Summing up
Well I guess there was nothing too unexpected about that – the wondrous Kumar Sangakkara scored another hundred, Sri Lanka’s batsmen filled their boots again, and Scotland slumped to another heavy defeat. Yet Scotland batted well at times here, showing definite signs of improvement, and they treated us to a very watchable fourth-wicket partnership between Mommsen and Coleman in particular. They certainly didn’t crumble after conceding another big score in the field, but once the Mommsen-Coleman pairing were parted wickets fell fairly regularly and the result was never in doubt. Sri Lanka’s bowling and fielding still doesn’t look wholly convincing but there were some positive signs in the way they bowled towards the end, particularly Malinga and Chameera, who may have gone at seven an over but produced a couple of testing, assertive spells in his 3-51. Scotland have one more match, against Australia on Saturday, which will be almost certainly be another damage-limitation exercise. The search for a win by a British side against anyone from outside the UK continues. Thanks anyway for your company, tweets and emails. Goodbye.
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Wicket! Davey c Thirimanne b Chameera 4 Sri Lanka win by 148 runs
43.1 overs Scotland 215 all out, Evans not out 1
Simple catch at slip. All over. The increasingly impressive Chameera snares the last man with a regulation line and length delivery outside off stump that Davey edges to Thirimanne, which brings this all to an end.
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43rd over: Scotland 215-9 (Davey 4, Evans 1) – target 364
Malinga looks to finish this off, though his first ball is awry and down the legside. Davey cracks a decent looking shot away on the offside for two. He’s determined not to be cowed, to be fair, and tries to step away from a Malinga straight full-toss but can only bunt it back to him. He does steal a single next ball though, giving Evans a chance to have a crack at the final ball of the over, which he lobs into the air just short of mid-on for a single.
42nd over: Scotland 212-9 (Davey 1, Evans 1) – target 364
With Berrington out of the first ball of the over, Alasdair Evans is the last man in and has to see out five balls. He gets out of the way of a sharp short one outside off stump first off, and digs out the next, a perfect speared-in yorker from Chameera. He’s finally off the mark with a push backward of square on the offside for one. One more follows for Davey. So just the 152 needed off the last eight.
Wicket! Berrington c Kulasekara b Chameera 29
And that’s the end of Berrington, a spritely knock brought to an end when he drives in the air straight to mid-on.
Wicket! Taylor c T Perera b Malinga 3
41st over: Scotland 210-8 (Berrington 29, Davey 0) – target 364
He may now be bowling against an unfancied already-eliminated team’s tail-enders, but Malinga’s serving up some lovely stuff now. He tests the left-handed Taylor with a lovely inswinging yorker that the batsman just manages to defend. Taylor decides to throw the bat instead with the fourth ball of the over, mistiming an on-drive that drops just over Thisara Perera’s head and brings two runs. The next mistimed on-drive is, however, punished, and pouched by the same fielder. Berrington, who’s looked impressive while wickets have tumbled around him, keeps the strike by stroking the last ball of the over through the covers for a single.
Matty Hayden, incidentally, reckons Scotland’s kit to be the best at this World Cup. The game’s all about opinions, I guess.
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Wicket! Cross c Sangakkara b Chameera 7
40th over: Scotland 207-7 (Berrington 28, Taylor 1) – target 364
Chameera comes back into the attack, having looked the quickest of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, which he’s spiced up with some decent slower balls and yorkers too. Cross gets two with a very strange, slightly hapless looking shot, an attempted cut behind the wicket that is mistimed and pops almost straight up but just over the wicketkeeper’s head. Cross tries that shot again, and fails again, and this time does go – Sangakkara’s able to run back in time to scoop up this one, and earn World Cup dismissal No54.
Chameera’s enthusiastic mixing it up goes awry with the first ball delivered to new man Taylor, delivered waist-high and called a no-ball. He’s off the mark with a legside glance for one to set up Berrington to tonk the final ball of a good over down the ground for four.
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39th over: Scotland 197-6 (Berrington 22, Cross 4) – target 364
That dismissal was Sangakkara’s 53rd World Cup dismissal, beating Adam Gilchrist’s mark. Berrington somehow has to get Scotland’s chase going again now, with the cause surely lost. Malinga is stemming the flow of runs very effectively though, and this batting powerplay has been a bit of a non-event for Scotland. Cross goes for a big hit off a slower ball but mistimes it over mid-on and gets only two. He gets two more after working Malinga away on the legside.
Wicket! Leask c Sangakkara b Kulasekera 2
38th over: Scotland 193-6 (Berrington 22, Cross 0) – target 364
Kulasekera continues, conceding a single each to Cross and Berrington, varying his length and line, and getting away with it a little when he sends a short one flying over Leask’s head but is not called for a wide. Sangakkara fancies a cheeky appeal for a catch behind, however, and it’s sent upstairs – and what’s this? A little flicker and a little noise. He’s out. So Sangakkara’s impudence is rewarded – can this man do anything wrong? Cross is off the mark with a scampered single first ball.
35th over: Sri Lanka 191-5 Berrington 21 Leask 1) – target 364
Malinga’s back at the other end, with Sri Lanka seeking to turn the screw, and he turns it pretty effectively, conceding only one. He deceives the new man Leask completely with a slower ball that is missed completely. An inswinging yorker drifting down leg also flummoxes him next ball before Leask does get off the mark with an inside-edge down to fine leg. More like the Malinga of old, that.
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Wicket! Coleman c Perera b Kulasekara 70
36th over: Scotland 189-5 (Berrington 21) – target 364
Kulasekera returns to the attack for the batting powerplay now as the much-feared rain continues to just about stay away, but there’s no doubting we’ll have a result now anyway. Scotland are more than halfway there, as it happens now, but time is not with them. Twelve an over needed. Kulasekera is admirably tidy, giving Berrington one from a powerful on-drive. The batsmen know they have to have a go now, and Coleman is beaten for pace and swing as Kulasekera pushes one through a little quicker. Perhaps fazed, he makes a bit of a mess of the next ball, a slower ball down the offside that Coleman steps outside and misses. Then he does go – Coleman can only toe-end another slower ball high but not far enough to long-on, where Perera takes the catch. Thus ends a great innings from Freddie Coleman, and thus ends, you suspect, this contest.
