Here is the report.
So there we go. Sri Lanka are out, but England are now four and 0; they’ll be in the semis, and are overwhelming favourites to become the first team to hold the 20 and 50-over World Cups simultaneously. Our report will be up here shortly; enjoy the rest of your day.
Morgan is “incredibly proud” of how his team played. They had to fight hard to win, he’s delighted with how Livingstone and Moeen stepped up when necessary, and he loved being at the other end Buttler constructed one of his best-ever innings. He thinks he’s one of the best there is and talks about his “unbelievable skill level” with his mindset and ability to read the game, understanding when to go and where to go.
On his own performance, he reckons that if you don’t believe, no one else will, and he’s pleased to have got some runs, especially with one of his best mates out there with him. It’s a moving thought, that – I can’t imagine the friendship you can forge touring and competing with the same lads over so many years, and the existence of such an atmosphere is almost all captain’s work. He is so ridiculously inspiring, and in the least nauseating manner imaginable.
Shanaka is relatively happy with how his team played, acknowledging that the match was lost in the second half of England’s innings. He’s got a young side that is improving and he’s pleased with how they fought.
On conditions, Buttler explains that the dew was significant and that’s why Rashid bowled out early. They may have miscalculated when handing Moeen the penultimate over but he was up for it and the field placings were good. He’s really happy with how the team are catching, saving and throwing; it shows how unselfish the team are, he reckons.
Buttler tells Sky he can back himself to catch up when falling behind where he’d like the rate to be, and is really happy to be putting all aspects of his game together. On Morgan, he says he never shows too much emotion so wasn’t too down about his relative lack of form. He stayed calm, which is one of his best qualities.
“The batting, bloody hell,” says Paul Mitchell. “But England have left one wicket on the table in 4 games. Brilliant cricket.”
Yes, you never know how it’ll go in the semis and final but they couldn’t be in better nick. They’re not only outplaying everyone, they’re out-thinking everyone too.
Buttler is player of the match and says the key was patience. For a while, they thought 120 would e a decent score, but they tried to target a side each and he loves batting with Morgan. The run out was his favourite aspect of the day, though, because he knew it was getting tight and Moeen would be bowling at the death, an unusual state of affairs. I can’t wrap my head around how dazzling that innings was, just the pure expertise of it – he was in total control throughout, and when he needed a six to bring up his ton off the final ball of the innings, it was just so obvious what was going to happen.
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The other thing is that England won after batting first while accustoming themselves to another surface - it’s been a decent little evening’s work, and Morgan is now the most successful T20 captain in history. So Sri Lanka are out, while England are as good as through.
That was a really enjoyable match. England were superb, again – it’s not at all normal how good Jos Buttler is nor how well he’s playing – and the way they forced the issue when things ought to have got nervy was understated spectacular. Sri Lanka, though, bowled very well in the first 10 overs and were tenacious in staying in the match.
England beat Sri Lanka by 26 runs! WICKET! Theekshana c Jordan b Ali 2 (Sri Lanka 137 all out)
Theekshana skips down and yeets one over the top, but picks out Jordan on the long on fence and he doesn’t drop gornisht.
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19th over: Sri Lanka 137-9 (Theekshana 2, Kumara 1) Target 164 This is superb work from Moeen, who concedes just three from his next three balls.
WICKET! Karunaratne c Roy b Ali 0 (Sri Lanka 134-9)
Eoin Morgan is a genius. Everywhere he’s put a fielder, the ball has gone, and when Karunaratne unloads the suitcase looking down the ground, he picks out Roy who holds on easily.
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19th over: Sri Lanka 134-7 (Karunaratne 0, Theekshana) Target 164 Yup, Moeen bowls the spare one and it’s going to be the penultimate.
WICKET! Chameera c Malan b Jordan 4 (Sri Lanka 134-8)
This is what happens when you’re good: things suddenly get close, then just as suddenly they get unclose. Chameera flicks a half-volley to deep backward square ... and right into Malan’s midriff!
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18th over: Sri Lanka 134-7 (Karunaratne 0, Chameera 4) Target 164 That Woakes drop aside, England have been superb in the field, and two colossal interventions have settled a match just when it looked like getting close. But when Chameera chucks everything at a drive, he thick-edges past Buttler for four and Sri Lanka need 30 from 13.
