Sri Lanka go 2-1 up with an easy win

Match Report – England v Sri Lanka: 3rd ODI, Lord's, London, 3 July 2011

First two matches of the 5-match series yielded one-sided contests, both teams notching up easy wins. After Cook had lifted England to a fighting total, young Chandimal and classy Mahela Jayawardene made light work of the target to give their team lead in the series.

On a shiny morning at Lords, England opted to bat first on what looked like to be a batting track. Both teams went unchanged.

Dilshan started with Angelo Mathews but after one over, Kulasekara took over. It was Malinga however, who drew the first blood, deceiving Kieswetter completely off a slower ball, lobbing an easy catch to mid-on. Next over Alastair Cook was dropped by Jayawardene which was to prove costly as the rest of the innings revealed.

At the end of 10, England were 32 for 2, but Cook and Kevin Pietersen knit together a solid 49-run partnership which put England innings back on track. Pietersen played in his usual fluent style, while Cook was all cautious accumulation. Suranga Lakmal, who had earlier nipped out Jonathan Trott, was punished by Pietersen with three successive fours in one over. His near run-a-ball innings of 43 was, however, cut short by a Jeevan Mendis googly.

Mendis put Sri Lanka on top as he got Eoin Morgan out cheaply in his next over. The onus now was on Cook to anchor the innings himself, but he needed some one to stay at the crease long enough, as Sri Lankan spinners were proving more than handful. At the half-way stage, England were 103 for 4. Cook stepped up a bit completing his fifty in the process, off 69 balls with 8 fours.

England opted for the batting powerplay simultaneously with the mandatory ball change, an aggressive and positive move. But that did not work in their favour as Sri Lankans bowled brilliantly giving away only 24 runs, also taking bell’s wicket who could not hit a boundary in his 30.

In the last 10 overs, England collected 69 runs as wickets tumbled including Cook, who completed his hundred off 127 balls. He gave another chance when Kandamby spilled a running catch off Malinga. Just when Cook was looking to accelerate he was run out by Mahela for a well-made 119 runs (143 balls, 13x4 0x6). England posted 246 for 7, Swann finishing with a six and a four off Malinga, a below par score on a good wicket. Mendis, Lakmal and Malinga took 2 wickets each for Sri Lanka.

Like England, Sri Lanka’s start too was not an auspicious one as Tim Bresnan clean-bowled Dilshan for just 3. Mahela Jayawardene, centurion of the last match, and Dinesh Chandimal then denied England for almost 20 overs before they took the next wicket. Both played smoothly, showing class and grit. They hit the boundaries regularly and ran aggressively to post a match-winning 112 runs at almost 6 an over. Their stand deflated England even before the half-way stage. Fall of Jayawardene (79 runs, 77 balls, 9x4, 0x6) gave England some hope, but Sangakkara ensured that door is shut promptly.

Another 61-run stand and Sri Lanka was almost there. At the half-way stage, Sri Lanka needed to score at just 4.32 with 8 wickets in hand. After the fall of Sangakkara for 25, Chandimal started playing some more shots. He hit Anderson, who was off-colour, for a handsome six and a four in one over. Chandimal reached his brilliant hundred with a thumping six to Bresnan. He faced 123 balls and hit 10 fours and 2 sixes. With 8 balls to go, it was fittingly Chandimal who finished the match by hitting the winning four. He remained not out for 105, a Man of the Match performance. For England Graeme Swann was the best bowler, with figures of 2 for 32.

With two matches to go, Sri Lanka look in better shape than England to win the ODI series. Unless it is a seaming track, England will have to lift their game a few notches if they want to stop Sri Lanka from taking second series in a row at their backyard.

Match Summary: Sri Lanka 249/4 in 48.2 overs (Chandimal 105*, Jayawardene 79; Swann 2/32) beat England 246/7 (Cook 19; Jeevan Mendis 2/40) by 6 wickets

Sri Lanka lead the 5-match series 2-1

Man of the Match: Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka)