Liam Plunkett hits last ball for six to tie against Sri Lanka
Eoin Morgan had told England to reconnect with the best of their one-day performances over past 12 months and despite a top order implosion from the bad old days, they delivered on the order with a thrilling tie in their series opener with Sri Lanka. Chasing 287 under lights, on the ground where they memorably cruised to a target of 350 against New Zealand a year ago, Morgan’s batsmen had crumbled to 82 for six by the end of the 18th over, leaving Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes with a mountain to climb.
Woakes, who had earlier claimed two for 56 with the ball and registered the highest score by a No8 in one-day cricket, needed 14 off the last over for the win. And while a scrambled three off the penultimate ball effectively ruled it out, his partner, Liam Plunkett, would crash a stunning straight six and see the spoils shared.
Read Ali Martin’s full report here.
Woakes’ 95* is the highest by a number eight in ODI cricket. He’s also the son all parents wish they had.
A not-quite hundred in a not-quite win! Peak Woakes, forever selfless. Terrific knock from a terrific player.
— Henry Cowen (@HenryCowenAOC) June 21, 2016
Yo, @SkyCricket, show the damn three.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) June 21, 2016
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MATCH TIED
After 100 overs, 572 runs and 17 wickets, England and Sri Lanka could not be separated. Which is remarkable considering England were 82-6.
“Listening to that on TMS, after the last ball my heart rate - according to my watch - shot up by about 50BPM,” says Tom van der Gutcht. “I think I’m going to struggle to sleep after that 6 induced adrenaline rush...”
Take a bow @liam628. Big six down the ground to draw the match 💪💪 https://t.co/7aJtTVtjHI
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2016
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49.6: ‘OASHD’AOJ’JDA’JDNSANA HE’S HIT FOR SIX ASDAJ!±!!! IT’S A TIE!!!! WHAT HAS HE DONE?!!! A length ball from Pradeep is sent right down the ground for six! What a finish, what a game! My word, that was incredible! I feel so alive!
Tie.
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49.5: Somehow, these two scab a three into square leg, despite three fielders converging on the ball. Seven off one ball for the win... but six to tie...
49.4: Woakes can only bunt the ball back to the bowler, who has a shy at the striker’s end but misses. 10 off 2... Go on, be a hero Chris...
49.3: Another spot on yorker and another rushed single. 10 off three. “It’s now boundary time,” says Nasser...
49.2: Brilliant yorker and a single means it’s now 11 off 4 needed for England...
49.1: Woakes plinks one down the ground and, somehow, they manage to steal two as Plunkett runs the sacrificial second to get Woakes back on strike. Pradeep, the bowler, isn’t happy.
49th over: England 273-8 (Woakes 89, Plunkett 15) Gunathilaka plays a one man game of Twister in the space of two seconds to ensure he doesn’t touch the ball as he lies across the boundary sponge. Somehow, he manages to pull it off and save a run. But the three brings Plunkett on strike, who scoops Lakmal for four. A wide and a bye sees Woakes back on strike with 21 needed from 10 balls... 19 off eight... Woakes gets in on the scoop action and just manages to beat Maharoof to the sponge – 15 off seven! Misses out on a full toss...
England need 14 from six
48th over: England 257-8 (Woakes 80, Plunkett 10)
Much needed boundary from the fourth ball: Woakes clears his front leg to hit Maharoof for four down the ground. It’s only his third boundary of the innings. He’s not the lustiest of hitters, but he’ll need to unleash his inner Jos if he’s to get England close. An attempt to go inside out plinks on its way to the boundary rider. Woakes retains the strike.
England require 30 from 12
47th over: England 247-8 (Woakes 72, Plunkett 8) For all the good work Shanaka did earlier to dismiss Buttler, he undoes part of it by running in too keenly to a strike down the ground that he was never going to catch. In the end, he yorks himself and the ball goes on for four. Lakmal, though, takes the misdemeanour in his stride and finishes the over with two brilliant yorkers.
England need 40 from 18 balls
46th over: England 238-8 (Woakes 70, Plunkett 2) The perfect over from Maharoof in this scenario: lengths and pace mixed up, meaning the batsmen have to hedge their bets if they want to go big. But, geez, he pushed that front line close to dismiss Willey...
Willey caught off Maharoof - incredibly close to being a no-ball! @EnglandCricket 235-8, needing 52 off 26. SS2 now. pic.twitter.com/6OthQVZlXl
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 21, 2016
WICKET! Willey c Mendis b Maharoof 7 (England 235-8)
Big moment here. Willey finally connects with one but skews into the deep where the off side boundary rider runs in to take the catch. However, the no ball is checked and it looks like Maharoof might have overstepped. After a long consultation, the umpires decide it’s out.
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45th over: England 233-7 (Woakes 68, Willey 6) Willey flays and misses to start the over. But Woakes, after being given the strike, misses out as a full toss is flicked but stopped well by Maharoof at an up fine leg. Given the circumstances, that’s a big win for Sri Lanka.
@Vitu_E That Willey 100 v Sussex is starting to feel like Broad's ton against Pakistan in terms of expectation setting.
— Henry Rawlings (@woofwalkwag) June 21, 2016
44th over: England 226-7 (Woakes 63, Willey 4) Suranga Lakmal comes back into the attack to, presumably, bowl his three remaining overs on the trot. After two thrash and misses, one off his legs brings Woakes back on strike. Willey keeps the strike for the next over, flaying one into the bowler, who keels over to collect/avoid the ball. England require 61 from the last six...
For the first time in ODI history, two WKs got dismissed on nervous 90s on the same day - Jos Buttler (93) & D Ramdin (91).#ENGvSL #WIvAUS
— Deepu Narayana (@deeputalks) June 21, 2016
43rd over: England 223-7 (Woakes 62, Willey 2) Buttler’s innings comes to an end. It’s a wicket that Prasanna has deserved: he’s bowled with great control, only conceding one boundary (a straight six from Buttler). England were unable to score off 25 of his deliveries. David Willey comes to the crease with England needing 64 from 42...
Buttler OUT, Woakes REMAINS
— AdamHathaway (@Hathers46allout) June 21, 2016
WICKET! Buttler c Shanaka b Prasanna 93 (England 220-7)
OH MY DAYS! Buttler heaves to clear the man back at long on. It looks like he’s got enough but a brilliant leap from Shanaka means he’s got to go. A fine partnership – 138 from 24.2 overs – comes to an end. Batted, Jos.