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Shanaka run out (Buttler) 26 (Sri Lanka 130-7)
Shanaka tries a cut but instead the ball loops up to Buttler, standing back, and he monsters a throw that smashes the stumps as Karunaratne sends his captain back. Buttler is absolutely on one, and the best cricketer in this competition; he’s earned every bit of his Flintoff celebration.
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18th over: Sri Lanka 130-6 (Shanaka 25, Hasaranga 34) Target 164 England’s batters and bowlers are good, but we mustn’t sleep on their fielding. Roy has matured into a real asset, and his presence of mind, plus that of Billings to back him up BUT EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MYSELF!
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17th over: Sri Lanka 130-6 (Shanaka 26, Karunaratne ) Target 164 Hasaranga is a serious cricketer and that was a very fine knock indeed. England have three overs left, one of which will be Woakes and one of which will be Jordan; Moeen will presumably take the other, and will presumably be the one the batters target.
Yes it is!
The soft signal is out! I think this is gawn...
But wait! The umpires want to check Roy really didn’t touch the fence!
WICKET Hasaranga c Roy b Billings 34 (Sri Lanka 129-6)
This is excellent behaviour! Hasaranga charages again and splatters over cover, Roy runs around the fence and, feart he’ll touch the rope, tosses to Billings, next to him and on as sub! That is surely that!
17th over: Sri Lanka 129-5 (Shanaka 25, Hasaranga 34) Target 164 This has been a fine effort from Sri Lanka, who’ve showed serious vertebrae and skill to hang in there; as recently as the summer, they might’ve folded. Livingstone has bowled alright here, but in every over there’s been a boundary ball and that’s what happens here too, a single to each batter elevated by Shanaka coming down and slamming an inside-out drive over point for four!
16th over: Sri Lanka 123-5 (Shanaka 24, Hasaranga 29) Target 164 Jordan returns and Shanaka takes a single to Woakes at mid off, who misses with his shy. There’s then a kerfuffle over the seam, presumably because of the dew, while we learn that Mills has indeed got quad-knack. Two more singles follow and England won’t mind those, they just need to avoid boundaries, then Hasaranga chucks the bat to hoist two over the off side infield; the throw goes to Buttler, who hurls at the non-striker’s but can’t hit, and Hasaranga only goes and drives over mid off for four! He backs it up with a single, and Sri Lanka need 41 from 24 deliveries!
15th over: Sri Lanka 113-5 (Shanaka 22, Hasaranga 21) Target 164 I wonder if Morgan would’ve had Livingstone finish off for Mills if he’d not bowled the previous over, but here he is again, ceding three dots from his first four balls - that’s a good effort because despite what I said earlier Sri Lanka are still just about in this and oooh yeah! Shanaka ambles down to devastate six over wide long on! A single follows, and Sri Lanka need 50 off 30!
14th over: Sri Lanka 103-5 (Shanaka 14, Hasaranga 19) Target 164 Livingstone’s ability to bowl different varieties has Watson talking about David Warner spending a season of his youth batting righty, which is why his switch hit is basically a slog sweep. Anyhow, Hasaranga can bat, and he absolutely murders Mills’ first ball downtown for six! Mills is playing for his place here – his lefty angle is desirable, but he’s not as good as Wood, and following a single and a wide, Shanaka misses a glance around the corner, instead gloving just wide of Buttler’s dive and earning himself four. But what’s this? Mills is limping, absolute sake, looks like a quad situation, and that might be his tournament. I really hope not, he’s done and been through everything to get himself to this position, but that’s where we are and Woakes will finish off his over; that costs him one of his own, so he’s only got one left. Morgan took a while to decide on that, so he’s got a plan, and in the meantime, the three deliveries yield two singles.
13th over: Sri Lanka 82-5 (Shanaka 9, Hasaranga 11) Target 164 “Jos Buttler, goodness me what a superstar he is,” says Watto, as Livingstone returns to the England attack and sees his first ball, short and wide like a Glaswegian child, cut hard to the fence for four. Still, though, his ability to bowl both off and leg breaks is pretty nifty, and his over yields seven; the required rate is now 10.71.