35th over: Scotland 188-4 (Coleman 70, Berrington 20) – target 364
Dilshan makes up for his fielding blunder in the previous Prasanna over by diving smartly to his left to prevent a likely four from Coleman. His partner Richard Berrington, meanwhile, is determined to enjoy himself and later cracks an exquisitely timed six over the long-on boundary, and adds one more for good measure off the last ball of the over. And here comes some more liquid refreshment – for the players, that is, not me. No one’s got a tea round in here yet this morning, but it’s early days.
34th over: Scotland 179-4 (Coleman 69, Berrington 12) – target 364
Perera continues – he’s finding a little bit of swing in the Tasmanian night air now, but still variable levels of accuracy. Coleman knows this, and punishes a straight long-hop by effortlessly pulling it to the square-leg ropes for four.
33rd over: Scotland 174-4 (Coleman 65, Berrington 11) – target 364
More rejigging from Mathews as Prasanna is again introduced to the attack. Dilshan blots his otherwise elegant copybook by diving over a cover-drive from Berrington and it races to the boundary. Berrington betters that with a SIX, off his second delivery faced, swept over the ropes at square leg. The now 10 or 11-strong Tartan Army singers have now been joined by some wailing bagpipes.
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Wicket! Mommsen c Thirimanne b Perera 60
32nd over: Scotland 162-4 (Coleman 62) – target 364
Back comes Perera to the attack, as rain creeps in. He’s not getting his rhythm quite right here and a dibbly-dobbly offside loosener is rightly called wide. Mommsen fancies this bowling, and swivels and pulls the next, shorter, ball to the square leg boundary for four. It’s beautiful batting, but it’s ugly bowling from Perera, who then sends down another horrendous wide before conceding a scurried single. Coleman squirts a one to backward point and then, and then – a wicket! Not a massively deserved one, as Mommsen drives it too uppishly to Thirimanne who catches it low at the second attempt and this fine stand and innings is over.
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31st over: Scotland 153-3 (Mommsen 55, Coleman 63) – target 364
Coleman is confident enough to reverse sweep a straight, accurate ball from Prasanna down to third man. Mommsen then lofts the bowler for two that is just kept from the boundary by somewhat cumbersome but just-about-effective fielding. All this talk of D/L pars and targets invites the question: will calculations and formulas need to be tweaked given the turbo-charged scoring in the last 10 overs that has characterised recent matches? Six effortless runs from the over.
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30th over: Scotland 147-3 (Mommsen 51, Coleman 60) – target 364
Mommsen brings up his 50 off Chameera, which has also been an accomplished knock, if not as assertive as that of Coleman, who then tries to hook a ball that’s too slow and not short enough and only brings him two. He gets another single with a thumping square cut straight that only finds a fielder on the boundary. Duckworth/Lewis par score after 30 is 213 though.
Damning tweet:
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29th over: Scotland 144-3 (Mommsen 49, Coleman 59) – target 364
Another bowling change brings Prasanna back into the attack – whether prompted by a desire to hurry through overs ahead of rain or for tactical cricket reasons is hard to tell – but it’s accurate enough, given that Scotland need 10 an over now. The inability of their bowlers to really get on top of batsmen must be a serious concern though – you wonder whether there’s a last-four place in this team’s capabilities at the moment. A fine 100 partnership is brought up, to the PA system refrain of The Proclaimers.
28th over: Scotland 142-3 (Mommsen 48, Coleman 58) – target 364
Drop! A really horrendous drop. Coleman upper cuts a short one from Chameera high and straight down the throat of Perera on the offside boundary, but it goes in and pings straight out of his hands. This clearly emboldens Coleman to take another risk, this time with a high straight drive that is mistimed but eludes the back-pedalling fielder at mid-off. Two more follow with a more controlled on-side pull. Coleman picks up another comfortable single before Mommsen plays out two accurate Chameera balls to complete the over, which yielded six runs.
27th over: Scotland 136-3 (Mommsen 47, Coleman 54) – target 364
Sri Lanka respond to this sense of drift by bringing Malinga back into the attack. His first is a short one – the first such delivery for ages, since, well, Malinga’s last spell possibly – but a fuller one next up brings Coleman a single on the on-side. A hurried single for Mommsen then tempts Thirimanne at extra cover to shy at the stumps, which he narrowly misses, though the batsmen ran well. A slower, shorter one is turned adeptly down to square leg for a single by Coleman before Mommsen’s straightish drive is cut off at mid-on.
There are still anxieties about the weather.
26th over: Scotland 133-3 (Mommsen 46, Coleman 52) – target 364
Chameera continues, and the Scots continue to find runs easy to come by, even if they’re well short of the sort of acceleration needed to haul in this big target. They’re rotating the strike swiftly and hitting the odd rasping drive and pull. Chameera is a little tighter this over, though, offering less room, and only one real loose one – which is punished well by Mommsen: a confident cover-drive for four.
25th over: Scotland 126-3 (Mommsen 42, Coleman 50) – target 364
Coleman cuts Pereira square on the offside for one, and Mommsen does something similar. Coleman then moves to 49 with a beautifully timed flick off his legs that races to the boundary for four and brings up a fine half-century with a push through the offside. Very well played.
To mark this, Solo Scottish Singing Bloke now appears to have a couple of other songsmiths for company, regaling us with that Tartan Army “we’ll be coming down the road” anthem.
24th over: Scotland 119-3 (Mommsen 41, Coleman 44) – target 364
Mommsen flicks Chameera down to third man for one and Coleman gets four in the same region next ball, but it’s a bit riskier, an edge that flies too close to first slip for comfort but beats him and speeds to the boundary. There’s then a misfield-assisted two and a four off the last ball of the over as Mommsen comfortably pulls a slow short ball over midwicket to the boundary. Overall, for all that Scotland are batting well at the moment, Sri Lanka aren’t really assuaging people’s misgivings about their capabilities in the field here.
23rd over: Scotland 107-3 (Mommsen 36, Coleman 37) – target 364
Scotland continue to work their ones and twos well off Perera – this is a morale-boosting little passage of play for them, technically accomplished and confident. And I’m not saying that in a patronising way either. I can’t really, being English and everything.