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42nd over: England 217-6 (Buttler 93, Woakes 59) Review for review’s sake, as Woakes plays and misses – by a distance – against Maharoof. Oh that was a chance! Buttler bludgeons a ball through cover, taking a few steps down, too. Seekuge Prasanna at short cover dives brilliantly to his left and, for a moment, has the balls in his hand. However, by the time he comes back down to earth, the ball isn’t there anymore. “Run em up” comes the roar from the crowd but miscommunication between Buttler and Woakes means it’s just one. Buttler lets out an expletive, clearly audible over the stump microphone. “I think you folks at home just heard a bit of French,” quips Michael Holding.
41st over: England 212-6 (Buttler 90, Woakes 57) Sri Lanka are now allowed an extra man out for the final 10 overs. Buttler charges but Prasanna, bowling his ninth over, sees him and adjusts his length accordingly. Four from the over and England need 75 from 54 – 8.33 an over...
40th over: England 208-6 (Buttler 88, Woakes 55)
A pinched single leaves Woakes in a bit of stride as the throw from mid on rears up and catches him on his right wrist. After a healthy serving of cold spray – which, by the way, has made the magic sponge extinct – the over continues, with Butter stealing another two from Sri Lanka’s top pocket.
39th over: England 204-6 (Buttler 85, Woakes 54) Electric running gets seven from the over, including a last ball two that seemed borderline suicidal when Buttler set off from the nonstriker’s end. He made it very comfortably in the end.
Now that is surprising...
This is Chris Woakes' first List A 50, not just ODI.
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) June 21, 2016
38th over: England 197-6 (Buttler 82, Woakes 50) There it is... Buttler pulls out the ramp, lobbing Chandimal and getting four to make this the highest seventh wicket partnership for England against Sri Lanka. Pradeep puts a bit more on the next one and Jos isn’t quick enough to repeat the trick. With the last ball of the over, Woakes brings up his maiden half century off 57 balls.
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37th over: England 190-6 (Buttler 77, Woakes 48) Another firm drive from Woakes is half-stopped by the fielder at cover, allowing him to take three as it dribbles towards the sponge. No boundaries but still seven taken from the over.
36th over: England 183-6 (Buttler 75, Woakes 43) The tickliest of tickles from Woakes gets four fine, as Pradeep strays onto his legs. A sharp single brings up the 100 partnership from 109 balls. Sterling effort from these two. Woakes now has a new career best in ODI cricket.
35th over: England 175-6 (Buttler 73, Woakes 37) So, drinks taken. England need 117 from the next 96 balls. Woakes skips down the pitch to the leggie and works to leg where midwicket is lurking. However, the fielder preempts a straight shot and is beaten on his right side. Prasanna isn’t happy.
34th over: England 170-6 (Buttler 71, Woakes 34) Looks like the decision to bowl Gunathilaka came from upstairs: the Sri Lanka 12th man raced onto the field and headed straight to Chandimal before scooting off. Just when you thought it might be Buttler who’d go after the part-time offie, Woakes skips down and hits him inside out over cover point. My word, that looked – and felt – great.
33rd over: England 160-6 (Buttler 67, Woakes 28) Good from Prasanna, too, as two overs from him and Shanaka reap just seven for England. Gunathilaka, a part-time off spinner, will be bowling the next over.
32nd over: England 157-6 (Buttler 66, Woakes 26) Much better from Shanaka, who keeps out the boundary ball with some better lines to ensure Buttler can’t manufacture much through the leg side.
England Women got their new era started (albeit a day late) with a convincing seven-wicket win against Pakistan. Adam Collins was there:
Heather Knight must be wondering what the guff about the rigours of high office is all about. For her first day in the captaincy job that Charlotte Edwards held for a decade, she led England to a clinical six-wicket win to go one-up over Pakistan in their series opener. In the process she became the first captain to combine a five-wicket haul and a half century in nearly 1,000 women’s one day internationals.
For their first game since their uninspiring World T20, England were not only without Edwards but fellow-retiree Lydia Greenway and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarah Taylor, the latter missing due to treatment for anxiety. It was the first time Edwards – watching on from the commentary box – and Taylor were both missing from the England XI in six years.
Read Adam’s full report from Grace Road.
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31st over: England 153-6 (Buttler 64, Woakes 24) Good aggressive running, particularly from Woakes, as three runs are taken from a fine extra cover drive to bring Buttler back on strike, and he’s trying to nab a boundary through ramps and leg side flicks, but no dice. So he goes for the thick outside edge past the keeper to make amends.
30th over: England 142-6 (Buttler 57, Woakes 21) Just excellent from Buttler. Shanaka returns to the attack and, just when it looks like he’s put together a tidy over, he ruins it with a short ball that Jos swivel-pulls behind square leg for four.
HEADS!
This six nearly came into the press box. Go on @josbuttler #moreplease https://t.co/oSV2zBufUH
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2016
29th over: England 136-6 (Buttler 52, Woakes 20) Jos Buttler skips down the track to hit the innings’ first six which also takes him to 50 from 50 balls.
Buttler Footwork Analysis:
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) June 21, 2016
Front Foot: 15 (20)
Back Foot: 9 (12)
Down the Track: 17 (12)
Moves Infront: 10 (7)
Ducked: 0 (2)#EngvSL
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28th over: England 127-6 (Buttler 44, Woakes 19) Fast hands from Buttler allows him to flay through point, but excellent work from Kusal Perrera prevents the boundary and saves two runs. Woakes moonwalks to outside leg stump, before reverse-moonwalking back to his original position. All that jiving for one down the ground.
Glad to see SL dominating, but the influx of ODI players has done nothing to lift the overall standard of haircuts in the squad. #ENGvSL
— Andrew F Fernando (@andrewffernando) June 21, 2016
27th over: England 122-6 (Buttler 40, Woakes 18) My Sinhala is rusty (nonexistent), but Chandimal seems very encouraged by the shape and areas that Prasanna is serving up. He keeps both right-handers guessing with subtle changes of pace. Just three from the over.
