Mahela Jayawardene is used to being compared with the classiest batsmen of the modern generation but at Lord’s on Friday he was being linked with those famous double agents—Guy Burgess and Kim Philby.
Jayawardene, at least, was definitely a far better cricketer than Philby, who played for Westminster School with only modest success.
The Sri Lankan team is in England to play three Test matches and five ODIs and it was suggested to their captain Angelo Mathews and coach Graham Ford that they might have a word with their recently-retired former captain Jayawardene, who will be commentating on the series for Sky Sports.
Jayawardene had two spells with England in the winter, working as a batting consultant. The England management was particularly keen to tap into his experience of Asian conditions and his expertise against spin bowling. So he might know a thing or two about the England players, someone suggested coyly.
Ford smiled with the manner of a man who knows a thing or two about counter-intelligence but was not letting on.
Mathews, though, was correct when he said: “There are no secrets in international cricket. We have a lot of video footage. They have media footage of us as well. So there are no real secrets. When we get on the park we know what they’re up to. There will be a couple of tactical ideas which Mahela can put in.”
Sri Lanka can also call on their other recently retired great Kumar Sangakkara, who plays for Surrey. But given Ford’s deep experience of cricket in England, and the knowledge of the game in Sri Lanka possessed by home coaches Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace, there really will not be much guesswork going on in the coming weeks.
Lord’s was so sunny and warm that no one wanted to tell the Sri Lankans that the weather in England has not really been like this of late, and it is unlikely to be like this when they play their first Test in Leeds on May 19.
But Mathews and Ford know that too. And they also know that they won here against the odds in 2014—a tense draw at Lord’s was followed by a win by 100 runs at Headingley where, memorably, last man Jimmy Anderson’s 81-minute vigil came to an end with the penultimate ball of the match.
“It’s going to be a challenge playing against England in England. Early summer, it’s going to be cold for us. The main challenge is going to be the weather,”
said Mathews.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have Kumar or Mahela, who we had in 2014. But we’ve got to move on and take up the challenge. Most of the players haven’t played that much in England and it’s going to be the first time for most of them.
“But we have trained extremely hard in the past two days. We are trying to acclimatise as soon as possible. Definitely we still have talent. And we’ve got some fearless players in our team. That can be a plus point for us.”
Jayawardene, who is due to have a stint playing for county side Somerset in English domestic cricket’s Twenty20 competition later this season, no longer has any official role with the England set-up.
Earlier this year, Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala criticised Jayawardene when he started his second stint with England at the World Twenty20.
But Mathews was far more relaxed about his former teammate working with a rival nation. “There’s no problem with guys like that working with other countries,” said the all-rounder. “They have the freedom to go anywhere and work and we have the luxury of asking them and inviting them to come and help us out as well. So it doesn’t really matter.”
Such is the ebb and flow of coaches in modern international cricket that both England boss Trevor Bayliss and assistant Paul Farbrace have previously enjoyed spells with Sri Lanka.
It was at Headingley two years ago, on the back of a commanding century by Mathews, that Sri Lanka sealed their first Test series win in England after a thrilling match went all the way to the penultimate ball on the last day.
“I believe we can still win if we play to our potential. We’ll have to play really good cricket to beat England though. The 2014 series is one moment we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives. We’d never won a Test series here before, so to do that was fantastic. If we can repeat that once again it would be ideal,” Mathews added.
The first task for many of Mathews’ squad will be adjusting to the unpredictable English climate. Early season Tests in England often take place in bitterly cold conditions although as Mathews was speaking, temperatures on a sunny day in London topped 23C (73F).
Asked if he realised some county matches in England had been interrupted by snow last week, Mathews replied: “Yes! We’ve brought a lot of jumpers. It’s absolutely brilliant to have this weather (the sunshine).”