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12th over: Sri Lanka 82-5 (Shanaka 8, Hasaranga 5) Target 164 Rashid returns to finish off yet another superb spell, after a single to each batter, Hasaranga lifts a nice shot over the top, but picks out the man at wide long on so only gets two. Next ball is punished down the ground, but Rashid extends a leg to turn a boundary into a dot and when his final delivery yields a single, he ends with 2-19 off his four. Bowling.
11th over: Sri Lanka 77-5 (Shanaka 7, Hasaranga 1) Target 164 Hasaranga eases to third man to get himself away, but he knows what we all know: this is done.
WICKET! Rajapakse c Roy b Woakes 26 (Sri Lanka 76-5)
Woakes tries a slower ball off-cutter and Rajapakse is through his shot too quickly ... but it still takes a fine catch to dismiss him, Roy racing in and diving forwards.
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11th over: Sri Lanka 76-4 (Rajapakse 26, Shanaka 7) Target 164 Woakes returns, and the sweat and humidity have done wonders for what’s already a tremendous head of hair. Less usually, Woakes could do with something here after being hit for six in his first over, then dropping that catch ... and well! Rajapakse takes one that bounces over deep square for six, then when Woakes tries to go wide, hammers him through mid off for four!
10th over: Sri Lanka 66-4 (Rajapaske 16, Shanaka 7) Target 164 Here we go, you need 106 from 66, now here’s Tymal Mills. Cricket, what a brute. Shanaka takes his first ball for a single to third man, then wears his next on the pad – there’s an appeal but it’s a matter of principle. So Mills digs deeper, getting himself up to 140kph, so Shanaka waits for him and glides four to deep backward point. He’s a worthy successor to Angelo Mathews in so many ways, and after a single to each batter, it’s drinks.
9th over: Sri Lanka 58-4 (Rajapakse 15, Shanaka 1) Target 164 This is pretty much over, you’d think, and Shanaka can manage just a single from the two balls he faces, bunting one to cover to retain the strike.
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WICKET! Aviksha lbw b Jordan 13 (Sri Lanka 57-4)
This is the deadest of dead, a full one that hits the bottom of the pad as Aviksha misses his sweep in front of middle.
9th over: Sri Lanka 57-3 (Avishka 13, Rajapakse 15) Target 164 The required rate is over nine now but Morgan doesn’t allow Livingstone another over, recalling Jordan, who concedes one from his first ball and has Bairstow save a boundary from his second, tanking around the fence to dive brilliantly.
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8th over: Sri Lanka 54-3 (Avishka 11, Rajapakse 14) Target 164 Rashid continues, and England know another tight one will really amp up the pressure, while Sri Lanka know that after this he’s only got one over left. And he nearly gets another! Rajapaske gets down on one knee to heave a sweep and Woakes is under it! He doesn’t drop them, but he loses the ball to begin with, running the wrong way, corrects and gets into position ... then shells it! Goodness me, now I’ve seen everything, on which point I never thought I’d see Three Lions played between overs, and yet here we are.
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7th over: Sri Lanka 50-3 (Avishka 8, Rajapakse 13) Target 164 Livingston and his little tweakers come into the attack, so the batters have a look, taking a single apiece off his first two balls, then Rajapaska decides he knows what’s what, skipping down to mash him over his head for six! Livingstone responds well enough, two singles ceded from the three remaining balls, and the required rate is now up to 8.76.
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6th over: Sri Lanka 40-3 (Avishka 6, Rajapakse 5) Target 164 Sri Lanka are in terrible trouble now, but after Avishka takes a single, Rajapaske hammers over the top for four then adds a single to leg.
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WICKET! Perera c Morgan b Rashid 7 (Sri Lanka 34-3)
Perera unloads the suitcase at a googly, sends up another steepler, and again it’s the captain making it his. He’s exactly the kind of mensch you want under a high ball.