26th over: England 119-6 (Buttler 38, Woakes 17) Good running from these two helps them get four from the first two balls. The asking rate is a very doable seven an over. Only four wickets in hand, mind.
25th over: England 115-6 (Buttler 38, Woakes 13) Prasanna races through an over as the crowd enter that bawdy “we’ve been drinking for six hours” stage.
24th over: England 111-6 (Buttler 36, Woakes 11) Easy as you like for Buttler, as he reads one of Maharoof’s many slower balls and smashes him through extra cover for four.
23rd over: England 103-6 (Buttler 31, Woakes 8) Ironic cheers greet the 100, which takes 136 balls to come up. Quite the contrast to the game here last year against New Zealand when, chasing, they got to three figures off 63!
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22nd over: England 98-6 (Buttler 29, Woakes 6) A bit of variation from Pradeep as he brings out the slower ball off-cutters. One is hilariously down the leg side, but the second does Buttler, who advances to work to the leg side but can only glove the ball along the floor to the keeper.
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21st over: England 94-6 (Buttler 28, Woakes 4) Both Buttler and Woakes are keen to play the leggie inside-out. Not a bad idea, really, but it does mean there can be no let up in their footwork. Any slight miscalculation in getting to the pitch of the ball and that’s a chip to cover or a stumping opportunity.
20th over: England 91-6 (Buttler 28, Woakes 2) Crunching four from Jos Buttler shows up England’s top order. There’s little off the pitch and Jos can hit on the up through cover for four, in some style.
19th over: England 85-6 (Buttler 22 Woakes 1) Seekuge Prasanna, a leggie, starts his spell with a googly. Another – the final ball of the innings – catches the inside edge of Buttler’s bat but whistles past leg stump. Single taken.
18th over: England 82-6 (Buttler 20) Mmmmm what a shot from Moeen Ali! Pradeep is short and wide but Moeen adds some class to proceedings with a punch through extra cover off the back foot for four. And then he hits onto his own stumps. This is a bit rubbish, really.
WICKET! Ali b Pradeep (England 82-6)
A second chop-on, another giveaway...
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17th over: England 76-5 (Buttler 20, Ali 1) Buttler goes forward and across his stumps to pick a ball off middle stump for one through square leg. Moeen Ali, the new batsman, watches a few from Maharoof before dropping one to point and taking a single. Angelo Mathews has a stiff hamstring – the same hamstring he pulled earlier this year. Excellent wrists from Jos gets two through midwicket from outside off stump.
16th over: England 72-5 (Buttler 17) An aerial drive from Buttler goes for four over mid off. Far from convincing, but they all count. So does that, from Morgan, as he runs one through to the keeper. “There’s no conviction in that shot,” says Mahela Jayawardene.
WICKET! Morgan c Chandimal b Pradeep 43 (72-5)
Credit to Sri Lanka – they know Morgan is desperate to run the ball to third man and have given him width outside off stump with a slip in place. He’s not needed, though, as a thin edge from Morgan’s angle bat races through to the keeper. Poor from Morgs...
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15th over: England 65-4 (Morgan 43, Buttler 10) Farveez Maharoof replaces Dusan Shanaka after just one over. Always enjoyed Maharoof’s action – it looks like he’s making it up as he goes along with each step. No great pace but he’s hanging the ball outside off stump to entice Morgan into a mistake. A play and a miss ends the over...
14th over: England 61-4 (Morgan 40, Buttler 9) Nuwan Pradeep replaces Mathews with the ball and, presumably, Chandimal will do the on-field captaining. Extra pace and bouncer for Pradeep, but little lateral movement. Two from the over.
13th over: England 59-4 (Morgan 39, Buttler 8) Dasun Shanaka – similar to Mathews, with a bit more pace – replaces Lakmal. He’s fresh from 5-43 on ODI debut against Ireland but, first ball to Morgan, is bunted down the ground for four. The over ends in a similar manner, albeit through extra cover. Morgan looks in grand order. Mathews, meanwhile, does not and is leaving the field with the physio...
12th over: England 48-4 (Morgan 30, Buttler 6) Mathews continues and Jos has had enough of this softly-softly nonsense. Fifth ball of the over, he tries to ramp the Sri Lanka captain but only into Chandimal, who takes evasive action. High risk for one...
11th over: England 43-4 (Morgan 27, Buttler 4) “Watch the ball,” Eoin Morgan says to himself. The ball before, he overbalanced going at a full delivery, after hanging on the back foot, anticipating a short ball with square leg back. He takes that advice with the final ball of the over, piercing a packed off side field for four through cover. Excellent timing.
10th over: England 39-4 (Morgan 23, Buttler 4) I’ll be honest, I did not see the first Power Play going that way! Sri Lanka have been excellent with the ball and, if the change bowlers are clever, they will be able to profit from England’s tame start and nab a couple of wickets themselves. For now, Suranga Lakmal will continue....
9th over: England 35-4 (Morgan 22, Buttler 1) Man-in-form Bairstow goes. Jos Buttler is nearly run out trying to get off the mark. Eoin Morgan flashes one loosely through point. Somehow, this is all Roy Hodgson’s fault.
Important to remember that Seekkuge Prasanna took his helmet off when he got to fifty so England have the moral high ground here
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) June 21, 2016
WICKET! Bairstow c Gunathilaka b Lakmal (England 30-4)
And the move pays off! Six balls after being dropped, Bairstow goes hard at a back of a length ball that nestles safely into the hands of backward point.
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8th over: England 29-3 (Morgan 17, Bairstow 3) BIG DROP! Bairstow flicks Mathews to Kusal Mendis at midwicket, who should have taken a regulation catch in that position. Dropping a player who has scored 140 and 167 against you in the last month is a ballsy move...
7th over: England 25-3 (Morgan 16, Bairstow 0) Morgan times a shot down the ground that is helped on its way by Dusan Shanaka for four. Then, Lakmal goes across Morgan to invite the dab, knowing he’s got a wide-ish first slip. Luckily for the England captain, he gets it through second, beating the despairing dive of the catcher in place.
6th over: England 17-3 (Morgan 8, Bairstow 0) Well this is rubbish. Not from Sri Lanka, though. They’re exploiting whatever movement is out there by bowling full and straight. Don’t think Root was wrong to try and engineer something into the off side – Morgan, earlier in the over, advanced down the track to upset Mathews’ length. But Root picked the wrong delivery to go at and paid the price.
