It’s an admission sure to provoke the purists – not to mention England. Chaminda Vaas, the Sri Lanka fast bowler, has admitted Dilhara Fernando did employ gamesmanship before the last ball of their thriller against England.

Ravi Bopara needed three runs from the final ball, but Fernando pulled out of his delivery to test Bopara’s reaction. He then clean bowled Bopara to seal the win.

"I think, as an experienced bowler Dilhara deliberately did it," Vaas told the BBC's Sinhala Service. “It was very important for the bowler to understand the batsman's reaction. I think it was a very wise move by Dilhara as a senior bowler."