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5th over: Sri Lanka 34-2 (Perera 7, Avishka 5) Target 164 Morgan introduces Ceej to the attack, and after two dots, Aviksha monsters him through cover for four. I doubt Sri Lanka win here or even get close, but they’re setting about the chase in suitable fashion while Simon Doull asks Nasser when his son Joel’s birthday is and he doesn’t know. Other hand, my dad knows mine, but he didn’t furnish me with Test captain genes; England were also 34-2 off five.
“Random aside,” says AB Parker, “but the Yorkshire report into the racism suffered by Azim Rafiq called the P-word ‘banter’ and the panel accused Rafiq of using ‘offensive, racially derogatory comments’ when referring to a player of Zimbabwean heritage as ‘Zimbo from Zimbabwe’. The panel viewing this as a ‘racist, derogatory term’ is a disgrace. Hope there’s something on the website on it soon.”
I’m certain that’ll be the case.
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4th over: Sri Lanka 28-2 (Perera 6, Avishka 0) Target 164 I’m just not having that Rashid isn’t England’s best Test spinner, and after Perera forces two to backward point, he befuddles him with a gorgeous googly; Perera, though, survives and sends the over’s final delivery around the corner for two more.
WICKET! Asalanka c Ali b Rashid 21 (Sri Lanka 24-2)
Very good bowling from Rashid, who goes front of the hand again, enticing Asalanka down as the ball slides on, and he can’t get hold of it, sending one spiralling up towards mid off. Moeen duly runs over to snaffle the snaffle.
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4th over: Sri Lanka 24-1 (Perera 2, Asalanka 21) Target 164 With Morgan presumably mindful of the dew situation, he tosses Rashid the ball; not a bad option at all and he beings with one out the front of the hand.
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3rd over: Sri Lanka 24-1 (Perera 2, Asalanka 21) Target 164 The lefty, Perera is on strike so Moeen keeps at it, and after Perera takes one, Asalanka clatters a sweep for four ... then does it again two balls later! This is terrific stuff and so much better than what we saw during the English summer! A single follows and Sri Lanka are up with the rate!
2nd over: Sri Lanka 14-1 (Perera 1, Asalanka 12) Target 164 Chris Woakes is not what you want to see if you’re chasing a phat total, but well! Asalanka knows that something straight and back of a length is coming, so frees arms and smashes over midwicket, then edges an attempted swipe over the stumps and for four! Sri Lanka aren’t going to go quietly.
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1st over: Sri Lanka 2-1 (Perera 0, Asalanka 1) Target 164 Shanaka did a great job in the first 10 overs, manipulating his bowlers, but he left Hasaranga until the game looked gone and for some reason asked for a fuller line. But that shouldn’t distract from a knock of terrifying certainty for Buttler, who waited to go until the time was right, knowing he could stay in and tick over in the meantime.
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WICKET! Nissanka run out (Morgan/Buttler) 1 (Sri Lanka 1-1)
Pressure! That was a huge risk, but Perera didn’t feel he could turn it away and you feel him; you feel for him.
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1st over: Sri Lanka 0-0 (Nissanka 0, Perera 0) Nissanka shoves one into the on side then Perera tries to pinch one to the off ... and Morgan’s throw allows Buttler to take off the bails! I think this is going to be gone!
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Righto, I was about to wonder if England would start with spin, but there’s Moeen with the ball so that’s that one answered.
Anyway, let’s try and process – I’ll be back in a few with Sri Lanka’s reply.
Paul Collingwood tells Sky that after a few overs England reckoned 110 might be defendable, but Buttler has made that look ridiculous – as he has so many other things. Sri Lanka probably needed another spinner, though when you come up against genius sometimes you just have to accept whatever it serves you with.
That will, you’d think, be enough for England, who are 20 or so runs over par. Sri Lanka might chase that down, but it’d take something amazing. Jos Buttler, though – the numbers won’t do it justice because they don’t tell you about the pitch, or about wickets falling around him, or about carrying his bat. Drink him in, because we’ll never see anyone like him again; we’re privileged to be living in his time.
England finish on 163-4; Sri Lanka need 164 to beat them!
