Mahela pilots Sri Lanka to a 69-run win
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from England
Mahela Jayawardene’s career-best century powered Sri Lanka to a 69
run win over England in the second one-day international (ODI) at
Headingley here on Friday ,
When Sri Lanka made 305, with opener Mahela Jayawardena making a
majestic 144, it was always going to be a big ask for England and at the
time of writing were 203 for 5 in 37 overs, requiring another 107 runs
from 79 balls and looking down the barrel, in the Second of Five NatWest
one day internationals here, today.
At the wickets were Ian Bell on 20 and Tim Bresnan on one. England
won the first one day at the Kia Oval on Tuesday by 110 runs. Eoin
Morgan kept England hopes alive with a belligerent 52 in 40 balls with 3
fours and two sixes. Once he went stumped by Sangakkara off Randiv,
their hopes faded.
When England began their chase, Craig Kieswetter was the first to go
at 53 when he pulled a short ball from Suranga Lakmal and Kulasekera
took a good running catch at square leg. He had 2 fours and a six in a
30 ball innings.
With the dismissal of Kieswetter, England were in a bad way when they
lost Alastair Cook for 48 at 85 and Kevin Pietersen at 113. Cook was
taken by Mathews at long off and Pietersen holed out to Malinga at mid
on. Cook fell to Suraj Randiv and Pietersen to Jeevan Mendis.
Jonathon Trott who does not have the strokes and the skill for this
style of game and who was struggling for runs went for 39 in 54 balls
bowled by an inswinging yorker from Lakmal. 144 for 4.
Mahela Jayawardena who made a career best 144 and who was associated
in a big stand of 159 for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara 69 took
Sri Lanka to a formidable 309 for 5 in 50 overs.
It dawned a glorious day at Leeds with no rain, no clouds and with
the sun on their backs it was ideal conditions for the Sri Lankans to
show their prowess and stay in the frame by avenging their defeat at the
Oval. A full house watched the game.
England won the toss and Alastair Cook asked Tillekeratne Dilshan to
bat first on a wicket that looked good for runs. Cook in putting the
Lankans in to bat said he did so to put the Lankans under pressure.
Dilshan said had he won the toss he would have batted. Sri Lanka made
one change bringing in Dinesh Chandimal for Sanath Jayasuriya who
retired. England went in unchanged.
On a wicket that was teeming with runs with the ball coming nicely on
to the bat it was stupid on the part of Dilshan to go for an unnecessary
single and sacrifice his wicket. He pushed a ball to mid on and raced
down and was well short when Stuart Broad hit the wicket with an
underarm throw for 9 at 15.
If Dilshan’s run out was stupid, then Dinesh Chandimal’s run out
could be best described as senseless. It was a repeat of the earlier run
out. But this time the man who hit the wicket was James Anderson.
Chandimal 5.45 for 2.The run outs were inexplicable. Then Jayawardena
and Sangakkara joined forces to put up a big stand for the third wicket.
Their 100 run stand came in 124 balls and added respectability to the
score. Jayawardena made his 50 in 68 balls with 6 fours.
Both batted with great responsibility. Sangakkara made his 50 in 64
balls with 5 fours. They picked the gaps in the field with clever
chipping, going over the top with ease and their running between the
wickets was excellent and a lesson to Dilshan and Chandimal.
Jayawardena who did not have a good Test series, is now in top form
and completed a classic century with 9 fours in 118 balls. The pair put
on 159 in 167 deliveries. When he too looked like getting a century,
Sangakkara rushed out to Swann, was beaten in the flight and stumped by
Kieswetter for 69 in 85 balls. 204 for 3. Angelo Mathews joined
Jayawardena and added a useful 67 for the 4th wicket. Jayawardena who
was throwing caution to the winds after completing his century, stepped
out to Swann missed and was stumped by Kieswetter for 144 in 150 balls
with 14 fours. 271 for 4.
Of the latter batsmen Angelo Mathews made merry to make 46 in 30
balls with 7 well hit fours. Nuwan Kulasekera went at 296 for 13 and Sri
Lanka made a grand 309 for 5 in their 50 which did not look possible
when they were 2 down for 45. Jeevan Mendis who hit the only six in the
Lankan innings was not out 7. The England bowlers were all over the
place and Cook would have regretted his decision to ask Sri Lanka in to
bat.
SRI LANKA
M. Jayawardene st Kieswetter b Swann 144
T. Dilshan run out (Broad) 9
D. Chandimal run out (Anderson) 5
K. Sangakkara st Kieswetter b Swann 69
A. Mathews not out 46
N. Kulasekara c Pietersen b Bresnan 13
J. Mendis not out 7
Extras (lb5, w11) 16
TOTAL (5 wkts, 50 overs) 309
Did not bat: T Kandamby, S Lakmal, S Randiv, L Malinga
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Dilshan), 2-45 (Chandimal), 3-204 (Sangakkara), 4-271 (Jayawardene), 5-296 (Kulasekara)
Bowling: Anderson 10-0-44-0 (3w); Bresnan 9-0-70-1; Broad 10-0-70-0 (3w);
Dernbach 9-0-63-0 (4w); Swann 10-0-42-2; Pietersen 2-0-15-0 (1w);
England innings
AN Cook c Mathews b Randiv 48
C Kieswetter c Kulasekara b Lakmal 25
IJL Trott b Lakmal 39
KP Pietersen c Malinga b Mendis 13
EJG Morgan st Sangakkara b Randiv 52
IR Bell c Lakmal b Kulasekara 35
TT Bresnan c Chandimal b Randiv 2
SCJ Broad st Sangakkara b Mendis 1
GP Swann not out 13
JM Anderson b Malinga 0
JW Dernbach c Kulasekara b Lakmal 5
Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7
Total(all out; 45.5 overs) 240
Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-85, 3-113, 4-144, 5-201, 6-204, 7-206, 8-232, 9-233, 10-240.
Bowling TM Dilshan 4-0-29-0, KMDN Kulasekara 9-0-39-1, SL Malinga 8-0-41-1, RAS Lakmal 7.5-0-43-3,
S Randiv 9-0-43-3, BMAJ Mendis 6-0-31-2, AD Mathews 2-0-13-0. |
