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Michael Vaughan has noted that Angelo Mathews' fighting half-century in Sri Lanka's second innings of the first Test against England reminded him of the former Lankan skipper's match-winning knock in the 2014 Headingley Test. He added that Joe Root, the only current England player to have played that game, might have also been reminded of that knock.
Mathews scored 65 runs off 145 deliveries as Sri Lanka ended the third day in Manchester on Friday, August 23, at 204/6. They have a lead of 82 after starting their second innings with a 122-run deficit.
Reviewing the third day's play on BBC Test Match Special, Vaughan was asked about Mathews' unorthodox batting technique and the veteran all-rounder getting into some strange positions.
"I love him for that. You cannot just play one way, you get found out. In the first innings, he was back in his crease, he leaves one and he is lbw. In the second innings, he comes out of his crease. He is saying to Chris Woakes - 'you got me in the first innings, I am not going to allow you to do that two in the game'," he responded.
"He is a fighter, isn't he? That innings back in 2014 at Headingley, where Sri Lana came from nowhere to win that Test match. There was a brief moment this afternoon where I thought he is there again. Probably Joe Root is the only one who was around in 2014. He would have remembered that but I certainly remembered being at Headingley when he played that extraordinary innings," the former England captain added.
England took a 108-run first-innings lead in the 2014 Headingley Test against Sri Lanka. Mathews then played a 160-run knock as the visitors posted 457 in their second innings and eventually won the game by 100 runs.
"He keeps making runs, even in difficult times" - Russel Arnold lauds Angelo Mathews' knock
Russel Arnold lauded Angelo Mathews for making the most of his experience and delivering the goods.
"He keeps working on his game, trying to get fitter. At the age of 37, he certainly has slowed down, he is not as agile as he used to be. Throughout his career, there were lots of injuries but at least now, just as a pure batter, his experience and quality is speaking for itself, and he keeps making runs, even in difficult times," Arnold said in the same discussion.
While acknowledging that Mathews might not have an orthodox technique, the former Sri Lanka player praised the 37-year-old for finding ways to score runs.
"He has got his own style. It's not a style that you are going to be teaching young kids but the fact that he knows how to make runs, he knows his game and sticks to it in how he accumulates those runs. He is pure class. He knows how to build an innings as well. When needed, he will take to the bowler to put pressure on them. He picks the right moments," Arnold elaborated.
Angelo Mathews walked out to bat when Sri Lanka were reduced to 1/2 in their second innings. He added 78 runs for the fifth wicket with Kamindu Mendis (56* off 109) before falling prey to Chris Woakes.
