge a no-ball call by an umpire and Hales survived.

Under International Cricket Council regulations, incorrect no-ball calls cannot be revoked but umpires can check for a no-ball retrospectively following the fall of a wicket.

The Sri Lanka flag was draped over the tourists’ dressing-room balcony for some 45 minutes in protest at Tucker’s decision.

Flags traditionally fly above both dressing rooms at Lord’s and the flag on the balcony was eventually removed at the request of Marylebone Cricket Club, the owners of Lord’s.

“You feel a little down, it is sad,” Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilinga Sumathipala told reporters.

“The management on tour is very sad about that decision. It will be reported to the ICC.”

Several close Decision Review System calls went against Sri Lanka on Sunday and Sumathipala said: “If the decisions are continually happening against you many times then they (the players) will get demoralised. If they feel it’s only happening to us, that’s sad.”

If Sri Lanka chase down their target they will set a new record for the highest fourth-innings total to win a Test at Lord’s, surpassing the West Indies’ 344 for one against England in 1984. 

But with a whole session lost, the chances of either Sri Lanks scoring the runs they needed, or England taking 10 wickets, to force a victory were receding, with a draw now the most likely result.

The umpires brought lunch forward to 12:30 pm (1130 GMT) in the hope of making a prompt start to the afternoon session.

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