In contrast England appear refreshed and cannot be far from the peak of their game. The attack is led by an extra special Yorkshireman, whose skill - never mind his gusto - is proving too much for any opposition at present. The batting is given weight and conviction by Graeme Hick's splendid form. This is the Hick of yesteryear, an upright and dominant stroke-maker who rules the field of play with the straightest blade.
Hick was there at the end with John Crawley, who had a useful net in the absence of Neil Fairbrother, calmly guiding England home with a series of top-notch off-side drives and alert running between the wickets. One delicious stroke, off the back foot to the right of mid-on, was somewhere between Sachin Tendulkar and Greg Chappell at their best. Arjuna Ranatunga dropped him when he had made 14 and when England were two wickets down for 72. If the catch had been held Sri Lanka would have sniffed an opportunity. But Hick, in this mood, is simply not droppable and he proceeded to snuff out his opponents with an efficient, impressive performance.
The command performance, though, came from Gough, who beat the edge of the dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya's bat three or four times during the opening salvos of the afternoon before forcing the error which was safely held at point by Nasser Hussain. Immediately after, Romesh Kaluwitharana lost his middle and off stumps to a good one which nipped back off the seam and Marvan Atapattu flashed a quick ball to second slip, where Hick caught it elegantly with time to spare. Gough put the icing on the cake with a thrilling yorker to Hashan Tillekeratne and, at 23 for four, Sri Lanka were waving goodbye to the game.
Alec Stewart might then have bowled Gough right through his 10 overs. He had finished seven of them and fancied more, especially at Ranatunga, who had delayed his entrance to the fall of the fourth wicket. Disappointingly, he was saved for later as was Alan Mullally, who had given his new ball partner ideal, nagging support.
The second string were a comparative piece of cake. Vince Wells was in the side in place of Dean Headley and Mark Ealham, Adam Hollioake and Robert Croft were straightforward for the experienced Ranatunga to milk as he chose. The surprise act came from Upal Chandana, whose feisty 50 in a partnership of 92 with his captain, was by some way his best effort in limited-overs international cricket.
For 20 overs - the 23rd to the 43rd - this pair chugged along unthreatened by England, who oddly took their foot off the gas. Sri Lanka should not have scored 140, let alone 180-odd and it is clear now that a third specialist seam bowler will be needed in the team during the World Cup.
There is plenty of bounce in the Melbourne pitch these days and England would have chosen to bowl first had they won the toss. Now, as day turned to night, Stewart and Nick Knight took advantage of the less demanding Sri Lankan seamers with drives and cuts off the back foot interspersed with the occasional thumping foray onto the front foot. However, both eventually fell to the young, tall and promising Noyan Zoysa - Knight taken at cover point and Stewart at short midwicket by the shrewd Ranatunga who had positioned himself there that very ball. Hussain came in to continue with Hick where they had left off against Australia two nights before in Sydney, and only Muttiah Muralitharan had it in him to stop the rot.
Muralitharan has added a wicked top-spinner to his off-breaks and this variety accounted for Hussain, who was fooled as he advanced down the pitch and was easily stumped. Kaluwitharana had missed him earlier off an equally straightforward stumping chance and the way the Sri Lankans are playing right now, every opportunity has to be taken.
They are desperately missing Aravinda de Silva who will not be fit, after suffering a thigh strain, for a few more days yet. They are also missing the best of Chaminda Vaas, who is not swinging the ball and is still without the rhythm which made him a considerable foe prior to the back injury that kept him out of the game for much of last year. If they do not beat Australia in Hobart tomorrow they will be as good as out of the running for a place in the finals.
England are sitting pretty with space to breathe at the head of the points table and can put their feet up before they, in turn, play Sri Lanka in Adelaide on Saturday. They still have five games to play before those finals, beginning on Feb 10, but it would take a true gambler to bet against more smooth progress from a presently happy and confident team.
REMAINING FIXTURES.- Tomorrow: Sri Lanka v Australia (Hobart) Jan 23: England v Sri Lanka (Adelaide). 24: Sri Lanka v Australia (Adelaide). 26: England v Australia (Adelaide). 29: England v Sri Lanka (Perth). 31: Sri Lanka v Australia (Perth). Feb 3: England v Sri Lanka (Sydney). 5: England v Australia (Sydney). 7: Sri Lanka v Australia (Melbourne). 10: First limited-overs final (Sydney). 12: Second final (Melbourne). 14: Third final (Melbourne).