20th over: England 163-4 (Buttler 101, Ali 1) Buttler skips off side and scoops a full toss over fine leg for a one-bounce four; his ability to wield both rapier and broadsword is remarkable. A squirt to midwicket follows and they sprint two, then a heave becomes a top-edge and on the fine leg fence, Nisskana races in only to spill a chance that looked a lot harder before he got right underneath it. That leaves Buttler on 95; can he get his ton? He plays away two dots, turning down a single then missing with a reverse scoop, so it’ll need to come off Chameera’s final delivery ... AND THERE IT ABSOLUTELY IS! JOSS BUTTLER YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE JOKE! A SICK JOKE, AND VERY, VERY POORLY!
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19th over: England 149-4 (Buttler 86, Ali 1) England send in Moeen not Livingstone, presumably because he’s a good smasher of spin but also to keep the left/right combination. He gets off the mark with a turn to long on, then Buttler takes a single to deep square; his 87 is his highest in T20 internationals, but Sri Lanka will be pleased to have conceded just eight off the penultimate over even though a single from its final delivery keeps Buttler on strike.
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WICKET! Morgan b Hasaranga 40 (England 147-4)
Hasaranga tries another googly but this time Morgan doesn’t come down, he waits to sweep, but misses by plenty and that’s the end of an knock the captain really needed.
19th over: England 147-3 (Buttler 86, Morgan 40) Hasaranga returns - good luck old mate, rather you than me – and Morgan picks his googly, sashaying down the ground to smite six back over the bowler’s heed!
18th over: England 141-3 (Buttler 86, Morgan 34) This has been a brilliantly understated innings from Buttler, without the pyrotechnics of Saturday but with everything his team needs. AND HAVE A LOOK! after Morgan takes one to cover, he violently swats a knuckle ball over midwicket for six, then clears pads and does it again to a slower ball over long on! That raises the hundred partnership, and when Shanaka tries a toe-crusher, Buttler skips leg side, waits, and somehow crafts four to fine leg! He is so, so good and two further singles mean 19 from the over. Sri Lanka have bowled pretty well today, but Buttler, whose 86 not out is the highest score of the tournament, has probably taken England out of sight in the second half of the innings.
17th over: England 122-3 (Buttler 69, Morgan 32) Chameera returns and Morgan welcomes him to the crease in the classic style, pulling him high over square leg and onto the roof, baseball-style! Chameera, though, responds just about well enough, a single, a wide and a two following, Fernando doing a great job of running around the rope without stepping over it, cutting off Buttler’s drive. The final two deliveries yield two singles, but only just – Morgan takes on Shanaka at extra cover, who makes a fine stop and shies while sat on his buttocks, missing by a fraction. England will be pretty happy with where things are now.
“There’s a case surely for Morgan being as significant an England captain as Illingworth, Brearley, Gooch, Hussain, Vaughan, May or Jardine, despite having never had an important role in a test team,” says Chris Dale. “He’s professionalised the culture and expectations in the limited overs teams similar to how Gooch and Hussain did the Test team, and left more of an impact on English cricket than any of his Test captain contemporaries.”
I couldn’t agree more. His attitude and mentality have been a huge force for good – and possibly bad if we think about the wanton tossing of wickets we’ve seen in the longest format – but that’s not his fault.
16th over: England 110-3 (Buttler 66, Morgan 24) So far, pin has been much more effective than pace, all the more so because the quicks have been going full, not into the pitch. I’m not sure England will make that error, nor that Woakes, Jordan and Rashid won’t bowl with more overall discipline, but in the meantime, Shanaka invites himself to have a go and it’s a good one, the over ceding just five.
15th over: England 105-3 (Buttler 63, Morgan 22) Has Hasaranga bowled Morgan into form? Kumara returns and when he offers width, he disappears over extra cover and into the stands! A leg bye follows, taking the partnership to 55 off 55, then Buttler nudges towards the off side and when one appears in that zone, he zetzes it over long off for six! Sri Lanka are bowling a bit full here and the next delivery should get the treatment too, but Buttler doesn’t get all of another slower ball full-toss, making do with a single. Next comes a wide – I’d love to bet on what’s going to happen to the extra ball – and shonuff, after a single, Buttler makes room to hoist the third six of the over into the crowd at long off! The total increases by 22 and England are on the move!