More media analysis from our Australian colleagues:
22nd over: Scotland 100-3 (Mommsen 36, Coleman 34) – target 364
Dushmantha Chameera gets his chance, coming on for the first time in place of Dilshan. He’s got a touch more pace about him, by the looks, than Sri Lanka’s fairly sluggish other seamers. His first one is wide and speared into Mommsen’s pads and yields a leg-bye, before Coleman brings up a very decent 50 partnership with a well-dabbed four to the third man boundary. Chameera has an lbw shout next ball, but it’s wide down the legside, but Coleman’s up for this and responds with a straight drive for four and a square cut for four more as Malinga makes a bit of a ponderous mess of his attempt to stop it. Scotland are fighting here.
21st over: Scotland 91-3 (Mommsen 34, Coleman 24) – target 364
Perera returns to the attack, and the increasingly bold Coleman pushes him for two square on the offside. He adds another single, as does Mommsen before Coleman essays a fierce pull shot to mid-on that unfortunately doesn’t pierce the field.
“The Scotland team uniform is clearly based on a back stop of modelling for shortbread tin decorations if they don’t do well in the World Cup,” banters Gavin Robertson. “Sadly, England didn’t have the foresight to include anything similar in their extensive planning for this event.” Which invites the question, what screamingly tacky, easily patronise-able plucky-losers’ motif SHOULD England have included on their kit? We’ll pass them on to the ECB. Honest.
20th over: Scotland 87-3 (Mommsen 33, Coleman 21) – target 364
Dilshan dashes through another over, trying a few variations, but conceding a hurried one to Mommsen, before Coleman properly succeeds in cutting loose this time and smacking a straight drive high to the boundary for four. These two are batting well now, and running between the wickets smartly as well.
19th over: Scotland 81-3 (Mommsen 32, Coleman 16) – target 364
More from Prassana. Coleman tries to cut loose third ball, but only chips it square on the legside for one. Mommsen then shows him how it’s done, advancing one step and pummeling it over long-on for four. Matthew Hayden’s talking about “reactionary positions” in the commentary box again. What’s a “revolutionary position” then?
18th over: Scotland 73-3 (Mommsen 26, Coleman 14) – target 364
They glugged down those drinks quickly enough – well the Scots did, the Sri Lankans didn’t bother. And rightly so. Dilshan hurries through another tidy over, while in the background what sounds like one lone man bellows through a chorus of “Oh Scotland we love you.” It’s not quite an atmosphere, to be honest.
Another plug for the Guardian OBO Sangakkara man-crush massive:
17th over: Scotland 72-3 (Mommsen 25, Coleman 14) – target 364
Prasanna hurries through another over, as the commentary team disagree about the likelihood of rain. Mommsen drives for two and clips for one, as does Coleman, and it’s drinks.
16th over: Scotland 67-3 (Mommsen 22, Coleman 12) – target 364
Dilshan continues and they’re rattling through these overs quicker than I can type about them, as Scotland rotate the strike smartly enough with some singles. But the rain’s coming, with four overs to go to make this a game. Absurdly, a drinks break is scheduled. Which could scupper it.
15th over: Scotland 64-3 (Mommsen 21, Coleman 10) – target 364
Mommsen, who’s looked accomplished so far, takes Prasamnna for one, and Coleman confidently hoiks one behind the keeper for another. There’s then a two and three ones in standard middle-overs style, in an unremarkable over.
14th over: Scotland 56-3 (Mommsen 19, Coleman 4) – target 364
Dilshan half-appeals for a stumping after bamboozling Mommsen with his first properly tricky spinning ball. It’s deemed worthy of a review though – Sangakkara rarely being shy in shouting about such matters – but it’s comfortably not out. Mommsen cuts him past extra cover for one, but it’s the only scoring shot of the over.
13th over: Scotland 55-3 (Mommsen 18, Coleman 4) – target 364
It’s slow stuff at both ends as the leg-spinner Seekugge Prasanna is introduced to the attack now. Coleman takes an easy two followed by a simple one to bring Scotland’s 50 up. The one really loose ball of the over, though, is hammered square on the legside for four by Mommsen, who also nudges a single off the last ball of the over.
12th over: Scotland 47-3 (Mommsen 13, Coleman 1) – target 364
The new batsman, Coleman, gets off the mark with a drive through the covers for one. Mommsen also sweeps for one, in an economical and productive over for the bowler.
Wicket! Machan lbw b Dilshan 19. Sri Lanka 44-3
Dilshan is into the attack, having already played his part with the bat, which seems a conservative decision by Sri Lanka. But it works. Machan plays across the line to one that drifts in and it thuds his pads. He’s given out, but calls for a review, wondering I guess that it might be going down legside. He certainly didn’t hit it. And he’s out – it stays with umpire’s call, the ball judged to be clipping leg-stump
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11th over: Scotland 44-2 (Machan 19, Mommsen 11) – target 364
Scotland’s batting strategy appears to be veering between playing technically accomplished cricket in pursuit of a respectable score and actually having a go. Machan cover-drives Perera for two, and grabs a rather more flukey two next ball, bottom-edging a hashed pull shot down to fine leg. He then drives for three and Mommsen then opts for the ‘having a go’ approach by pulling a short sluggish ball to the square leg boundary for four. Scotland’s most productive over yet.
10th over: Scotland 35-2 (Machan 14, Mommsen 7) – target 364
Kulasakera bowls his fifth over. Machan tries to thump him down the ground but mid-on’s fumbled dive stop restricts him to a single. Another one follows when the bowler pushes one too far down the legside and a wide is called. The rest of the over is accurate without being particularly threatening, but it’s economical. And a fifth of the way through the innings, Scotland are a mere 329 away from their target.
9th over: Scotland 33-2 (Machan 13, Mommsen 7) – target 364
The first bowling change brings Thisara Perera into the attack in place of Malinga. Pitch notwithstanding, there’s a lack of express pace about this Sri Lanka attack, and Mommsen comfortably sees off the first three deliveries, though he doesn’t score from any of them. He makes up for that off the fourth though, with a cover drive so textbook it would make it onto the national curriculum (apart from in the more wacky of our free schools). It’s the only scoring stroke of the over though.
8th over: Scotland 29-2 (Machan 13, Mommsen 3) – target 364
MacLeod’s dismissal brings the captain, Mommsen, to the crease. Sri Lanka bring the field in, with a slip and a gully installed. Mommsen finds the gap second ball though, with a confident drive through extra cover. It almost makes the boundary but Prasanna dives well to prevent the four. It’s three instead.
