Dushmantha Chameera was on the money straightaway and struck in the first over to set the tone as Sri Lanka never looked back. Dushmantha Chameera was at his best throughout and nailed the right deliveries at the end overs as his 5/24 allowed Sri Lanka to keep England down to 128/9. It was hard work for England, with Sam Curran fighting hard for his 58 off 48 balls and little support from Jos Buttler at the top was also there.
Sri Lanka with their noses front but must bat well in the second innings to win this one.
Matheesha Pathirana’s double strike dents England as they lose 4 inside the powerplay
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Jos Buttler and Ben Duckett came out to open for England while Dushmantha Chameera had the ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Chameera struck straightaway as he got rid of Duckett for a golden duck LBW thanks to good usage of DRS as the umpire had given it NOT OUT. Jacob Bethell came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Captain Dasun Shanaka came into the attack next. He bowled a brilliant first over.
Matheesha Pathirana came into the attack next as Buttler got a streaky boundary away to the fine leg fence off the inside edge. Pathirana hit back and got rid of Bethell for 3 off 7 balls as the edge carried to Kusal Mendis the keeper. Tom Banton came out to bat now. Shanaka continued as Buttler used the pace of the bowler and opened the bat face behind point for a boundary. Banton joined the party as he lunged across and creamed through the covers for a boundary.
Dunith Wellalage came into the attack next. He removed Banton cleaning him up for 7 off 7 balls with one boundary to his name as the ball came back and clattered the stumps. Captain Harry Brook came out to bat next. Pathirana came to bowl the final over of powerplay as Brook flicked him away through long leg for a boundary. Pathirana came back a few balls later and removed Brook for 4 off 3 balls as he drove uppishly to the cover fielder where Liyanage took the catch. Sam Curran came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
At the end of the powerplay of 6 overs, England were reeling at 35/4 with Buttler unbeaten on 18 off 17 balls and Sam Curran was with him on 1 off 1 ball.
Sri Lanka continues to chip away at wickets but Sam Curran holds fort for England in middle overs
Dunith Wellalage continued after the powerplay as Buttler took him on by going inside out over covers for the maximum. Maheesh Theekshana came into the attack next and he struck straightaway removing the set batter Jos Buttler for 25 off 21 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name as the ball snuck through to clatter the stumps. Will Jacks came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Wellalage continued as Curran pummelled it away to the midwicket region for a boundary.
Theekshana continued as a huge appeal for LBW was turned down against Curran. Sri Lanka reviewed and there was a deflection off the bat so the review was lost. At the completion of 10 overs, England were 59/5 at the halfway stage of the game when we all paused for the Drinks Break. Dusmantha Chameera came back into the attack after Drinks and he struck for Sri Lanka as he removed Jacks for 3 off 4 balls as the batter flicked it to short midwicket where Nissanka took the catch.
Liam Dawson came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Curran swatted Chameera in front of square leg for a boundary. Dawson survived a scare as a run out attempt was missed by the Lankans at the bowler’s end. Theekshana continued as Dawson got into the act by going for the pull shot as the ball skipped past man at leg slip for a boundary.
Kamindu Mendis came out to bowl next. Curran took advantage of the poor ball from the bowler as he hammered it past the man at deep forward square leg for a boundary. Pathirana returned to the attack and bowled another tight over. Wellalage came to bowl his final over as Curran pulled it away between deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. England were 92/6 in 15 overs with Curran unbeaten on 36 off 35 balls while Dawson was unbeaten on 12 off 12 balls.
Dushmantha Chameera picks up a 5-wicket haul as England finish with 128/9.Â
Maheesh Theekshana bowled his final over and kept things tight. Dasun Shanaka returned to the attack as the 100 came up for England in 16.5 overs. Curran then whacked Shanaka over long-on down the ground for the maximum. Dushmantha Chameera returned and got rid of Dawson for 14 off 20 balls with one four to his name as he was holed out at deep midwicket. Jamie Overton came to the crease next.
Wellalage made a great save in the boundary before Chameera got his man as he got rid of Overton for 2 off 3 balls as Liyanage took a good catch at backward point region. Adil Rashid came out to bat next. Pathirana came back to bowl the 19th over as Curran completed his hard fought fifty off 44 balls as he held the innings together. Curran then pulled it away through fine leg region for a boundary to end the over.
Chameera came to bowl the final over of the innings as Rashid manufactured a shot by lapping it over fine leg for a boundary. Curran then thumped Chameera for a boundary by throwing his arms and getting it over cover region. But Chameera completed his five-wicket haul as Curran sliced the ball straight to squarish deep third man where Nissanka made no mistake. Luke Wood came out to bat with one ball to go.
He got off the mark as England finished with 128/9 in 20 overs. Rashid remained unbeaten on 7 off 5 balls with one four to his name while Luke Wood was unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball. 4 extras given by the fielding side. This is the lowest score batting first by England vs Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka had a great night with the ball with Dushmantha Chameera leading the way with 5/24 in 4 overs. Matheesha Pathirana bowled well for his 2/27 in 4 overs. Dunith Wellalage finished with 1/28 in 4 overs. Maheesh Theekshana finished with 1/16 in 4 overs. Dasun Shanaka finished with 0/23 in 3 overs. Kamindu Mendis finished with an over for 9 runs. Sri Lanka now needs 129 runs to win to avoid the whitewash.
Who’s winning, Sri Lanka or England?Â
It was tough going for the English batters out there as Sri Lanka bowled great lines and lengths in the middle. Sam Curran’s half-century got England something to bowl at while Dushmantha Chameera was the star for Sri Lanka with 5 wickets and Pathirana bowled well as well. This looks a below par score but it is a used surface that will give England hope. But it’s advantage Sri Lanka for now.
Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here.
Also Read: SL vs ENG: Tom Banton’s Half Century Clinches Series