WICKET! Root b Mathews (England 17-3)
Root tries to open the face and guide Mathews into the off side. But with the ball coming in off the surface, he can only chop on. England reeling...
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5th over: England 16-2 (Root 2, Morgan 7) Three singles from the last three balls as England go into full consolidation mode.
WATCH: Hales out to Lakmal for four, caught Perera. ENG 16-2 (5.2): https://t.co/XbFzNuRrnw #ENGvSL https://t.co/MJzFy3T7HD
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2016
4th over: England 13-2 (Root 1, Morgan 5) Mathews, well, he doesn’t so much “dig” one in short as “place” it. Morgan’s quick to read the length and hammers it through square leg for four. Michael Avery emails in to put me well and truly in my place: “I’m a big fan of Roy and Hales as a batting line-up, both quality batsmen and their styles complement each other. However, for best opener pair they’re still a way behind South Africa. Amla has a 50 average at a 90 s/r, and de Kock already has 10 centuries - which is more than Hales, Roy and Buttler combined - from only 60 ODIs.”
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3rd over: England 7-2 (Root 0, Morgan 0) A clipped four through square leg and thats Hales’ lot. Eoin Morgan to the crease with 280 needed in the next 47 overs...
WICKET! Hales c Perera b Lakmal 4 (England 7-2)
Ah, this isn’t going to plan. A thick inside edge onto the top of the pad carries to square leg. Hales, perhaps thinking he’s been given out LBW, reviews the decision. And, well, see for yourself...
WICKET! Hales (4) is gone, caught at square leg after a thick inside edge onto his pad. 7-2: https://t.co/Q4AjAvOgTt pic.twitter.com/AbVj8Z9VkA
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 21, 2016
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2nd over: England 3-1 (Hales 0, Root 0) Without many spin options, Mathews bowls himself second over, with a very spin-like field, and nibbles one out. That brings Joe Root to the crease. Don’t worry though, England bat pretty deep...
@Vitu_E That's 1 more than SL's opener Gunathilaka!
— Daniel Stone (@DanStone08) June 21, 2016
WICKET! Roy LBW Mathews 3 (England 3-1)
Angelo Mathews, wicket to wicket, with the keeper up, has Roy hanging back in his crease and, well, missing a straight one. Back pad, right in front. Alex Hales tells him not to review. I wouldn’t watch it back either, Jase....
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1st over: England 1-0 (Roy 1, Hales 0) Away swing for Suranga Lakmal, straightaway. Wonder how long that’ll last for. If Sri Lanka “manage” the ball well enough, they could get it reversing as early as the 20th over. Roy is watchful, nabbing a single off the final ball of the over.
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We’re probably about 15 to 20 minutes away from the action. Jason Roy and Alex Hales to open up. I don’t know about you, but I look across the rest of the world’s white ball openers and wonder if England have the best pair. Roy, in particular, has been a revelation in going hard during the fielding restrictions and allowing Hales to be his natural self. Shots like this encourage that affection...
So who's going to try and copy this shot from @JasonRoy20 today? #Blast16 pic.twitter.com/xj2RwaPdtF
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) June 18, 2016
Afternoon all... it probably doesn’t mean anything at all but England defended a score of 287 here in 2013 against New Zealand. Then again, they also pongo-ed 349 here against the same opposition last year. Sri Lanka’s chances rest, as ever, with their ability to take pace off the ball.
So Mathews, Prasanna and Maharoof have given Sri Lanka a vestige of hope here, but in truth it’s probably not enough on a lovely deck and with their bowling attack heavily depleted.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is here to guide you through England’s chase. Bye!
End of innings & Lakmal run out 7
50th over: Sri Lanka 286-9 (Maharoof 31) Woakes with the final over. His first is a low full-toss that Maharoof can only clump to Moeen at mid-off for nowt. He tees off at the next one and, er, the cameraman has absolutely no idea where that’s gone and as a consequence neither do I. Either way, just one run is the result. Lakmal flat-bats past the bowler for another single. Slower outside off and Maharoof guides it through extra cover for the one that takes him to a handy 30. Lakmal turns the fifth round the corner for one, but then he’s run out coming back for the second off the last ball.
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49th over: Sri Lanka 281-8 (Maharoof 28, Lakmal 5) It’ll be Willey with the penultimate over. Sri Lanka will be aiming for 290 from here, which England would probably have taken at the start. Willey is serving up exclusively slow balls to both batsmen, knowing that Maharoof is more than capable when there is pace on the ball. Everything is around 70mph and the result is just four singles and a leg-bye from the first five balls, then what should be a wicket when Maharoof chips it straight down the throat of Root at long-on, but he drops as easy a catch as you’ll get!
48th over: Sri Lanka 275-8 (Maharoof 25, Lakmal 3) With the new man Lakmal on strike England will want to end this very quickly. He keeps out Woakes’s first ball though and gets off strike with a push past mid-on, although he gets it back from Maharoof immediately. Another single then Maharoof gets four with a wild pull that just flicks the ball round the corner to fine leg. By hook or by crook, they’ve worked nine from that over and they won’t sniff at that.
“It’s a little-noticed thing,” writes John Starbuck, “but the Stones always managed to round out their albums (both sides in the vinyl-only days) with a really good final song. YCAGWYW is one of the best, but Going Home, Time waits for no-one, Jigsaw Puzzle, Something happened to me yesterday, Moonlight Mile - all good stuff.”
Indeed. Let It Bleed, with Gimme Shelter/You Can’t Always Get What You Want, probably has the best bookend songs of any album apart from Born to Run with Thunder Road/Jungle Land.
47th over: Sri Lanka 266-8 (Maharoof 19, Lakmal 0) Here’s Plunkett for his final over. From his third ball the crowd is suddenly woken from its stupor: a low-ish full-toss that Maharoof lifts over square-leg and into the stands for six! Another flick out to midwicket for two takes this partnership to a useful 40. Plunkett is just struggling for length a bit here, sending down a couple of full-tosses. He does the job though: with the final over he brings Mathews’ excellent vigil to an end and probably ends Sri Lanka’s chance of a competitive score on a pitch that has seen three 400+ scores in List A cricket this season.
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Wicket! Mathews c Woakes b Plunkett 73
In the slot and miscued to long-off.