Wicket! MacLeod b Kulasekara 11 (26-2)
Sri Lanka persist with Kulasekara, and are rewarded when the bowler castles MacLeod with a lovely full-ish delivery into the batsman’s pads, which cannons onto the stumps.
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7th over: Scotland 26-1 (MacLeod 11, Machan 13) – target 364
Malinga is finding bounce but not the pace he once terrified batsmen with, though it’s enough to flummox MacLeod with the second delivery of the over, which he tries to hook and misses completely. Malinga overdoes it though and concedes a wide – called after an off-radar bouncer – and then a single as MacLeod drives square on the offside before coming round the wicket to the left-handed Machan and spearing a good attempted yorker into the batsman which he digs out. A better over, generally.
6th over: Scotland 24-1 (MacLeod 10, Machan 13) – target 364
Kulasekara continues and concedes the first boundary of the innings, a wonderful rasping square cut for four by Machan. Textbook. The bowler is pretty accurate for the rest of the over though, giving little room, though Machan takes two from a well-timed semi-defensive push.
5th over: Scotland 18-1 (MacLeod 10, Machan 7) – target 364
Malinga’s mixing up his length and his pace here, but he mixes it up a bit too much with the third ball of the over, which is too short, flies over MacLeod’s head and is called wide. The batsman then drives square on the off through the vacant gully area for one. Machan also takes a smartly judged single off a slower ball to round off the over. Tidy batting, but they’re obviously way behind the rate at the minute.
4th over: Scotland 15-1 (MacLeod 8, Machan 6) – target 364
Kulasekara has a man at short mid-on, who stops a confident flicked drive from MacLeod first up, before there’s a muffled shout – not from the bowler – as the next ball skids into the batsman’s pads but it’s going way down legside. MacLeod then profits from a bit of dozy offside fielding to snatch a single. Machan decides to get cocky next ball, swinging and missing at a wide one before swinging and hitting from a similar delivery and getting a single square on the offside. MacLeod rounds off the over by squirting a one down to third man.
Fun with facts:
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3rd over Scotland 12-1 (MacLeod 7, Machan 5) – target 364
Angelo Mathews has left the field, possibly having strained something trying to stop Machan’s drive in the previous over. MacLeod gets off the mark with a leg-glance off a Malinga full toss for two, and scores two more with a push through the offside. He repeats the shot off a fuller delivery next ball and gets another couple before pushing a single to mid-on – neat, composed batting.
2nd over Scotland 5-1 (MacLeod 0, Machan 5) – target 364
Kulasekara opens from the other end, in need of some form to be honest. He finds no great pace but is accurate enough with his first three balls, all dots, before Machin on-drives him sweetly down the ground for a couple. Scotland’s kit really is horrible, I feel compelled to say, based on a sort of tacky theme-park jumble of Scotchlandshire-ness – tartan: tick, saltire, tick, etc.
1st over Scotland 3-1 (MacLeod 0, Machan 3) – target 364
Machan is almost exaggeratedly watchful first off, with good reason, and has to then duck awkwardly away from a shorter, zestier ball outside off stump. He’s off the mark next ball though, hooking high but into a gap behind midwicket for a couple, and takes advantage of a wide full toss to dab the ball down to third man for a single.
Wicket! Coetzer c and b Malinga 0
Derek Pringle in the studio reckons Sri Lanka won’t be too bothered if they somehow lose this, as they’d rather play India in the quarter-finals. Anyway, the reply begins: Malinga has the ball first off, and Coetzer is facing. Malinga finds some early swing, and Coetzer dabs away the first defensive before Malinga strikes with his second ball, a simple caught and bowled, and Coetzer, deceived by the slower pace, goes for a duck. Oh dear.
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But while we’re doing England navel-gazing, here’s Ali Martin’s assessment of how England might rebuild after this shambles and who might figure in the rebuilding:
Morning/afternoon/evening everyone. Tom here, to guide you through what, let’s face it, will almost certainly be a forlorn run chase. Sri Lanka should certainly have got to 400, given the platform laid for them by Dilshan and Sangakkara but 363 is still surely too good a score for a side from this island to chase. That said, Sri Lanka’s bowling attack hasn’t particularly shone so far in this tournament, their victories built on brilliant batting rather than tight or aggressive bowling. So who knows? Still, when they’ve got batsmen as brilliant as Sangakkara in the team it’s tempting to say, who cares? Is there a more likeable top-level sportsman in the world? (Clue: the answer is “no”.)
Anyway, while the Sky studio pundits rake again over the grubby ashes of England’s dreadful campaign, time for some soothing mid-innings music: matches in Hobart always give me an earworm of this, which is nice:
Scotland require 364 runs to win
Well, we saw a couple of brilliant innings from Dilshan and Sangakkara and 364 will obviously be beyond Scotland, but Sri Lanka may wonder if they couldn’t have got more. Sangakkara was dismissed with 13 overs to go and with the total on 244, and after him only really Angelo Mathews with a very rapid 50 scored any runs of note. Still, not that it really matters - it would be a remarkable effort if the Scots got anywhere near this.
That’s it from me - your friend and mine Tom Davies will guide you through the Scotland chase. Email him on Tom.Davies@theguardian.com or tweet @TomDaviesE17.
50th over: Sri Lanka 363-9 (Chameera 12, Kulasekara 18)
Taylor will bowl the last over, and first up is a good wideish yorker that Kulasekara can’t do much with, so he repeats it next up and a single is scuffed to mid-off. Chameera clubs a couple down the ground, the batsmen dashing back for the second with some smart running, before he plays a risky but neat shot, playing a sort of late dab off a very full ball on off stump that runs away through slip for four. Another single down the ground is the last run, before Kulasekara misses the last one, it hits Cross on the pads and hits the stumps. There’s some talk of a stumping, but everyone seems done with it and can’t be bothered to check. After some deliberation, it’s deemed not out.
