The Sri Lanka team were asked to remove the national flag they had displayed on their balcony "to show support" for the side, after suffering an incorrect umpiring decision in the third Test. The MCC does not allow flags or banners at Lord's and Sri Lanka's team management said a request to have it removed was immediately heeded.
Team management also brought the decision by Rod Tucker to call a no-ball from Nuwan Pradeep's bowling - denying him the wicket of Alex Hales - to match referee Andy Pycroft's notice, contending that a majority of marginal decisions had gone against Sri Lanka through the tour.
The flag was unfurled just after Tucker's incorrect call in the 46th over of England's innings. The umpire immediately signalled for a no-ball when Pradeep knocked Hales' off stump back, but replays showed a fraction of Pradeep's boot had landed behind the line.
"We put the flag up to immediately support the boys, to lift their spirits up after things were going wrong, one after the other. There was a sentiment that we had the poor end of the rulings," team manager Charith Senanayake said.
In the second Test at Durham, Kaushal Silva was given out on the field when Steven Finn trod close to the line. On that occasion, the decision was referred to the third umpire, who upheld the on-field decision, as a small part of Finn's boot was shown to have landed behind the line. However, as the no-ball had been called on the field on this occasion, the rules state it cannot be reviewed - the rationale being that the batsman may have changed his stroke based on hearing the umpire's call.
The flag was on display for less than an hour. "The MCC made a very kind request that their policy is not to allow any flags to be displayed," Senanayake said. "Given the relationship between us and MCC - they spoke to me and I took the flag down."
Sri Lanka Cricket hosted a Cricket Aid fundraiser in the Lord's long room in the week prior to the match, and was also invited to a separate MCC lunch.