00:00In this vintage clip, Alex Divert scored 54 runs of 159 balls in 219 minutes, hitting 9-4s during
00:08England's first innings in the second test at Kennedy in March 2001. Alex Divert anchored the
00:15inning. This match was crucial to England leveling the series. Alex Divert innings helped to build a
00:20total after a difficult start. He survived early pressure before falling in another controversial
00:26umpiring decision during that series. The match itself was a bruising contest, won by England
00:32with habitual steel, overcoming challenging umpiring and conditioned to square the series.
00:38Alex Divert was eventually caught by Tilkar at the Dilshan and bowed by Sanat Jaysouria.
00:43This hard-fought innings, alongside a century from Nasir Hussain and a half-century stand
00:48with Graham Thorpe, helped England to build a significant lead over Sri Lanka's first
00:52inning total of 297. So let's watch Alex Divert innings.
00:57Obviously, they think they've got him out twice. Oh, and that one turned a long way. Big appeal
01:04there. Probably turned too much. And, uh, well, Stuart just looking down at the inside edge of
01:10his bat. There might have been a bit of bat in that as well. Not out, says umpire, could I?
01:14He's had a lot to do, umpire Correa. And, uh, that one's spending a great deal.
01:22I think the ratio's, uh, absolutely opposite in this match. At last, Stuart breaks free. There's
01:30a big gap at a point. He's found it. That's four to him. He moves on to nine. Late decision
01:36from Alex Stewart. He saw it was short and wide. Plenty of room to swing the bat. Got the
01:40wrong line, Sanat Jaysouria. He ought to be bowling around the wicket. He's played the penalty
01:44here. Short, wide. Stewart, I think initially was going to leave it. And then saw, well,
01:48I will take four. Yeah, there's no one there. And that's exactly what he did. In the air
01:53for a while, but safe.
02:03Got that away fine. It's beaten the man to short backward square. And this will run away
02:08very quickly. And it will go for four. Sri Lankan captain, uh, really doing himself a
02:18mischief there, trying to stop that four. Thankfully, he's OK.
02:22Well, it's a demolition job. The sweep from Alex Stewart. Kept Jaysouria interested, ball
02:31pitches outside leg stump. Good sweep by Stewart, gets the ball fine. He's interested all the way.
02:37Then everything collapses.
02:44It's amazing. The LBW is taken out of both ends, really bowling over the wicket. It's
02:47very hard to get an LB. And Sanat Jaysouria similarly, a left armor, bowling over the wicket.
02:52So he's pitching outside leg. So the LBW is really a very difficult option for them.
02:58Cool pitch. Stewart Scott, this one away. It's a rare boundary for him.
03:07That's what he's so good at, Alex Stewart.
03:12Concentration. And when he gets the bad ball, he's put it away.
03:16It's all very well getting them, but you've got to hook them into the gaps.
03:19And that's what he's done magnificently.
03:23Gift. Doesn't miss it.
03:25Runs here for Stewart. And there'll be four of them.
03:39That's a beauty. Going for that extra spin, Murali. Trying to tempt the drive and go through the gate.
03:45But Alex Stewart is equal to the task. Got the foot right to the pitch.
03:50This is the fighter delivery, which turns a lot more. You really have to get to the pitch.
03:54And we've seen all the England batsmen. They've done it well. They let the ball come past the leg.
03:59That takes the spin out of it.
04:02I'm going to read that.
04:03England had the rough end of things in Gaul. Yesterday, it was Sri Lanka's turn to...
04:17So it seems to me that they are just a few situations around where...
04:24That's right, Claude. That's a beautiful shot.
04:27He's taken that run from outside off Stamphans, washed it away on the onside.
04:31So Alex Stewart's confidence is beginning to grow here as well.
04:35Perfect start to the morning for England.
04:39Stewart, you can argue, has already been out.
04:4250 partnership now.
04:44291 for five. Stewart on 37. White 24.
04:50Well, that's nicely played off the back. But that'll be four.
04:52Lovely timing. Into the boundary it goes.
04:56Four very, very valuable runs.
04:58Onto the back foot. He waited for it as well.
05:01He got just a little bit big, but he was over the top of it and struck it perfectly.
05:05Played well through the offside, Craig White. Just sets himself there.