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49th over: Sri Lanka 355-9 (Chameera 5, Kulasekara 17)
Kulasekara tries a big shot but doesn’t get enough on it, settling for a single down to long-off, but concern for Berrington who stacked it in a big way in his follow-through. From the replays it looked like his left shoe basically disintegrated as he planted it, and after some treatment he goes off, not looking in any large amount of pain, but it would be pointless to risk it at this stage. Coetzer takes over the over, and Kulasekara, after a couple of failed attempts, gets a four with a nice inside-out drive over the covers, then six with a delightful textbook straight hit over the bowler’s head.
48th over: Sri Lanka 342-9 (Chameera 4, Kulasekara 5)
Chameera chances his arm and aims a big shot over mid-on...which skews off a leading edge and just drops over point. He tries the same shot next up and succeeds that time, clipping one over the fielder, collecting two runs on both occasions.
47th over: Sri Lanka 337-9 (Chameera 0, Kulasekara 4)
Dushmantha Chameera comes in, and Kulasekara ends the over with a single. Meanwhile, the Guardian is sorry to report that some bagpipes have started up.
WICKET! Malinga c Leask b Berrington 1 - Sri Lanka 336-9
Kulasekara pushes a single out to the sweeper, before Malinga cuffs one of his own to mid-off. Berrington then drops a very tough caught and bowled chance as Kulasekara smacks one at some pace right back at him, but no matter as Malinga is foxed by a slower ball, toe-ending the ball right into the air where Leask trots around from point to take the most routine of catches.
46th over: Sri Lanka 333-8 (Malinga 0, Kulasekara 1)
Lasith Malinga is the next man in, and he watches from the non-striker’s end as Kulasekara swings and misses at a couple, before dashing through for a very rapid single that would’ve been very, very close had the throw hit the stumps.
WICKET! Prasanna c Coleman b Evans 3 - Sri Lanka 331-8
Another goes, as Evans comes into the attack, concedes a couple of singles then Prasanna hoys a heavy-looking shot out towards the mid-wicket fence, from where the over-worked Coleman dashes in and takes a good diving catch.
45th over: Sri Lanka 329-7 (Prasanna 2, Kulasekara 0)
Good finish to the over from Berrington, a single and a decent yorker to Kulasekara keeping things tight.
WICKET! Perera c Coleman b Berrington 7 - Sri Lanka 328-7
This is still a fine total, but Sri Lanka are in danger of throwing away the chance for a monster here. Perera swings from his toes, but can only pick out Coleman on the mid-wicket fence, and they’re losing wickets in something of a clatter, now.
44th over: Sri Lanka 326-6 (Prasanna 0, T. Perera 6)
Seekkuge Prasanna is the new batsman, moved up the order presumably to have a tee off, because that’s what this innings has lacked in the last few overs.
WICKET! Mathews c Coleman b Machan 51 - Sri Lanka 326-6
Woof. Mathews belts back-to-back-to-back-to-back sixes, the first a brutal shot over cowish cornerish, the second two off buffet ball full-tosses from Machan, the fourth a slog-sweep hoik to bring up a 20-ball 50 for the skipper. However, he goes after trying for a fifth, smacking it bloody hard, but straight down the throat of Coleman on the ropes - and right on the ropes too, the fielder doing well to retain his balance and stay inside the boundary.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 301-4 (Mathews 27, T. Perera 5)
Five singles from the first five balls, before Perera tries to launch one inside-out over mid-off, but doesn’t get all of it and it looks like Davey will take the catch, but he seems to pull out of the attempt quite early and allows it to bounce about five yards in front of him. Hmmm.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 295-4 (Mathews 24, T. Perera 2)
Machan takes the ball, Perera flicks one round the corner and they dash through for a single, Cross diving well to stop a slightly errant throw, before Mathews belts the thing high, high up in the air. Coleman runs around to take the catch, but diving forward he grasses it, possibly flummoxed by how long the thing was in the air, and they collect two runs. There’s another half-chance next up, as Mathews nails it back down the pitch, going through the hands of the bowler but at some pace. Four from the over.
41st over: Sri Lanka 291-5 (Mathews 21, T. Perera 1)
Thisara Perera is the new man, neatly avoiding any double Perera-related confusion. Mathews pucnhes down the ground for one, and the new man copies his skipper to finish the over.
WICKET! K.Perera c MacLeod b Taylor 24 - Sri Lanka are 289-5
Taylor’s the new bowler, and he’s flicked with an utterly absurd lack of effort way over fine leg for six by Perera. What a shot that was. However, he goes after trying to clear the straight ropes and not quite getting all of it, with MacLeod running around from long-off to take a terrific catch on the run.
40th over: Sri Lanka 282-4 (Mathews 19, K. Perera 18)
Davey is now the leading wicket-taker at this World Cup with 14, but he’s replaced in the attack by Evans. Mathews flicks him off his pads but picks out the fielder on the bounce out on the mid-wicket ropes, before Perera shows him how it’s done with a blooter of a flat, pulled six over deep backward square. He then picks up another four with a checked shot from a full-toss that just clears wide mid-off
39th over: Sri Lanka 268-4 (Mathews 17, K. Perera 7)
Perera gets in on the action with a flat-batted slap over mid-off that scoots to the boundary, then after a single Mathews nearly gets himself run out after a hesitant single, Machan just missing the stumps with his throw.
38th over: Sri Lanka 262-4 (Mathews 16, K. Perera 2)
Perera pushes a single out to the sweeper, before Mathews eschews the concept of ‘getting his eye in’ by launching a big six over mid-wicket with a conventional sweep, before collecting a four on the other side with its reverse brother. Mathews then completes the over with six more, slapping a flat maximum that couldn’t have gone more than ten feet in the air. The fun won’t be ended, it seems.
Updated
37th over: Sri Lanka 245-4 (Mathews 0, K. Perera 1)
Kusal Perera and Angelo Mathews are the new men in, and the former survives the hat-trick ball by tucking a single off his hips.
WICKET! Sangakkara c Cross b Davey 124 - Sri Lanka 244-4
Ah, balls, well that’s spoiled the fun a little. The batsmen crossed while the ball was in the air, so Sangakkara is on strike, and Davey pushes one a long way across him - so much so that it might have been a wide had he left it - but Kumar was down the pitch and chasing, only succeeding in getting a feather edge through to the keeper.
WICKET! Jayawardene c MacLeod b Davey 2 - Sri Lanka 244-3
A wide, then a single for Sangakkara gives Jayawardene a go, and he sticks the thing straight up in the air, the ball looping and dropping neatly into MacLeod’s hands at mid-off.