46th over: Sri Lanka 256-7 (Maharoof 10, Mathews 72) Woakes comes back for Plunkett and begins with a leg-side wide. With the constant fiddling with the field, this over is taking absolutely forever and the plethora of singles in between adjustments probably isn’t worth the wait, in all honesty. There are four of them here.
45th over: Sri Lanka 251-7 (Maharoof 8, Mathews 70) I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was “dead”
I said to him
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
Sri Lanka get seven runs, which is neither.
44th over: Sri Lanka 244-7 (Maharoof 5, Mathews 66) Back to Plunkett now. 290-300 isn’t beyond the realms of possibility but, with England batting all the way down to No10, I’m not convinced even that will be enough. Certainly two singles from the 44th over of the innings won’t be enough.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 242-7 (Maharoof 4, Mathews 65) Mathews gets the finest of glances on a slower ball on his pads and nudges it to fine leg for four from the first ball of the over. At which point, Vish arrives in the office with a tea for me, making him my new best friend. Seven from the over.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 235-7 (Maharoof 3, Mathews 59) Here is the aforementioned over of spin; Maharoof is on strike and England will be hoping to keep it that- oh no Maharoof nudges the first ball for a single. Mathews goes on the charge and thunks his first ball over mid-on for four. He reins in his attacking instincts thereafter though, simply exchanging singles. Moeen finishes with 10-0-1-69.
41st over: Sri Lanka 227-7 (Maharoof 1, Mathews 53) It’s powerplay time and one of those overs is going to have to be spin as Moeen has one left. Shanaka is run out off the first ball, again pushing further back the point at which Mathews is going to feel comfortable teeing off. Just two singles, plus the wicket, from the over.
Wicket! Shanaka run out 20
Plunkett steals Dasun from out hearts. Mathews called the non-striker through for a single that was never on, Plunkett collected and returned in one smooth motion at cover and Willey completed the formalities.
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40th over: Sri Lanka 225-6 (Shanaka 20, Mathews 52) Dry as the pitch might be, the outfield has been absolutely drenched over the last few days by rainfall and David Willey goes slipping and sliding all over the place as he chases a push out to mid-on. Woakes is back on for Moeen. Four singles and a wide.
According to Sky, the players went off at Old Trafford because of excessive noise from a nearby building site. That’s a load of nonsense: I remember playing at Whittlebury Park while the British grand prix was on just a short way away at Silverstone.
39th over: Sri Lanka 220-6 (Shanaka 18, Mathews 50) Back comes Willey, with Morgan going for the kill. The first four balls bring four singles, the fourth of which is a drive down the ground that takes Mathews to his half-century from 83 balls with three fours. It’s been a grind at times but it’s been a very important innings among a stuttering batting performance from Sri Lanka.
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38th over: Sri Lanka 215-6 (Shanaka 15, Mathews 48) Shanaka, for whose wicket I’ve got a solid 6/10 pun ready, picks up his first boundary with a crunching drive through the covers. Couple more singles then he dances down the track and muscles the spinner back over long-on for a mighty six.
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37th over: Sri Lanka 202-6 (Shanaka 3, Mathews 47) Like Guardian Soulmates, just the two singles.
England’s women have won by seven wickets, Knight becoming the first woman to takes a five-fer and score a 50 in the same match. Take a bow.
36th over: Sri Lanka 200-6 (Shanaka 2, Mathews 46) Back comes Moeen, with one for 47 from his seven so far – 17 of which came from the seventh when Prasanna cut loose. This is much better though from the off-spinner: four dots, a single driven out to deep extra-cover and another worked through wide mid-on to bring up the 200.
35th over: Sri Lanka 198-6 (Shanaka 1, Mathews 45) With Prasanna safely back in the hutch, Plunkett gets to carry on and he has a bit of a grin on, presumably one of relief. It lasts all of two balls as he puts one in the slot and Mathews, taking a step back, hammers it over mid-off for four. The cap’n follows that up with a beautifully timed straight drive that deserves more than the one run it brings on aesthetics alone. Plunkett picks up the sixth wicket after that though and 300 looks a way off for Sri Lanka. Dasun Shanaka, the man who took two wickets in his first over in Test cricket before being dropped, enters the fray.
Wicket! Tharanga c Buttler b Plunkett 3
Full and wide outside from Plunkett; the left-hander throws the bat at it and can only edge through to the keeper.
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34th over: Sri Lanka 191-5 (Tharanga 2, Mathews 40) Change of bowlers, which isn’t surprising given Prasanna’s assault, with Woakes on for Moeen. John Cox writes: “Never mind Matthews still being there at 40, at this rate they’ll get 400 if Prasanna stays in” and therefore gets the credit for that wicket; it really was exquisitely timed, John. Upul Tharanga, no mug as they say, is the new man and he gets off the mark with a tuck into the on-side.
Wicket! Prasanna c&b Woakes 59
Bumper from Woakes and Prasanna goes for the cross-batted club back past the bowler, but sends it meekly into Woakes’s delighted hands. Yes his hands are delighted.
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33rd over: Sri Lanka 188-4 (Prasanna 59, Mathews 39) Plunkett gets... well, whatever that was meant to be all wrong and sends a slow beamer towards Prasanna, who swats it round the corner for four. That’s a no-ball so he gets a free-hit and it’s low full-toss and he flicks it through midwicket for four more! That brings up his 50 from 24 balls. Off comes the helmet and Mikey Holding isn’t impressed with the exuberant celebration, but Prasanna doesn’t give a solitary one and heaves the next ball to long leg for four more. Oh and now he’s cracked one through extra cover for the fourth of the over!
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32nd over: Sri Lanka 169-4 (Prasanna 42, Mathews 38) Six more for Prasanna, launching a quintessential slog-sweep deep over midwicket and into the stands. He moves on to 32 from 18... then 38 from 19 with another monstrous slog over cow corner. Two balls later he goes for the slog-sweep again, not quite nailing it but getting enough on the ball to send it fizzing through backward-square for four more.
