Debutant Sachindu Colombage shone with the ball on his ODI debut after coming into the middle phase of the innings. He bamboozled Joe Root as one of the three wickets that he took in his 3/44 in 10 overs. Sachin Colombage was ably supported by pace spearhead and new-ball bowler Asitha Fernando, who also took 3 wickets as Sri Lanka did well in the second half of the innings to keep England down to 265 in 48.1 overs.
For England, there were plenty of starts, with Harry Brook scoring 67 off 69 balls and top scorer for England. Joe Root made 44, while Will Jacks made 46*. Ben Duckett made 32, and Jos Buttler made 31 as well. Gus Atkinson made 14 runs as well. This is a tough pitch to bat on, and this target will be a tough one to get on this pitch.
England gets off to a blazing start in the power play despite losing Tom Banton early
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first on a dry surface and on a sunny day, Tom Banton and Ben Duckett came out to open the batting for England while Asitha Fernando had the ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Duckett made his intentions clear as he flicked it away through midwicket for a boundary. Dilshan Madushanka had the ball in hand from the other end. He started with a wide while Banton flicked it away uppishly past forward square leg for a boundary.
Fernando continued as Banton tucked it away through long leg as the ball raced away past Madushanka for a boundary as the fielder misfielded. Fernando hit back and got rid of Banton for 10 off 12 balls with 2 fours to his name by cleaning the batter up with a ripper. Joe Root came out to bat next. Madushanka continued and bowled a miserly over. Fernando too kept things under control. Madushanka continued as Root flicked it away between midwicket and mid-on for a boundary.
Fernando continued as Duckett cut the short and wide ball past the right of diving point for a boundary. Duckett flicked it away through midwicket and mid-on for a boundary. Root survived a run-out scare as he had to dive, as the direct hit would have found him short of the ground at the bowler’s end. Duckett managed to get a triple with a punch through covers. Madushanka continued as Duckett tucked it away past backward square leg for a triple.
Dushmantha Chameera came into the attack next. Root hit him with a flick through midwicket for a boundary. Duckett then flicked it away past midwicket for a boundary as well. Asitha Fernando changed ends to bowl the last over of the power play as Root leaned forward and creamed it through covers for a boundary. Root walked down the track and drove it sweetly through covers for a boundary. Duckett got into the act with a flick through forward square leg for a boundary. At the end of the power play of 10 overs, England were 64/1 with Duckett unbeaten on 31 off 27 balls alongside Root unbeaten on 21 off 21 balls.
Sri Lankan spinners strike twice to keep England in check at the halfway stage of the game
Dunith Wellalage came into the attack post the power play. He dismissed Duckett LBW for 32 off 29 balls with 5 fours to his name. Duckett challenged the DRS call and wasted the review. Captain Harry Brook came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Debutant Sachindu Colombage came into the attack next. Root survived a LBW scare as the ball was going down the leg side, and the Lankans burnt a DRS. Colombage bowled a decent first over. Wellalage continued as Brook rocked back and cut it past backward point for a boundary.
England were 80/2 after 13 overs when we paused for the first Drinks Break of the innings. Colombage continued and bowled a tight over after the break. Wellalage continued as Brook went down on one knee and swept it away between midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Chameera came back into the attack and bowled a better over. Wellalage kept things tight.
Chameera continued as the 100 came up for England in 17.4 overs. Chameera bowled a short ball as Brook pulled him away with disdain between midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Sachindu Colombage came back into the attack as he tossed it up, which Brook drove through extra covers for a boundary into the gap. Chameera continued as Root rocked back to cheer it through the backward point region and got a thick inside edge past the off-stump for a boundary. England reached 119/2 in 20 overs.
Colombage continued and delivered a wide. Brook backed away and creamed through the covers for a boundary. Madushanka returned to the attack as Root survived another run-out chance at the striker’s end. Colombage continued and got rid of the big fish, Joe Root, for 44 off 52 balls with 5 fours to his name with a beauty that knocked the stumps over. Jos Buttler came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Madushanka continued and, despite bowling a wide, bowled a tight over. Colombage continued as Brook guided the ball on the pads with a sweep past the short fine leg fielder for a boundary. Brook reached his 7th ODI fifty in 49 balls. At the completion of 25 overs at the halfway stage of the game, England were well-placed at 147/3 with Brook unbeaten on 51 off 51 balls alongside Buttler unbeaten on 4 off 6 balls.
Sri Lanka roared back with wickets at regular intervals to come back into the contest till the 40th over
Asitha Fernando came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Dunith Wellalage came back into the attack, and Buttler survived a close run-out scare at the bowler’s end by getting back in time. Buttler broke the shackles as he drilled the ball down the ground back past the bowler for a boundary. Fernando continued and bowled a tight over. Wellalage too bowled a decent over as England were 172/3 in 29 overs at the second Drinks Break.