36th over: Sri Lanka 242-2 (Jayawardene 2, Sangakkara 124)
Coetzer is whipped out of the attack to be replaced by Evans, greeted by an absolutely ridiculous shot from Sangakkara, backing away and slashing an upper-cut high over the cover fence for six. Sweet fancy Moses he’s good. He forces this point home next up with a slightly more orthodox shot through the covers for four, before another shot of brilliance as he scoop-lap-sweep-I-dunnos it over short fine-leg. He backs away once more and slashes another four over point, then a big leg-side wide, then another one that would’ve been wide had Sangakkara not almost turned round completely before hefting the ball over short fine leg again for four. He’s simply hitting the ball exactly where he wants. The final ball isn’t a boundary - BOOOOOOOOOOO! - as he attempts a lap sweep from about two yards outside off, picking up a mere single. Five boundaries, and 24 runs from the over.
Testify...
Someone needs to pass a law that stops Sangakkara from retiring. @UN ?
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) March 11, 2015
35th over: Sri Lanka 218-2 (Jayawardene 2, Sangakkara 101)
Mahela Jayawardene is the new man, and he gets away with one first up, a checked drive and a leading edge looping just beyond the fielders in the covers. No more runs from what turned out to be a solid first over in the powerplay.
WICKET! Dilshan c MacLeod b Davey 104 - Sri Lanka 216-2
Sri Lanka take the batting powerplay, and the ball is thrown to Davey, the sacrificial lamb of choice. Davey starts with a big leg-side wide, before Dilshan lashes a thickish edge in front of point for a boundary, then comes down the pitch and doesn’t get hold of an inside-out drive, which doesn’t clear mid-off and MacLeod palms it up in the air before eventually safely pouching the thing.
Sangakkara is not just the first man to score four consecutive hundreds in a World Cup (four consecutive ODI hundreds, in fact), but the first man to score four hundreds in a single World Cup full-stop. What a human he is.
34th over: Sri Lanka 211-1 (Dilshan 100, Sangakkara 101)
Bowlers on heavy rotation now, as Coetzer comes back and opens with an absolutely rancid long-hop that lollops towards Sangakkara’s hips and he dismissively flicks it to the fine leg fence. A pair of singles, then Sangakkara smacks one straight to Mommsen, he throws at the stumps but Dilshan is well in his ground, and the ball flicks off the wicket and goes out for a donated single.
Both men then bring up their hundreds, Dilshan with a flick off his pads and Sangakkara with a thickish guided edge wide of third man for a couple. Wonderful, absolutely effortless...erm...efforts from the pair of them, the latter recording an absolutely absurd fourth hundred in a row. Meanwhile, Hayden compares one of them to ‘Poomba the pig’, while colleague Mark Nicholas launches into a passable Tony Greig impersonation - ‘cornage, little Sri Lonkons’ etc.
33rd over: Sri Lanka 201-1 (Dilshan 98, Sangakkara 93)
Taylor’s back with the ball, and Dilshan brings up the 200 with a single, Sangakkara tries a big shot that doesn’t quite come off, and they just have to settle for another single.
Hayden is now explaining the ‘theory’ behind bowling straight. It’s been a maverick performance from the cook book author and sometime former opener.
32nd over: Sri Lanka 199-1 (Dilshan 97, Sangakkara 92)
Dilshan nearly chops onto his own stumps, but it bounces just wide of the wicket and instead they collect two. A single, then Sangakkara goes over cover again, sort of chopping this one through the fielding ring and to the boundary. As an aside, Matthew Hayden has just suggested that ten years ago a score of 300+ would be ‘headline news around the world.’ Aye, one assumes CNN would definitely lead with that one.
31st over: Sri Lanka 192-1 (Dilshan 94, Sangakkara 88)
Sangakkara tries that big one again but gets a bit of a toe-end to it, the ball falling safely but straight to the sweeper on the cover fence. Dilshan returns the strike to him and, having apparently decided that the off-side has become passé, Sangakkara launches a six with something of a hoik over cow corner. He then gets a little lucky, smacking a full toss through mid-wicket that goes just - just - past the fielder there, eventually thudding to the boundary for another four. He might beat Dilshan to a 100 at this rate.
30th over: Sri Lanka 178-1 (Dilshan 92, Sangakkara 77)
Interestingly, as Leask comes up to bowl he spins the ball in his hands, but does so with his left before delivering the thing with his right. Fast and loose with the word ‘interesting’? Perhaps. Anyway, the affectation doesn’t do him much good as Sangakkara goes for another of those wonderful inside-out drives over the covers, bouncing once before crashing beyond the ropes.
29th over: Sri Lanka 171-1 (Dilshan 90, Sangakkara 72)
A new bowler, as the round-armed Matt Machan is the latest man to be handed the thankless task of getting one of these two out/stopping them from scoring runs when and wherever they bloody well please. And he actually does so pretty well, although Dilshan does bring up the 150 (143) partnership with the third of three singles.
28th over: Sri Lanka 168-1 (Dilshan 88, Sangakkara 71)
Dilshan scuffs a sweep fine of fine leg that Evans does well to dash around the boundary to dive and save a run. Sangakkara then plays another of those almost dainty lofted cover drives which sails over the fence for six. Beautiful hitting from the great man.
Earlier, Matthew Hayden on commentary gave us a potted history of the people of Tasmania. See if you can make sense of it...
There is no possible way to make sense of this Matt Hayden word-spew. #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/3rG6M12jo9
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) March 11, 2015
27th over: Sri Lanka 157-1 (Dilshan 84, Sangakkara 64)
Berrington takes the ball back, and Dilshan gets back on point with his cutting, slashing one backward of point to the fence. A single brings Sangakkara to strike, which he does with gusto, fairly honking one way over long-on for a six that is both elegant and brutal. A cut two out to point follows, then another pair is manufactured by some smart running from Dilshan after a cuff down the ground. These two seem to be taking it in turns to hit out, now.
26th over: Sri Lanka 142-1 (Dilshan 79, Sangakkara 54)
Bowling change as Leask comes back, and Dilshan flicks what probably would’ve been a wide for a fine single. Sangakkara brings up his fifty with a single, gets back on strike then advances to launch a beautifully-struck inside out four over the covers. Foot starting to be put down by the Sri Lankans, now.