14th over: England 83-3 (Buttler 50, Morgan 15) Shanaka cleverly restores Hasaranga to the attack just as England are looking to speed things along. Morgan really needs to improve on his nine from 20, but after Buttler takes one to cover, he can only do likewise to long off. Buttler then flicks another one to backward square, raising his slowest-ever T20 50, and when Hasarange responds with a leg-side full-toss, even a man in Morgan’s form can’t miss out, the ball clouted to the fine leg fence. Two singles follow, and there’s a decent score out there for England now.
13th over: England 75-3 (Buttler 48, Morgan 9) Hold tight! Karunaratne returns and Morgan takes one to midwicket, then Buttler steps back and punishes four to mid on ... before absolutely carting a half-volley slower ball over the same area for six! He toe-ended that, but his hands are so intense that it made no difference – tangentially, I love the incongruity between his voice and his batting – and a flowing cover-drive adds two more to the total, then he jams down on what would’ve been a wide. They run one, making it 14 from the other, and here comes the charge.
12th over: England 61-3 (Buttler 35, Morgan 8) I daresay Morgan will move things along soon – he needs to get runs or get out, all the more so given Buttler is in the anchor role now. But it takes the latter three balls to get off strike, forcing one to mid off, and Morgan just can’t get Theekshana away, allowing two dots before digging his final delivery down the ground for a single. Theekshana finishes with 4-13 off his four overs, a nifty spell.
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11th over: England 59-3 (Buttler 34, Morgan 7) England are going to want at least another hundred here, which won’t be easily done. As with the great Australia sides, there’s always a chance that if one discipline goes badly, the other will redeem it, but in the meantime, Buttler clatters Kumara through cover for four, then fends off his hip for two more. Yup, England want to get this moving, and following a wide, Buttler sends an attempted yorker to deep square and hauls Morgan through for a tight two; two singles follow, and that’s 12 off the over – more than in the previous four combined.
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10th over: England 47-3 (Buttler 24, Morgan 6) In commentary, they wonder if Moeen should’ve come in above Morgan, given the form differential. But I guess England need their skipper in the runs, and after another over, bowled by Theekshana, yields just three runs, Athers asks Watto about playing for Micky Arthur, Sri Lanka coach, and whether he’s done his homework. There’s laughter, but no detail, which is a shame. Drinks.
“Watched a short profile of Hasaranga on TV prior to the match,” says Colum Fordham, “and he really is a find for Sri Lanka. I was impressed by the fact that his googly is hard to read (as Roy has just found out to his cost). I think batting first is a good test for England for later in the tournament – presuming we get there.”
Yup, he was good in the summer too. If Sri Lanka can keep bowling tightly, they’ll be one good knock away from a win.
9th over: England 44-3 (Buttler 22, Morgan 5) Buttler nurdles one more to leg, and that’s another exceedingly useful over, just three singles from it. England will want to get a wriggle on.
REVIEW: NOT OUT!
Buttler shuffled across just enough, so that it was umpire’s call on impact and bouncing over the stumps – ok, ok, sometimes it happens.
9th over: England 31-3 (Buttler 21, Morgan 5) I meant to say earlier, England are in red trousers – a fitting tribute to the MCC – but also because Sri Lanka are in blue, and it’s against the rules for strides to clash. Shanaka introduces Karunaratne to his attack as Watto explains that if you hit the pitch, you know the ball won’t bounce much higher than the stumps so bowlers are in the game. His first three balls yield two singles, then Buttler shuffles across and misses a twizzle to leg. The appeal is rejected, but Shanaka reviews again!
8th over: England 41-3 (Buttler 20, Morgan 4) In co-comms, Shane Watson’s saying that in Sharjah, if you get your line nice and straight, you’re in business, going on to say that England’s performance against Australia was one of the most complete he’s ever seen. Anyhow, Theekshana returns and sees his first two balls sent for singles then hits Morgan on the pad – there’s an appeal, but that was going down, well down, by the look of the replay – then two more singles follow. Sri Lanka have got a lid on this at the moment, which tells us that arms will soon be freed because no way do England let this drift.