Chameera came back into the attack next. He bowled a decent over after the break as England were 175/3 in 30 overs with 20 overs remaining in the innings. Wellalage continued as Brook got down on one knee and swept it away past short fine leg for a boundary. Chameera continued and got a huge wicket as Brook threw his wicket away by holding out to backward point for 67 off 69 balls with 7 fours to his name to Chameera. Will Jacks came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Colombage changed ends yet again and bowled a tight over. Chameera continued as Buttler hit a one-handed shot as he tried to lift it over the bowler’s head, but he managed to clear mid-on for a boundary. Colombage continued and got rid of Buttler for 31 off 33 balls with 2 fours to his name thanks to great usage of DRS by Sri Lanka, as the on-field call was NOT OUT initially. Rehan Ahmed came out to bat next. Madushanka returned to the attack as another wicket fell via a miscommunication, as Rehan was run out for 2 off 7 balls by vice-captain Charith Asalanka.
Jamie Overton came out to bat next. Wellalage returned as the 200 came up for England in 36.2 overs. Madushanka continued and delivered a wide ball before Overton thumped him over the bowler’s head down the ground for a boundary. Colombage continued and got another wicket to his name as he knocked Overton over for 8 off 13 balls with one four to his name by cleaning the batter up. Gus Atkinson came out to bat next.
Asitha Fernando came back into the attack to bowl the 40th over. He conceded a wide ball but bowled a decent over. At the end of 40 overs and the second power play, England were in a spot of bother at 214/7 in 40 overs, with Jacks unbeaten on 11 off 21 balls alongside Atkinson unbeaten on 1 off 4 balls. The middle phase was done and dusted, and now we entered the death overs phase of the innings.
Will Jacks took England forward in the death overs phase, but Sri Lanka did well to keep England to 265 in 48.1 overs
Colombage continued to start the final phase of the innings and bowled a decent spell to end his excellent spell. Chameera continued as Sri Lanka burnt their needless review against Atkinson. Chameera bowled a decent over. Wellalage came back into the attack next, and he bowled another decent over. Madushanka continued as Atkinson broke the shackles with a shuffle across and looked to swipe across the line and got the outside half of the bat past the keeper for a boundary.
Wellalage continued as Jacks hung back and slapped the ball past extra covers for a boundary. England reached 241/7 in 45 overs. Madushanka continued and fired in a searing yorker to knock Atkinson over for 14 off 20 balls with one four to his name. Jofra Archer came out to bat next. Madushanka delivered a wide ball but bowled a decent over. Fernando returned to the attack and removed Archer for 2 off 6 balls by cleaning him up with another beauty. Josh Tongue came out to bat next at 11.
Chameera came to bowl the 47th over as Sri Lanka were penalised for slow over rate. Jacks took on Chameera by backing away and created room by coming down the wicket to punch it over mid-off for a boundary. Jacks was on the charge as he leaned into the ball and creamed it through extra cover for a boundary. Jacks made it three in a row as he hung back and peppered it through extra cover for a boundary. He made it 4 in 4 balls as he shuffled across and pulled it past fine leg for a boundary as 18 runs came off the over.
Fernando continued and got the final wicket of the innings as he knocked Tongue over for a golden duck. Jacka was unbeaten on 46 off 47 balls with 5 fours to his name as England were bowled out for 265 in 48.1 overs.
The Sri Lankan bowlers came back well with the ball in hand towards the end of the innings. Debutant Sachindu Colombage was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/44 in 10 overs. Asitha Fernando supported him well with figures of 3/53 in 9.1 overs. Dilshan Madushanka chipped in with 1/45 in 10 overs. Dushmantha Chameera finished with 1/61 in 9 overs. Dunith Wellalage chipped in with 1/60 in 10 overs. This meant that the target for Sri Lanka would be 266 runs to win off 50 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Who’s Winning, England or Sri Lanka?Â
For starters, it’s a glorious sunny day in Durham and the pitch is dry and taking spin as the game wears on. It is a decent pitch, but not an easy pitch to bat on. Sri Lanka have done well to roar back and keep Sri Lanka down to 265 and bowl them out, considering England’s depth in batting. Having said that, 266 will be a hard chase for the visitors. They have to apply themselves and bat well to win this. England have the bowling sans Adil Rashid missing due to an injury.
It’s shaping up to be an interesting chase, and let’s see how that pans out after the interval.
Also Read:Â ENG vs SL: England Aims To Dominate Sri Lanka