For a little under three hours that the England innings lasted against Sri Lanka, it seemed like the fans at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium were forced to read a bad novel in a single sitting.
None of the batters bothered to engage the audience. There was no attempt to build a narrative and no clarity of thought. It felt like going through antique, clunky prose.
It was no surprise that Jos Buttler’s men crashed to a eight-wicket loss on Thursday in what was a must-win World Cup match. England’s title defence now lies in tatters, with near-zero possibility of it making the semifinals.
For Sri Lanka, the win will feel like oxygen. Chasing 157, it was reduced to 23 for two as England tried to make a contest out of it. But Pathum Nissanka (77 n.o., 83b, 7x4, 2x6) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65 n.o., 54b, 7x4, 1x6) put on 137 fine runs to carry Sri Lanka to its second win of the tournament and fifth straight victory over England in World Cups.
Samarawickrama played a tone-setting text-book cover drive off the first ball he faced. The 28-year-old then hoisted Adil Rashid, reverse-swept Moeen Ali before bringing up his half-century off 44 balls.
Nissanka punched, whipped, cut and drove his way through the English bowling. His fifty came via a sublime drive off Mark Wood. It was he who drew the curtains on an abysmal evening for England by hitting Rashid for a splendid six over long-on.
Earlier in the afternoon, after choosing to bat, the English openers were tested during a tricky early phase. Dilshan Madushanka found swing and Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan played and missed. Bairstow could have been out leg-before first ball, but Lanka chose not to review.
But the duo stabilised, pierced the off-side for a few delectable boundaries and put on 45 runs. The returning Angelo Mathews, however, proved Lanka’s man with a golden arm. He forced Malan to nick one behind off the third ball after being introduced, helped run out Joe Root and prised out Moeen.
Buttler’s wretched run continued as his vigil was cut short by a spectacular catch behind the stumps by Kusal Mendis off Lahiru Kumara (three for 35).
The skipper also executed a smart run-out when he collected the ball down the leg-side and ran out Rashid who had backed up too far at the non-striker’s end. Ben Stokes played a lone hand (43, 73b, 6x4), and was also helped along as Samarawickrama failed to hold on to a tough chance at backward-point when he was on 12. But an act of resurrection proved beyond even his mighty blade.