05:09Gets a base on the back foot. What do we say about the new ball? It can race away much harder.
05:15It's going to go fine. It's going to go all the way, I think.
05:21It is. It's four more than England total.
05:25I'm lucky for the bowler. England will be quite happy with that. Five runs from the over.
05:29116 overs gone now. It's 305 for five.
05:38Runs such as this can always be so frustrating to the fielding team.
05:43Just eluding the hands of the fielders and racing down on this outfield, which is drying up a great deal.
05:52And the ball's just running on it very quickly. Speeds through.
05:56I don't think it'll stop him for long.
06:03That really was a good shot. Hitting in front of Square. In fact, in front of Midwick.
06:07And that goes to show up.
06:11It wasn't his day yesterday. It's certainly not been his morning either.
06:18Good running. Kate Stewart through to a half century. Very well played indeed.
06:24Over three hours he's been at the crease.
06:27And that's thoroughly appreciated by his teammates and all the England supporters in this ground.
06:33Good running. Wonderful knock from Alex Stewart.
06:37Nicely off the back foot.
06:45Good well controlled sweep. This could go all the way for four.
06:47It's beaten the short fielder and the field at deep backwards square.
06:53Very well played and controlled sweep from Stewart.
06:56Beautifully done. Read the line so well.
06:59This is the problem when you're bowling over the wicket if you just stray a little bit.
07:02The length too. It's picked it up as it's bounced.
07:05Beautifully done. Roll of the wrists. Make sure that he keeps it down.
07:09And picked out the gap as well.
07:12Excuse me. Stewart's the man who's causing the problems here for Sri Lanka.
07:16Oh and that's got to be out. Yes, he's given him that time.
07:19Stewart's standing. Stewart's standing and just whoops around.
07:24Might have been a few words there now.
07:26We know that he's been given in once when he was out.
07:31It seemed by his reaction there that he didn't think he hit him.
07:34I'm not so sure about that Greggy. I think his reactions to what was said to him.
07:38Let's have a look.
07:45Two noises. It's fine. Stands up, finger goes up.
07:55It's a big inside edge. There's no doubt about that.
07:58It's gone up.
07:58I think Stewart has gone for 54. It's 330 for seven.
08:08Up goes the finger and that's where he's disappointed.
08:11Responds a bit to that.
08:12That's his reaction there.
08:14And then he turns. Now what does he say?
08:16Let's just have another look at this catch. You guys at home, Link.
08:23Never mind. Now watch it very slowly.
08:26Now where's that ball? Now that, in my opinion, has got to hit the ground.
08:30These fingers are underneath it, Both.
08:34Now you've talked about lip reading.
08:36Good lip readers invariably have a problem with their sight.
08:39You are a very good lip reader. That is out.
08:42Well, how can you lip read if you can't see?
08:43These fingers are underneath the ball. Have a look at this.
08:48Ah, Morford.
08:49No, I'm sorry, Greg. That's on the floor.
08:53England emerged victorious by three wickets. The match took place from March 7-11, 2001.
08:59Sri Lanka scored 297 in their first innings and 250 in their second.
09:05England posted 387 in their first innings and successfully chased down a target in their second
09:11innings, reaching 161 for Simon to secure the win.
09:16This was a significant victory for England on their tour of Sri Lanka.
09:20Throughout the tour, Alex Stewart was a vocal critic of the umpiring standards,
09:24noting that officials were under immense pressure from vociferous uphealing.
09:29Although Alex Stewart struggled for consistency across the tour but hit significant milestones,
09:35because in the first Test match at Calais he reached 7,000 Test Carrier runs, becoming only the seventh
09:41Englishman to do so. He also scored 25 in the second inning of that match but was plagued by what
09:47he called the worst decisions of his career and LBW in the first inning.
09:51Alex Stewart technically gifted right-handed opening bestman and a reliable wicketkeeper.
09:57He famously balanced both roles while occasionally captaining the national side, including leading
10:02England to its first major series win in 12 years against South Africa in 1998.
10:08He ended his Test Carrier with exactly 8,463 runs, a unique total that matches his birth date of 8-4-6-3
10:17and remains one of the highest run scorer in English history.
10:21If you like this video, please comment, share and subscribe.
10:24Thank you very much.
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