25th over: Sri Lanka 134-1 (Dilshan 77, Sangakkara 48)
Big wide from Davey starts the over and they dash through for a bonus run. Sangakkara returns the strike to Dilshan, allowing him to get back-to-back fours, both with sweeps behind fine leg, the first a couple of bounces and the second more or less entirely along the floor. Dissatisfied with that effort, he launches a third sweep from a length on off stump, going for a flat six in more or less the same spot. 17 from that over.
24th over: Sri Lanka 117-1 (Dilshan 63, Sangakkara 47)
“No need to be quite so witheringly dismissive of your demographic Nick (first 3 words of Over 20),” writes Ian Forth. “I, for one, combine having a family and a healthy preoccupation with OBO coverage.”
OBO/life balance, right there from the admirable Mr Forth. A quiet over, two singles from it.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 115-1 (Dilshan 62, Sangakkara 46)
Davey back with the ball, and Sangakkara celebrates with his first real shot of aggression, lofting the ball down the ground and eventually to the ropes, as the ball plugs slightly in the Tasmanian turf. A single, then Dilshan plays a shot so straight it thumps into the stumps at the other end, denying him the chance of a boundary there. Dilshan closes the over with a nicely-whipped couple behind square on the leg side.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 106-1 (Dilshan 59, Sangakkara 40)
Again, Dilshan’s cutting game hasn’t been exactly tip-top today, as he misses another outside off. One more quiet over, just two singles from it.
21st over: Sri Lanka 104-1 (Dilshan 58, Sangakkara 39)
Sangakkara brings up the 100 by dropping to his knee and flipping a sort of fine sweep shot down to the fine leg fence for four. Dilshan isn’t quite timing the thing at the moment, missing out on a short wide one from Coetzer, not really timing a shot out to the sweeper for a single. Still, seven alarmless runs from the over.
20th over: Sri Lanka 97-1 (Dilshan 56, Sangakkara 34)
Singles, singles, singles, and these two continue to bat with few alarms. Dilshan then goes down early for a lap-sweep, which Cross reads very early and darts down leg side but can’t quite get to the ball. Solid effort though, as they pick up two, followed by another pair with a push through square-leg, then one more down the ground.
19th over: Sri Lanka 89-1 (Dilshan 50, Sangakkara 32)
After everyone has a drink, Kyle Coetzer is introduced into the attack, and Sangakkara shoves a single to mid-on, setting off straight away for the run. Coetzer then drops short and wide and Dilshan nails it through the covers and straight to the sweeper, but that’s still his 50. Sangakkara then offers the closest thing to any real danger for himself as he goes back and defends it straight into the ground, only for the ball to nearly hit the stumps as Cross simultaneously scrambles around for the scraps of a stumping chance.
18th over: Sri Lanka 86-1 (Dilshan 49, Sangakkara 30)
A couple of singles, before the Scots get awfully excited after Sangakkara gets a vague leading edge that hints at going in the air, but actually lands comfortably short of the fielder at short cover. Dilshan then gets the first boundary in a while, getting a thick edge through the vacant slip region that if you’re being generous you might say he guided, but that’s debatable.
17th over: Sri Lanka 78-1 (Dilshan 43, Sangakkara 28)
Dilshan’s taken his helmet off and is batting in just a cap, showing what he makes of it all, but Berrington bowls very neatly, the batsman unable to pierce the infield, until the final ball which he pushes off the back foot, just wide of mid-on for a single.
"It looks like Richie Berrington has come straight out of Happy Days." @ajarrodkimber impressed with @CricketScotland's clean-cut new bowler
— Jesse Hogan (@Jesse_Hogan) March 11, 2015
16th over: Sri Lanka 77-1 (Dilshan 42, Sangakkara 28)
Some spin now, specifically the offies of Michael Leask. Sangakkara gets himself a single with a back-foot push, the run largely made possible by Taylor, positioned at backward point, diving over the ball slightly carelessly. Leask continues around the wicket to Dilshan, and nearly picks him up after the opener rocks back and misses a cut, but now by much. Dilshan ends the over by whipping a couple down to fine leg, then pushing a single through square.
15th over: Sri Lanka 73-1 (Dilshan 39, Sangakkara 27)
Sangakkara collects three effortless runs in the form of a pushed two through square leg and a single through the covers to bring up a quick but pretty low-key 50 partnership. After Dilshan returns Sangakkara to the strike, he misses out on a full-toss, only managing to get it away for a single through mid-off.
14th over: Sri Lanka 68-1 (Dilshan 38, Sangakkara 23)
Dilshan and Sangakkara batting here, not so much like a couple of blokes in the nets, but rather playing in a Thursday night hit and giggle, just having a bit of a lark and not taking things terribly seriously. Sangakkara then produces a slightly streaky moment with a thick edge off a wide drive, going four or five yards past point in the air. Couple more singles and a wide from the over.
13th over: Sri Lanka 63-1 (Dilshan 36, Sangakkara 21)
Richie Berrington is the new bowler, keeping it tight to Sangakkara before he flicks a single down to fine leg. Dilshan then goes for a strong cut, but a cracking stop at point by MacLeod prevents a boundary and keeps them to a single. Brief frisson of friction as Sangakkara comes down the pitch, can’t get much on the shot but is forced to hurry back to his ground as Berrington throws at the stumps.
12th over: Sri Lanka 61-1 (Dilshan 35, Sangakkara 20)
Dilshan getting going now, and he collects four with a crashing drive through the covers from one just outside off, the length of which he seemed to pick up somewhere around halfway through bowler Davey’s run-up. One more with a flick just in front of square-leg, before Sangakkara collects a single of his own with a leg glance and Davey drags the next ball for a leg-side wide.
11th over: Sri Lanka 54-1 (Dilshan 30, Sangakkara 19)
Four of the Queen’s runs for Sangakkara, who elects to whack an off-stump half-volley through mid-on, where the fielder gets a hand to it but can’t stop the pace of the shot. Two more come with an airy flick off his pads, before another single with a push through a vacant mid-wicket. Dilshan completes the over by pushing a low full-toss to mid-off for a quick single.
