Not so long ago, Sri Lanka boasted a team of buoyant and flamboyant attacking cricketers. They had won nine Tests in a row, they had passed 500 in the first innings of seven of those matches, and they possessed in Muttiah Muralitharan a spinner with every major bowling record at his mercy. All that stood between them and a successful tour of England was a seam-bowling department worthy of the name. But two Tests and one day on, and their quest for fulfilment has turned into a desperate scramble for pride. Perhaps the torpid atmosphere has dulled their senses; perhaps the weather has numbed their enthusiasm. But the Sri Lankans, who opened the series in such style on the first three days at Lord's, have quite clearly mislaid their joie de vivre - and their seam bowlers must shoulder the blame.

They always expected to encounter some difficulties in that department, but Sri Lanka never expected Chaminda Vaas to be at the root of them. Vaas entered the series needing a modest four wickets for 200 in Tests. Some 123 overs later, he is drowning in his own heightened expectations. Leader-less without Murali to take the wickets, they have also proved rudderless without Vaas to guide the tyros.

Sri Lanka have been unlucky - Dilhara Fernando, a yard quicker and miles better than his team-mates in this Test, had been sidelined up until now with a stress fracture, while Ruchira Perera's kinky action overshadowed his major influence on the Lord's Test.

But they have also been unimaginative and undeserving in equal measures. Sanath Jayasuriya - whose decision to drop down the order is further evidence of an uncharacteristically negative mindset - seems to have forgotten that his all-seam attack skittled England for 275 in less than a day's play at Lord's. Two innings later, and a one-shouldered Muralitharan was forced to bowl a ludricrous 64 overs in the innings. He has since been reported to be "moody" - and who can blame him? - yet his return to the action reduced the seamers to little more than a walk-on part.

Since enforcing that follow-on, the support act have bowled a total of 262.5 overs, conceded 896 runs, and taken just 10 wickets - that amounts to one very lengthy innings.

Mark Butcher, formerly known as a dashing attacking batsman, has been allowed to creep, almost unnoticed, to a series aggregate of 301 runs at 100.33. Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick have averaged 85.75 for the first wicket, but have still invited criticism for giving their wickets away. In any other circumstances, such figures would amount to an Indian summer. Perhaps it is down to the weather after all.

Andrew Miller is editorial assistant of Wisden.com.

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