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31st over: Sri Lanka 152-4 (Prasanna 26, Mathews 37) Plunkett returns then. As Michael Holding points out, Sri Lanka could still get 300 here although that is largely contingent on Mathews still being there come the 40th over. Short from Plunkett but it’s heading down leg and Prasanna only needs to get the faintest of touches with his hook to send it flying over fine-leg for six. Two balls later he drags his length back again and Prasanna, with no great conviction, picks it up and goes over square-leg where Hales is running round, but it just squirts through the leaping fielder’s hand and goes for six more!
30th over: Sri Lanka 139-4 (Prasanna 14, Mathews 36) Four dots, then Mathews scoops over his shoulder for a single. To give the Sri Lankan captain his due, he’s set himself a nice platform and is more than capable of going big from it. One from an excellent over for England.
29th over: Sri Lanka 138-4 (Prasanna 14, Mathews 35) Yep Rashid is bowling through. Prasanna goes down on one knee and sends has the ugliest of mows at a googly, mashing it through midwicket for an unconvincing boundary. He has another go three balls later and misses, but his back foot is well planted when Buttler removes the bails. Rashid finishes with 0-36 from his 10.
England’s women are 129-3 chasing 165 against Pakistan. Heather Knight is unbeaten on 41 following on from her five-fer earlier. England have loads of time left too.
28th over: Sri Lanka 133-4 (Prasanna 10, Mathews 34) And still with Moeen. I might have been tempted to let a quick bowler have a go at the new man Prasanna, but then I’m not an international cricket captain. Prasanna edges a straight on to first slip; alas there is no first slip and it goes to fine third man for four. He follows that up with another lucky boundary, this time sending a sweep out to backward-square, where Woakes dives over it poorly.
27th over: Sri Lanka 124-4 (Prasanna 2, Mathews 33) Still with Rashid, who has figures of 8-0-29-0 thus far, which seems pretty ideal for his role in the team. England reckon they’ve got Mathews when he bottom edges a cut; Buttler thinks it’s gone straight on to the boot then into his gloves, but he’s wrong about that as it’s gone to ground.
26th over: Sri Lanka 122-4 (Prasanna 1, Mathews 32) That feels like a bonus wicket for England, as Moeen looked to be on purely to keep things tight. The partnership ends on 64 at just 3.8 an over, bringing Seekkuge Prasanna – ODI average 13.1, most recent innings 95 (46) v Ireland – to the crease. He’s not been awful for Northants, but don’t expect to rebuild an innings around him.
Wicket! Chandimal c Woakes b Moeen 37
Chandimal goes for the sweep – hitherto his release shot – but top-edges it straight to the waiting Chris Woakes at deep backward square.
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25th over: Sri Lanka 120-3 (Chandimal 37, Mathews 31) It looks like Rashid might bowl through here: he’s into his eighth over. Finally a bad ball: too short, too wide outside off and Mathews slaps it hard through point for four.
24th over: Sri Lanka 114-3 (Chandimal 36, Mathews 26) If I went and did something else for the next five overs or so, do you think anyone would notice? Just pick a number from two to five and that’s how many singles came from the over. In this case it was five.
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23rd over: Sri Lanka 109-3 (Chandimal 34, Mathews 23) Mathews cuts hard at a leg-break that gets up a fair way, but Willey is on it at backward-point. Three from the over, all in singles and all of which I’ve immediately forgotten. The 50 partnership is up too.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 106-3 (Chandimal 33, Mathews 21) Reverse sweep from Mathews to alleviate the pressure and bring up the team 100 in one fell swoop: he sends it hard past backward point for four. The batsmen are finding it that bit easier to read Moeen than Rashid.
21st over: Sri Lanka 98-3 (Chandimal 31, Mathews 15) Rashid continues as Morgan looks to keep the choke on. On Sky, Shane Warne is impressed with the discipline Rashid is showing in keeping his pace down. The batsmen are struggling to read him and he hits Mathews on the pad with his final ball here, bringing an optimistic appeal that Rod Tucker has very little time for.
20th over: Sri Lanka 95-3 (Chandimal 29, Mathews 14) Time for a change: it’s spin from both ends as Moeen comes on from the Pavilion End. Mathews’ strike-rate at the start of this over is below 50 and Chandimal’s just 64; they’re going to have to decide whether it’s the spinners or the seamers they want to go after. Four singles milked from the over.
19th over: Sri Lanka 91-3 (Chandimal 27, Mathews 12) Rashid continues and continues to show lovely control. He’s improved enormously in that regard – it used to be that he’d send down a full-toss at least once and over whereas we’ve only really seen one from him so far today. Mathews backs away to a leg-break and cuts hard, flashing a top edge wide of Root at slip and down to third man for three runs. The fielder didn’t have a chance.
@DanLucas86 Just heard Jarvis Cocker flogging supermarket prosciutto during the ad break and all my 90s dreams are over
— James Walsh (@jamesofwalsh) June 21, 2016
Oh dear, which song was it? I used the drinks break to go for a comfort break so didn’t see it.
18th over: Sri Lanka 87-3 (Chandimal 26, Mathews 9) The over just about happens. Time for drinks.
17th over: Sri Lanka 84-3 (Chandimal 24, Mathews 8) Another top edge, this time from Mathews, as he’s sweeps at one far too far outside off and sends it looping to short-fine-leg for one. Another sharp single and again the fielder – Roy, I think – hits the stumps with his throw but the batsmen are home. That’s the third time Roy has done that today.
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16th over: Sri Lanka 80-3 (Chandimal 23, Mathews 6) There’s not much threat from Plunkett but, with Sri Lanka’s top order having buggered off for not much at all, there doesn’t need to be. His job is to keep them tucked up and he’s doing a fine job – including a delivery that cuts Chandimal in half and clatters into his midriff – until the final ball: short, wide rubbish that Chandimal cuts high over point for four.
15th over: Sri Lanka 74-3 (Chandimal 18, Mathews 5) Blessed relief for Chandimal. He sweeps a top-spinner from Rashid and gets a thin top-edge that sends it flying up and over Buttler’s head, eluding from the grasp of Root twisting at slip and running down to the straight boundary for four.
@DanLucas86 Have we had the debate about value of Tests over ODIs & T20 yet? Am jet lagged in Manila & feel that may help bring on ZZZs
— Harry (@FactDeJour) June 21, 2016
Nope and I can’t see any good reason for having it. Aside from your jetlag, I suppose. Sorry.