7th over: England 37-3 (Buttler 18, Morgan 2) By the looks of things Bairstow also suffered from one that kept low, but when he was struggling in Tests, Morgan was playing on the crouch and also isn’t the tallest, so this track might suit him. Kumara returns and sends down three dots, Morgan missing the third by swiping over the bounce. He could use a score, and adds one by forcing to long on, the only run from the over.
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6th over: England 36-3 (Buttler 18, Morgan 1) That was a terrific review, but if there’s any man you want coming in at this point, it’s Eoin Morgan, and he gets away with a swish to leg.
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WICKET! Bairstow lbw b Hasaranga 0 (England 35-3)
This is brewing! Bairstow didn’t play much of a shot and the ball was hitting leg stump. That’s a first-baller, and England are under pressure for the first time this tournament!
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6th over: England 35-2 (Buttler 18, Bairstow 0) These two are arguably the best in limited overs England have ever produced, but have a look! Buttler takes a single, then Bairstow comes down, misses, and wears it one on the pad! The appeal is rejected, but that looked decent to me and this time Sri Lanka review!
WICKET! Malan b Chameera 6 (England 34-2)
It’s an undersight! Coming from around, Chameera flings down one that keeps low, and Malan misses his cover-drive. This is a decent start from Sri Lanka now!
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5th over: England 34-1 (Buttler 17, Malan 6) Chameera returns and there’s a rarity, Buttler missing with a scoop, and the bowler deduces that he’ll go again, foiling the ruse with a slower ball. Good bowling. They run one, though, then Malan flicks nicely over midwicket for four, his first of the match. But after a dot, Malan misses with a pull and there’s an appeal but no review – the replay seems to suggest an under-edge! What an oversight!
“Dawid Malan is the Bryan Adams of T20 cricket,” tweets Chris Jones. “Been number one for ages and no one can really explain why.”
I’m not having that, that’s far too harsh: Everything I Do is a tune. I what the why for my wife nearly every day. Anyhow, Malan can play, and is a different kind of batter to the others England have – though on these tracks, I’d be picking Root to bat in his spot.
4th over: England 29-1 (Buttler 16, Malan 2) Just the one over for Hasaranga – Theekshana come on to open his variety pack of carrom balls, off-breaks and leftover Start that no one wants. He bowls a decent over too, ceding a single to each batter before ruining things a little with consecutive wides – following the first, his captain advises him to go around only for the same thing to happen again. Lovely stuff.
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3rd over: England 25-1 (Buttler 15, Malan 1) Kumara replaces Shameera and Buttler gets onto tippy-toes to leap into a square drive to the point fence. He is seeing it, so he is, meaning the last thing Sri Lanka needs is him edging boundaries, but that’s what happens when a drive at a nip-backer goes wrong. A two to backward point follows, and that’s another decent over for England, 10 off it.
“Don’t forget where the Baywatch writers got the idea for CJ in the first place,” emails Ian Forth. “Reggie Perrin’s boss at Sunshine Desserts.”
“I didn’t get where I am today wondering what life’s all about.” Sage words.
2nd over: England 15-1 (Buttler 5, Malan 1) Malan slaps into the off side to get off the mark with a single, then Buttler turns around the corner to complete a much better over for Sri Lanka.
WICKET! Roy b Hasaranga 9 (England 13-1)
Hello! Roy goes to sweep a googly that keeps low, misses, and loses his off-peg. That’s a Sharjah dismissal right there.
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2nd over: England 13-0 (Roy 9, Buttler 4) That first over was the most profitable of the tournament so far and Buttler begins the second – bowled by the excellent Hasaranga – by turning a single into the leg side.
1st over: England 12-0 (Roy 9, Buttler 3) Roy twizzles Chameera’s loosener away behind square and they race through for two, but though he can only toe-end the second delivery – there’s that Sharjah low bounce – he guides the next down into the ground, through the covers, on the up and to the fence. That’s a delectable shot, it really is, and when it’s followed by a single to deep backward square, Buttler is there to ease away a three, which brings Roy back onto strike; he forces to deep point, and a fumble turns one into two. That’s 12 off the first over, with only one boundary – that’s ominous – and over the PA, we hear what sounds like a remix of Beggin’. It’s not great.
