An unbeaten opening stand of 256 by Alex Hales and Jason Roy in just 34.1 overs, helped the hosts’ go 1-0 up in the ODI series at Edgbaston when they thrashed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the 2nd ODI played on Friday.
After an almost fine performance and the fight they showed in the first ODI, the visitors were expected to put up a good show in the remainder of the series but it wasn’t the case today.
Angelo Mathews won the toss and decided to bat first without any hesitation given the fact that it was a belter of a pitch. Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis looked fluent from the word go but Gunathilake threw away his wicket trying to slash the ball outside off and just nicking it to Butler off Liam Plunkett.
Young Kusal Mendis went without scoring when he was caught plumb in front of stumps to the bowling of Plunkett. Kusal Perera laid a good foundation for a long innings just like he did in the first ODI but was run out for 37 by a brilliant piece of fielding at covers by Jason Roy.
Dinesh Chandimal (52) and Angelo Mathews (44) rebuilt, putting on 82 runs for the fourth wicket but wickets again fell in a cluster as Rashid removed the latter – Sri Lanka’s skipper top-edging an attempted sweep.
Seekuge could not work his magic in this innings when he fell thanks to a terrific diving catch from Willey at long-on, while Chandimal’s 86-ball stay at the crease was ended by another Roy run out. On top of his untimely dismissal, he hobbled off the field with a hamstring strain.
When Willey bowled Farveez Maharoof, Sri Lanka were in real trouble at 191-7 with just under 10 overs still to play, but a fine fifty fromUpul Tharanga (53no off 49) helped the visitors bat out their full 50 overs. Tharanga showed glimpses of what he did a decade ago when Sri Lanka whitewashed England. A run-a-ball 63-run partnership with Suraj Randiv guided Sri Lanka to a respectable score of 254.
Sri Lanka needed early wickets to defend the below-par score but the English openers, Hales and Roy had other ideas. They started off slowly but after they familiarized themselves with the lackluster bowling attack and the pitch, they took over the controls of the match.
Alex Hales reached his hundred in just 91 balls, his third ODI hundred and first in England. Jason Roy reached his hundred a few balls later with a massive six off Seekuge Prasanna. His hundred came off just 92 balls and it was his second ODI ton. The home team got over the line with all 10 wickets intact and 95 balls remaining to hand a complete drubbing to the South Asian Islanders. This brilliant run chase is the Ten wicket victory in ODI history