14th over: Sri Lanka 67-3 (Chandimal 12, Mathews 4) You would think that, given how dry this surface is, Sri Lanka are going to have to try and score off the seamers here – the run rate has dropped below five for the first time since the end of the second over of the innings. Roy throws down the stumps from a sharp single but Mathews is safe and sound. Even when Old Man Plunkett offers too much width, Chandimal can only pick out Roy with his cut. Three singles are the lot for that over.
13th over: Sri Lanka 64-3 (Chandimal 10, Mathews 3) Chandimal looks nervous out there. He pushes to short-extra-cover and thinks about running, before realising that would be suicide and turning back. Rashid is building the pressure nicely here with just one from the over: a full-toss paddled round to long-leg.
12th over: Sri Lanka 63-3 (Chandimal 9, Mathews 3) Pace from the other end as the oldest man in the England squad – and, at 31, the only one older than your OBOer too – Liam Plunkett gets a bowl. Like McBain sleeping at night with many beautiful women, he is on the money: just two singles from the final two balls of the over.
11th over: Sri Lanka 61-3 (Chandimal 8, Mathews 2) A new bowler and a new style of bowling: some of Adil Rashid’s leggies coming up, which must have Mathews salivating. Whether that will be his undoing is going to be interesting to see. Chandimal pushes for a single, bringing his captain on strike and Mathews is immediately beaten by a slow one that turns a long old way past the outside edge.
10th over: Sri Lanka 59-3 (Chandimal 7, Mathews 1) Nearly four down! Chandimal drops it into the off-side and sets off for a single that’s never there to Bairstow and only a rare inaccurate throw from Bairstow saves the Sri Lankan captain, sliding in from the non-striker’s end. Couple of balls later, with just another one run added, Willey beats Chandimal’s outside edge twice in succession with a pair of deliveries that don’t swing but are slid perfectly across the right-hander. Another sharp single when Jonny B misfields and the Yorkshireman is hobbling a bit. That’s the end of the powerplay and, on this wicket, England will be happy with their work.
9th over: Sri Lanka 56-3 (Chandimal 5, Mathews 0) Another one goes down for the addition of just two further runs in this over. Cap’n Mathews promotes himself in the order with his side in a small bit of bother. Also my apologies, but Mendis made 17 not 16 as it originally said in the entry below.
Thanks to those of you who have written in to point out that the Kursaal Flyer is a Southend tourist attraction and, in their plural form, a 1970s soft rock group. Meanwhile on the subject of 1990s guitar riffs:
@DanLucas86 How about this gem from Radiohead, topical too.https://t.co/KaxEnn9qCT
— ptother (@ptother3) June 21, 2016
I actually think that’s the worst one on OK Computer. Give me Airbag for riffs on that album any day.
Wicket! Mendis c Buttler b Woakes 17
Short and straight from Woakes, Mendis goes for the hook and feathers a catch through to the keeper. He walks.
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8th over: Sri Lanka 54-2 (Chandimal 4, Mendis 16) “The bowler’s Willey, the commentator’s holding,” says Bumble. Close enough. After Mendis pushes a single Perera perishes – Willey is getting such lovely shape on the ball and you would imagine Chandimal is going to be more circumsp- nope he drives a slightly wider half-volley expansively, square through point for four. In fairness that was begging to be driven, I suppose. Willey beats him with the next ball. And now Nick Knight is talking about Willey’s blue balls.
John Starbuck is back with some thoughts on the better over rates of days of yore: “One reason they kept up to the over rate reasonably well is that there were usually at least two slow (hence, quicker) bowlers. A second reason is that you didn’t know about reverse swing but you had to keep one side polished, and bowlers did their own polishing, walking back to their marks. There was a lot less of the fielding side having to give it to the keeper every time, too. A third reason was that the umpires were a lot readier to come down heavily on time-wasting. I suspect the advent of loads of televised matches, which in most cases meant leaving time for adverts between overs, might figure as a fourth reason.”
Wicket! Perera c Roy b Willey 24
Perera looks to turn this one into the on-side and gets a leading edge to one that was swinging away. It loops up and Roy at backward point dives to his right to snaffle a very sharp catch.
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7th over: Sri Lanka 49-1 (Perera 24, Mendis 15) Mendis is such a lovely, fluid player. Perera is far more agricultural but barely less effective, as he shows by picking up on Woakes’ too-short length and clubbing the first ball back over mid-on for four. He also nudges a single to midwicket, then Mendis edges along the ground and through theoretical third slip for the same.
6th over: Sri Lanka 43-1 (Perera 19, Mendis 14) Lovely shot from Mendis, picking Willey off his legs and clipping it wide of Plunkett at midwicket with lovely fluency. Four runs for that. Willey then strays down the legside and Mendis loves the look of that too, flicking it over the vacant long-leg region and just over the rope for six. The final ball goes to the boundary too – not too wide but cut hard behind point for four more.
“You’d expect both of the Kusals to get off on a flyer,” writes John Starbuck, who isn’t wrong. Although if he’s making a pun I don’t get it, sorry. Although I did judge The Gallery this week and thought all those Justin Bieber references were Elton John.
5th over: Sri Lanka 29-1 (Perera 19, Mendis 0) Perera grabs a couple from the first ball but thereafter Woakes is tighter than my flatmate who offered to buy a round the other day if I ordered and proceeded to give me a £5 note. In London.
4th over: Sri Lanka 27-1 (Perera 17, Mendis 0) Gunathilaka looks about as convincing as a sloganeering Michael Gove here, throwing his hands at a full one and slicing it high in the air over extra-cover and seeing the ball over the rope with one bounce. And just like that, he perishes two balls later. We have two Kusals now at the crease as Mendis is the new batsman and Willey greets him with a loose ball outside off; the bowler is lucky to see Mendis’s slash go straight to Roy at gully. Then Willey beats the drive past the outside edge with the final ball.
“I love a chance to engage in a pedantry exchange!” fires back Andy Tyacke. Happy to oblige, Andy. “It’s normally called the opening over, so it would be a bit longer than momentarily, especially given the direly slow over rate of today’s bowlers.
“Am I right to recall that in the 1950’s even the quickies manage 18 or so overs per hour? Any other old farts out there who can confirm/rebut my elderly memory?”
On the first point I’m allowed to pick and choose what I meant according to whichever is least embarrassing. As for the second, alas I’m too young and must defer to the readers.
