Total recall

A TIGER TAMED: Aravinda de Silva, centurion in his last World Cup match 8212; the 1996 final, in case someone has forgotten 8212; played a tame leaden-footed shot giving Thorpe an easy catch in the first slip.

BOY DONE GOOD: Allan Mullally, the 29-year-old left-arm medium pacer, bowled a consistent line and length and the deliveries angling away from the nonplussed batsmen. His four-wicket haul did justice to his quality bowling.

SAFE PAIR OF HANDS: Graham Thorpe, whose three catches also equalled the World Cup record for most catches in an innings.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: quot;I read that we must win for the sake of English cricket. All I know is that we8217;ve performed very well, and it8217;s played one, won one 8212; AlecStewart.

MESSAGE OF THE DAY: Send the Organising committee, which had just 72 children from five schools yes, just five to the next Republic Day Parade in New Delhi.

David Hopps of The Guardian, London

From the Lord8217;s sound-proofed media spaceship, where even the carpets are sky-blue, it was wholly appropriate that a solid England performance should leave a few heads in the clouds. At the back, briefly and surreally, there even stood an Emirates stewardess in full regalia. There could only be one conclusion: fasten your safety belts and bring your seats to the upright position: England are preparing for take-off.

Sa8217;adi Thawfeeq, of The Daily News, Colombo Sri Lanka were undone by the English conditions and the left-arm swing bowling of England8217;s Allan Mullally, who took four wickets for 37 runs off 10 overs. Overcast conditions and late movement of the ball were not the ideal conditions for batting, even though the sun shone briefly for about ten overs. It was in that period that Sri Lankahad their best batting of the innings when skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and Romesh Kaluwitharana were at the crease.