Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara produced one of their final trademark stands as Sri Lanka cruised to a comfortable 8-wicket win over England in the 2nd ODI played at R. Premadasa stadium on Saturday.
The hosts bowling attack muffled the English batting rhythm using spinners as they restricted the visitors for 185 before Sanga-Mahela duo showcased yet another world-class exhibition stroking a 149-run 3rd wicket stand to help Sri Lanka cruise to victory.
Earlier in the day, the gloomy skies and morning rain delayed the start of play by 75 minutes and the game got underway with the sun shining on Kettarama. The players paid tribute to Philip Hughes before the game with a minute’ silence and it was well-observed throughout the stadium. Prior to the match both captains’ and officials from both cricket boards signed a book of condolence to commemorate the loss of a brilliant Australian cricketer.
Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to bat on another belter of a surface which had runs written all over it. With two left-handers starting off for the visitors, off-spinner TM Dilshan opened the bowling which skipper Mathews later explained was because of the wicket which was dry and spin conducive and also taking into consideration opposing opener Moeen Ali’s penchant for pace. The ploy worked like a charm as Dilshan got the dangerous Ali in his very first over for 2 runs with the previous game centurion missing out on a big heave over leg side.
Sri Lanka enforced more spin early on with Rangan Herath coming in. He bowled a nice looped delivery to Ian Bell who tried to loft it over long-off but only found Thisara Perera who took a safe catch. Cook’s misery with the bat continued when he fell to Dilshan trying a sweep shot in the 10th over and England were soon restricted to 37 for 3.
Joe Root and Eoin Morgan toiled hard to put up a substantial partnership to lift the run-rate but Thisara Perera came into the attack in the 20th over of the match and he removed Morgan instantly as he popped a straight-forward catch to Lahiru Thirimanne at short extra-cover to end a 38-run partnership. Root batted sensibly negotiating the spin battery of Sri Lanka as he countered them accordingly. In-form Ravi Bopara and Root guided England to 117 with a 42-run stand for the 5th wicket before Mathews trapped the latter for a well-built 42 off 57.
Fast-bowler Dhammika Prasad was not used by Mathews until the 32nd over and he made an impact as soon as his 4th ball of the spell to dismiss Jos Buttler for 7 when the wicket-keeper batsman inside-edged a harmless delivery to rattle the stumps as England were restricted to 132 for 6. Ravi Bopara once again had to bat with the tail and resurrect the innings and put up a moderate total on the board to defend.
Bopara and Chris Woakes managed to make 41 runs in 49 balls yet Sri Lanka continued their stranglehold with regular wickets which pegged back the English run-rate. Ajantha Mendis removed Bopara, Woakes and Steven Finn in successive overs while Prasad claimed his 2nd wicket as England failed to bat out their allocated 45 overs as they managed only 185 on the board with 2 overs remaining. Bopara’s fine form with the willow continued as he made his 2nd half-century in many games but holed out to Mathews at mid-wicket for 51.
The Lankan bowlers combined superbly to adjust to the familiar conditions at home and strangle the opponents who are not the best in the world against slow spinners.
Chasing a below par target of 186, the Lankan openers got off to a blistering start with 27 runs on the board in 4 overs but the lanky seamer Steven Finn out-bounced Kusal Janith Perera when the left-hander miscued a hook shot to square leg as he fell for 9. Dilshan punished three boundaries in the very first over of the innings yet he was dismissed due to a poor shot selection off Moeen Ali in the 8th over for a 23-ball 26.
The most senior and experienced batting pair of Sangakkara and Jayawardene who are no strangers to put up long meticulous partnerships, once again held their end of the bargain to execute a silent yet effective stand to take Sri Lanka home in one of their final ODI matches together at home. Mahela’s late cuts were exquisite to watch while Kumar’s elegancy to score singles was clean as whistle as they used all their experience to maneuver Sri Lanka to victory.
The late deft touches by MJ were delight to watch and the best any fan could witness while Sanga played the second-fiddle to his partner playing himself in after a lean patch. Mahela got to his 76th half-century with a sweep off Tredwell while few balls later Kumar pulled a Woakes delivery to register his 88th ODI fifty. As soon as both the legends reached their personal milestones, they started to change gears into attacking mode and bashed the English bowlers with adequate cricket shots as they finished the game with 64 balls remaining.
Sri Lanka now lead the series 2-0 and both teams will travel to Hambanthota to play the 3rd ODI scheduled to be played on 3rd December.
Scorecard :