10th over: Sri Lanka 46-1 (Dilshan 29, Sangakkara 12)
Josh Davey is into the attack, and Dilshan clips a couple off his pads first up, then sort of gets up on his toes to flip a boundary just to the on-side of straight, down the ground. Lovely shot, played in the manner of a player who quite literally wants to get on with things. He then gets another four with a lovely inside-out drive from not a terrible delivery at all, just on off-stump, racing through the covers before the fielders can really move.
9th over: Sri Lanka 36-1 (Dilshan 19, Sangakkara 12)
More less than beautiful runs from Sangakkara, as he slightly miscues a drive that nevertheless goes safely over the covers and towards the boundary, but Coetzer does brilliantly with a fine diving stop to keep it down to three.
8th over: Sri Lanka 32-1 (Dilshan 18, Sangakkara 9)
Evans goes wide to Sangakkara, who gets a four with one of those remarkable drives which - and this is quite possibly an optical illusion - he seems to get to a split second before the ball and wait for it. It’s as if the game is moving slightly too slowly for Kumar, but he’s not vulgar enough to be impatient about the whole thing so politely waits. He collects another with a rather less elegant shot, a drive aimed to mid-on that in fact skews off a leadingish edge and goes closer to mid-off.
7th over: Sri Lanka 27-1 (Dilshan 18, Sangakkara 4)
Taylor bowls very nicely indeed to Sangakkara, who can’t get him away until the very last ball of the over, which he pushes between mid-wicket and mid-on for a smartly-taken single.
6th over: Sri Lanka 26-1 (Dilshan 18, Sangakkara 3)
Sangakkara is in, and everything’s OK with the world, as he gets off the mark with a push down the ground for three, timed in the manner of a batsmen who’s bringing up his 150, rather than facing his first ball. Dilshan collects another couple with a neat flick out just in front of fine leg.
WICKET! Thirimane c Mommsen b Evans 4 - Sri Lanka 21-1
Dilshan, wanting to get on with things, pulls the first two rapidly from Evans, the first of which bangs into the deep backward square leg fence, but the second goes to fine leg off an inside edge for a single. Thirimane then ends his uncertain knock with an indeterminate waft of a drive outside off, getting a thick edge that Mommsen pouches with little fuss at second slip.
Thiramanne has lost all form since people started catching him.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) March 11, 2015
Updated
5th over: Sri Lanka 16-0 (Dilshan 11, Thirimane 4)
The quiet start continues as Dilshan squirts a single out to the deep on the off side, while Thirimane carefully plays out the rest of the over, wafting vaguely at the last ball outside off stump. Uncertain shot, lucky for him he didn’t get an edge on it.
4th over: Sri Lanka 15-0 (Dilshan 10, Thirimane 4)
Pretty sure they played ‘Just Like Honey’ by the Jesus and Mary Chain over the PA between overs, which would be...unusual. Not unwelcome, of course, just...unusual.
Evans bowls fairly tightly, before dropping one short to Thirimane who twirls and hooks greedily, but can only cloth it to fine leg for a single. Just another single and a leg-bye from the over, and it’s been a solid start from Scotland.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 12-0 (Dilshan 9, Thirimane 3)
Dilshan impatiently flicks one off his hips out to deep mid-wicket for a single, looking like a man with theatre tickets who wants to get this cricket business over with as quickly as possible. Taylor is pretty on the mark with his next few balls, before slightly over-pitching one that Thirimane flays over the covers - well, he tries to flay it over the covers, getting a glorified leading edge on one that just drops over the fielders and they take two.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 9-0 (Dilshan 8, Thirimane 1)
Alasdair Evans is the bowler from the other end, and Dilshan greets him by climbing into a slightly loose opening ball, crashing it in the air through the covers and it belts away to the boundary. He tries it again next up, but can only get a thick inside edge which, luckily for him, hits pad rather than stumps. One more single from the over, as Evans tucks Thirimane up with one into his pads.
1st over: Sri Lanka 4-0 (Dilshan 3, Thirimane 1)
Taylor pitches it up from the off, Thirimane getting off the mark with a push from the second ball. Dilshan then shoves a single of his own just wide of mid-on, but they are donated a couple more runs after Leask takes an entirely pointless shy at the stumps, which the ball hits with the batsman well in his ground and it skews out to the deep and they take two overthrows.
Updated
The teams are out, anthems have been sung, hands shaken, huddles huddled, that stupid countdown thing counted down, and we’re away.
Dilshan and Thirimane are the batsmen, Rob Taylor opens the bowling.
Russell seems happy...
SL bat .. I like the combination.. Thisara at 7.. Chameera in and Seekki in ahead for Satchi... Kusal plays for Upul. pic.twitter.com/4b3Y0hyzRP
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) March 11, 2015
Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bat
Team news
Sri Lanka
Thirimane, Dilshan, Sangakkara (wk), Jayawardene, Mathews (c), Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Kulasekara, Prasanna, Chameera, Malinga
Scotland
Coetzer, MacLeod, Machan, Mommsen (c), Coleman, Berrington, Cross (wk), Davey, Taylor, Leask, Evans
Preamble
Some things just aren’t the same when one person leaves. We’ve all been at a party which deflates when the life and soul departs. Football frankly isn’t the same since Javier Zanetti retired. And who can think of Take That in the same way since Jason Orange quit?
International cricket has lost some era-defining players in the last few years, like Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Sachin Tendulkar and Kevin Pietersen, but we’re watching the final days of another one. This World Cup sees the last one-day internationals of Kumar Sangakkara, a genius who despite his clear and correct adulation from all of those with even half a clue about the game, one still suspects is rather underrated.
And like the greats of the game, Sangakkara is going out with class, recording some cartoon numbers in this, his last World Cup, having scored three successive centuries (his scores in the tournament are 7, 105*, 117* and 104) for just a single wicket. Indeed, hats off to Hamid Hassan and James Faulkner for managing to pry him from the crease in the last few weeks.
So don’t go, Kumar. It won’t be the same without you here, with your handsome face and effortless off-drive. Please. Just stick around. We’re not beneath begging, if that will help.
If not, let us enjoy the last few innings of one of the finest players of this generation. And hope Sri Lanka win the toss so we can be relatively sure he’ll actually get a bat against Scotland.
Start: 3.30GMT
Nick will be here shortly.
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