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Bopara blasts Eranga for 28 in last over:
Atrocious catching by our fielders:
Sri Lanka chasing 294 for victory
Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from England
Chasing 294 for victory Sri Lanka were 90 for one wicket at the time
of our going to press in their Group A game against England at the
Kennington Oval, here today. At the wickets were Tillakaratne Dilshan on
37 and Kumar Sangakkara on 43.
When Sri Lanka went in to bat the sun was out with the wicket playing
well and holding no terrors.
With the score on 10, Kushal Perera played too early at a delivery
from James Anderson and spooned a catch to Ravi Bopara at mid on. He
made 6. The Sri Lankans gave a horrendous display of fielding ,
especially the catching.
The chief offender was Tillakeratne Dilshan who grassed three catches
and wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara one. Had these catches been taken the
story could well have been different.
Big hitting capabilities
Right hand batsman Ravi Bopara showed his big hitting capabilities by
smashing 28 off the last over bowled by Shaminda Eranga blasting him for
6-4-6-4-2-6. It was fantastic while it lasted and sent the England score
soaring to 293 and sent the supporters into raptures.
It dawned a grey, cloudy and cold morning in London and entering the
Kennington Oval, the weather was the same and indications were that the
side winning the toss would want to field.
Sri Lankan captain Anglo Mathews beat England’s Alastair Cook to the
toss and did not hesitate to ask the hosts to bat. In these overcast
conditions had Sri Lankans been asked to bat, they would have struggled
against the seam and swing of Stuart Broad and James Anderson.
Used to these conditions
The England batsmen are quite used to these conditions and the
Lankans don’t have bowlers who could exploit these conditions. The
Lankans who lost their first game to New Zealand in Cardiff had to win
this one to stay in the running for a semi-final berth.
The lights came on before the start and it looked a night game. Sri
Lanka had made one change, benching all rounder Thisara Perera and
tossing in Nuwan Kulasekera.
With the Sri Lankan bowlers lacking the ability to revel in the
seaming conditions, the England openers Alastair Cook and Ian Bell got
their act going batting with no undue worry.
Bell out first
Bell fell first when in trying to hoist Shaminda Eranga to mid
wicket, mistimed and was taken Kushal Perera who juggled with it before
swallowing it. Bell made 20 with 3 fours. He was out at 48. Jonathon
Trott joined hands with Cook and made the bowling look ordinary, making
runs at will. Cook survived when Tillakeratne Dilshan dropped him at
point off Angelo Mathews when he was on 23. Cook rode on that luck and
played some lovely cuts which are his signature shots and completed his
half century in 72 balls with 3 fours.
Trott was also going well playing some wristy strokes. Second wicket
stand – sub head When the second wicket stand was worth 83, Cook who was
heading for a big score, lost concentration and played a cross bat shot,
missed and was caught in front by Herath.
He reviewed but the original decision by umpire Aleem Dar stood.
Then Joe Root the most promising of England batsmen and who took a
punch from Australian David Warner in a bar, joined Trott and
immediately go into his stride timing his cove drives beautifully and
even having the audacity to play the switch hit.
Trott was journeying well went in similar fashion like his captain
when on 76 in 87 balls and 5 fours attempting to cross bat Herath and
was caught plumb in front.
It was inexplicable the England batsmen’s fondness to play the cross
bat, instead of offering the full face of the bat.
Another fine innings
Root played another fine innings going for his shots from the first
ball and with 5 fours in 55 balls breezed away to 68 before pulling
Malinga to Mahela Jayawardene at mid wicket who took the catch.
At 249 England lost the wickets of Root, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler
and the board read 249 for 6.
Then at 254 Bresnan was out for 4. Then Ravi Bopara 33 not out and
Stuart Broad 7 not out added 34 for the 8th wicket to take England to
293 for 7 in 50 overs. Kennington Oval, London, Thurday.
England
A. Cook lbw b Herath 59
I. Bell c Perera b Eranga 20
J. Trott lbw b Herath 76
J. Root c Jayawardene b Malinga 68
E. Morgan lbw b Malinga 13
J. Buttler c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 0
R. Bopara not out 33
T. Bresnan b Eranga 4
S. Broad not out 7
Extras: (lb10, w3) 13
Total (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 293
Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Bell), 2-131 (Cook), 3-218 (Trott), 4-249 (Root),
5-249 (Morgan), 6-249 (Buttler), 7-254 (Bresnan).
Did not bat: G. Swann, J. Anderson Bowling: Kulasekara 10-0-42-1, Malinga 10-2-58-2 (w1),
Eranga 10-0-80-2 (w2), Mathews 6-0-28-0, Herath 10-0-46-2, Dilshan 4-0-29-0
Sri Lanka innings
(target: 294)
MDKJ Pererac Bopara b Anderson 6
TM Dilshan not out 37
KC Sangakkara not out 43
Extras(lb 2) 2
Total(1 wicket; 16overs) 90
To bat: DPMD Jayawardene, LD Chandimal, AD Mathews, HDRL Thirimanne,
KMDN Kulasekara, HMRKB Herath, RMS Eranga, SL Malinga
Fall of wickets 1-10 (Perera)
Bowling: JM Anderson 5-0-16-1, SCJ Broad 4-0-2-23, TT Bresnan 4-0-21-0, JE Root 3-0-27-0 |