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The England players and staff take the knee; the Lankans stand to attention.
Chameera, who has a bit of zip, will open the bowling...
Righto, the players are with us; can Sri Lanka stop England monstering the powerplay?
I wonder if and when England plan to use Mark Wood. Tymal Mills took some tap against Australia, so perhaps if similar happens today. But they’ve bowled so well it’s going to be hard to Morgan to make changes.
Scuzz reckons the track might suit the Sri Lanka bowlers, but obviously still reckons his boys will sort them. If they can take pace off the ball, England might find it hard to find the fence, and if they’re under pressure when they bowl they might not do so as well as they have been. Might is a big word, though.
The pitch looks shiny and has plenty of cracks, so we should see the ball skidding on; the boundaries are short.
I like to think that whoever nicknamed Chris Jordan “CJ” was a Baywatch fan. I wonder if CJ Parker was ever abbreviated to “Ceej”.
“That England team,” emails Andrew Benton. “They could win the Ashes.”
It’s a funny thing isn’t it. There’ve been times I’ve thought, and probably printed, similar on here. I’m not sure there’s quite the bowling, though I’d love Rashid to have been given greater scope in Tests and Morgan is obviously a wonderful captain. I’d also enjoy Buttler teeing off – he could hardly have done a worse job than the various post-Cook openers – and you could even make a case that the true nature of Aussie pitches would suit Roy. Alternatively, they might get skittled for 32, which would not be unamusing.
Teams
England: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Tymal Mills.
Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 Charith Asalanka, 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Chamika Karunaratne, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Lahiru Kumara.
If Sri Lanka won today, they can still qualify – they’ll need to beat West Indies too and hope South Africa and Australia lost their last two matches. England, meanwhile, will be more or less through with a win today; they could still finish level on points with the aforementioned, but their net run-rate should take care of them in that instance.
Yes, you read that right - it’s not a misprint. He’s wearing a medallion.
Sam Cuzz is in the Sky studio, hair bleached, with a blue jacket, pink rollneck and a medallion. It’s a mood.
England would’ve chased too, and Eoin Morgan says that to win the tournament, you need to be able to bat first and second. He knows that conditions in Sharjah are different to elsewhere - Sri Lanka are used to them, England aren’t – but again, Morgan sees this as a positive. Both teams are unchanged.
Sri Lanka in the toss and field!
For the first time this tournament, England won’t be able to chase. That’s a deal – how big remains to be seen.
“Re the photo of Liam Linvingstone warming up,” says Anthony Salisbury, “the EDGE of his bat is the same thickness as my ENTIRE bat! Presumably that is the (only?) reason these chaps hit the ball so far.”
I daresay there’s a modicum of skill and power involved too, but yes, those edges are sub sub sub sub substantial.
Email! “In a fantasy world it would be wonderful to see Gloucestershire’s Gilbert Jessop (Wisden cricketer of the year in 1898) play T20,” reckons Richard Davies. “He was the ultimate bar-emptier with an average hourly scoring-rate of more than 70. And in those days you had to hit the ball out of the ground to get a six.”
Yup, the greatest one-day player that never was.
Preamble
In theory, T20 should be difficult to predict. The shortness of the format means that one incendiary blast can be enough to secure victory, and pretty much every team has at least one player capable of that.
In theory. So far in this competition – and for much of the last few years – England have made a nonsense of that proposition, partly because they’ve so many incendiary blasters that it’s impossible to keep them all quiet and partly because they’re just so bloody good.
Those of us mired in middle-age will never be entirely comfortable with this state of affairs, and writing the words is a bizarre experience, but here we are. So far in this World Cup, England have been devastating, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change today – a slip-up would still leave their last-four participation in jeopardy.
Though Sri Lanka are a much better outfit than the one which crumbled when visiting the green and pleasants just a few months ago, and though they’re still fighting for a semi-final spot, it’s hard to see where enough runs are coming from. But you never know – they did, after all, beat the favourites in the 50-over World Cup – and ultimately T20 is still T20 and England are still England, so while there’s a match there’s a chance.
Play: 6pm local, 2pm GMT
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