Wicket! Gunathilaka c Bairstow b Willey 9
Willey finds a bit of late swing and Gunathilaka pushes it tamely straight to JB at cover.
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3rd over: Sri Lanka 23-0 (Perera 17, Gunathilaka 5) Another single for Gunathilaka, skewed off the face when the bat twists in his hands and sends the ball out to backward point. That brings Perera on strike and he gets the first boundary, standing up to one that’s a bit too straight and pushing it with lovely timing out to the short boundary past cover point. Make that back-to-back boundaries as he slaps the next ball, fuller, through extra cover for four more. Woakes responds by trying to bounce him and Perera nails his swivel-pull, square through the leg-side and off to the fence for the third time. A misfield at mid-off by Morgan allows for two more from the last.
@DanLucas86 Best guitar riff of the 90s? Motorcycle Emptiness by the Manics for me.
— Leo Talbot (@EllPeaTea) June 21, 2016
Lovely shout.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 8-0 (Perera 3, Gunathilaka 4) From t’other end it’s Yorkshire’s Northants’ own David Willey. Left arm over the wicket and he immediately finds a bit of late movement, getting the first ball to nibble away from the left-handed Gunathilaka’s outside edge. The first run comes from the fourth ball of the over, back of a length and a wee bit too leg-side, so just nudged round the corner. A wide down the leg-side and another flicked single makes four from the over.
Andy Tyacke is calling me out: “Do you mean [Woakes] will open in a moment or that he will open for a moment. The latter would be the meaning of momentarily.” Well as soon as he’s opened the bowling he’s no longer doing so, so technically I was right. Ahem.
1st over: Sri Lanka 4-0 (Perera 1, Gunathilaka 3) It looks a very, very flat deck under pleasant blue skies. Expect a run fest. Perera gets us going with a single from the first ball, pushed to mid-off before Gunathilaka gets three wide of mid-on. Perera likes the look of this wicket and aims to carve a wider one through extra-cover with all the footwork of Victor Ubogu but can only smash it straight to Bairstow. Five balls into the match and the sawdust is already out, which is faintly pathetic. The final ball is a repeat of the fourth so it’s a decent beginning for England.
Woakes will open the bowling momentarily.
“Not wishing to be a nitpicker,” begins Iain Gray, and you know how that always goes, “but would like to point out that it should be the Tottenham Hotspur/Liverpool of English Cricket (both have 5 in the squad)”
This is on a shampoo advert. Which is a shame, but best guitar riff of the 1990s?
The Tottenham Hotspur of English cricket?
Good luck to @englandcricket against Sri Lanka today.
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) June 21, 2016
Only the five Yorkshire players! #StrongYorkshireStrongEngland pic.twitter.com/7j0QL9kHbz
This has to be better than Euro 2016, right? I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a single match yet.
The teams in full
Sri Lanka are all-rounder heavy.
England
AD Hales, JJ Roy, JE Root, EJG Morgan*, JM Bairstow, JC Buttler†, MM Ali, CR Woakes, DJ Willey, AU Rashid, LE Plunkett
Sri Lanka
MDKJ Perera, MD Gunathilaka, BKG Mendis, LD Chandimal†, WU Tharanga, AD Mathews*, MD Shanaka, MF Maharoof, S Prasanna, N Pradeep, RAS Lakmal
Toss and team news
Eoin Morgan wins and England will field. Finn, Jordan and Vince miss out, Bairstow replaces the injured Stokes so England will go with five bowlers. Two of them are spinners, which seems questionable given the tendency for it to seam at Trent Bridge.
Angelo Mathews says he would have batted first anyway. I suppose this the ground where 445 played 425 when Notts met Northants in the Royal London Cup earlier this season.
Incidentally that’s Knight’s first ever Michelle in international cricket.
Meanwhile England’s women have just bowled Pakistan out for 165 in 45.4 overs. Heather Knight has had a decent first match in charge...
Captain fantastic! @Heatherknight55 leads her team off with 5wkts to her name! 👏👌 https://t.co/4PORoTuUJk
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2016
Speaking of the domestic game, it’s not an OBO without Gary Naylor is it? Here he is with some talking points from last week’s games.
Preamble
Afternoon, folks. There is one question on every England fan’s lips today: can they seal the win that would give them an unassailable 12-2 lead in the super series?
No wait, the super series is a stupid idea.
Let’s enjoy this, then, for what it is: an intriguing contest that should be far, far more riveting than the one-sided Test series, which was over before Sri Lanka finally turned up in their second innings at Durham.
England go into this with a broadly similar squad to the one that made it all the way to the World T20 final before suffering heartbreak against the West Indies. They’ll not only want to make amends for that but – more importantly – get nice and settled and back into decent form for the ICC Champions Trophy in England next year. Then after that they can think about the World Cup in 2019, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Sri Lanka on the other hand have something of a point to prove. Before Durham and the damp washout that was Lord’s they were pretty abject in the Test series, as you might expect of a side that has recently lost two of the great batsmen of the modern era. They’re still without Sangawardene, the Xavi and Iniesta of cricket, but the one-day stuff is still seen very much as their forte. Having gained a bit of confidence with belated fight in the Test series and a couple of easy wins over Ireland on the tour, they have a chance to show that Sri Lankan cricket can still be a force.
The problem for Sri Lanka is that their bowling stocks are worryingly low. Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera are injured and Shaminda Eranga has gone into hospital with an irregular heartbeat. No doubt all in England will, along with the OBO, be wishing him all the best especially having lost one of their own, James Taylor, to a heart condition recently.
For England, all eyes will be on Jonny Bairstow. He’s hasn’t played an ODI in nearly a year but is in stunning form with the bat in the longer form and, as a naturally aggressive batsman, carries a lot of hopes and expectations upon his shoulders.
Play begins at 2pm BST, or 6.30pm in Sri Lanka. Toss and team news half an hour or so before that, so in the meantime you have a choice of Graham Hardcastle on the County Cricket Live Blog (he’s at Durham v Yorkshire) or a musical interlude. Don’t say I don’t spoil you lot.
Vish will be here shortly. In the meantime, it’s been a difficult couple of weeks for Shaminda Eranga, who has been taken to hospital with a heart complaint and suspended for suspect bowling action.
