- Over-by-over coverage of England v Sri Lanka in Cardiff
- Email dan.lucas@theguardian.com | tweet @DanLucas86
- Fourth ODI report: Roy’s big hundred seals series
37th over: Sri Lanka 177-7 (Chandimal 45, Lakmal 2) target 325 It’s a double change: Willey is recalled for Plunkett. As I’m pretty sure even a commentator couldn’t curse this one now, does anyone want to take a punt on where this ranks among England ODI series wins? As impressive as a 3-0 scoreline, not to mention the margins of victory, has been, Sri Lanka haven’t been very good, have they? Three from the over and serious like cancer, Rhythm is a Dancer rings out (those are actual lyrics).
“Here’s a fine article from your very own A. Bull on cricket poetry, writes Andrew Benton. “And as I can’t find any moderately acceptable tennis poetry at all, I’d say cricket, in the absence of evidence to the contrary.” Thanks Andrew, a very good find that.
Related: The Spin | Harold Pinter and the art of cricket poetry | Andy Bull
36th over: Sri Lanka 174-7 (Chandimal 43, Lakmal 1) target 325 Woakes comes back., Chandimal gets a single, there’s a wide down leg and the over is complete.
Speaking of people coming back, here’s Simon McMahon. “Ah yes, The Wicker Man. A true classic. Andy Murray (especially in his mad hair phase) would make a marvellous Lord Summerisle. I think he should go for the mustard turtle neck and tweed jacket combo if he makes the final.”
35th over: Sri Lanka 172-7 (Chandimal 42, Lakmal 1) target 325 Six! Chandimal charges one that’s too short for the shot and aims back over the bowler’s head, but gets a top-edge and sends it over third man for six anyway. He goes again next ball and clumps it unconvincingly over mid-on for four. That prompts a change of field and, after a single gives Prasanna the strike, the big-hitter falls into a trap. Plunkett greets Lakmal with a bouncer that the tailender just about sees off.
Outstanding catch from Willey. Plunkett gives him the bumper and Prasanna hooks. He tries to keep it down but Willey, at long-leg, dives forward to take it right off the grass!
34th over: Sri Lanka 159-6 (Chandimal 31, Prasanna 5) target 325 Prasanna inside-edges on to his pad but the ball goes wide of the stretching Buttler. Just one from that over and Rashid finishes with outstanding figures of two for 41 from his 10 overs. Sri Lanka have scored 13 runs from their last five overs.
33rd over: Sri Lanka 158-6 (Chandimal 30, Prasanna 5) target 325 Jordan is rewarded for bowling his best over yet with the hook: Plunkett takes over. It’s another bag of leg-byes and singles, then Prasanna top-edges to fine-leg but there’s no one there to take the catch. It’s gone a bit stale now.
32nd over: Sri Lanka 154-6 (Chandimal 28, Prasanna 4) target 325 Three from the over, all to Prasanna and two of those courtesy of a Bairstow fumble at long-leg. The required rate is heading towards 10.
31st over: Sri Lanka 151-6 (Chandimal 28, Prasanna 1) target 325 Jordan goes up for lbw against Prasanna. Rod Tucker shakes his head. Chris Jordan continues to ask the question but he’s not getting anything from it. It looked like it was going down leg to me but Hawkeye suggests it was closer than that: just clipping the stumps to make it umpire’s call. Again just a single and a leg-bye from a much better over from Jordan.
30th over: Sri Lanka 149-6 (Chandimal 27, Prasanna 1) target 325 This must be an awkward situation for Prasanna, whose natural instinct tends to be to have a thrash, especially with the spinner on. But he got out for two having a go in the last match and if he goes quickly here then his side are pretty well done. Y’know, more so. Three from the over, a two and a one, all to Chandimal.
29th over: Sri Lanka 146-6 (Chandimal 24, Prasanna 1) target 325 From this over six runs are scored (three singles, a pair of leg-byes and a wide) but no one in this office gives a solitary one, because NOVAK DJOKOVIC HAS BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF WIMBLEDON BY SAM QUERREY! Chandimal flicks the last ball round the corner but Buttler makes an excellent stop diving to his left. Question then: how far does Buttler’s ODI form count towards the case for him being recalled to the Test side?
28th over: Sri Lanka 140-6 (Chandimal 22, Prasanna 0) target 325 Double appeal from the first ball: first for the catch – not out as it flicked Chandimal’s pad – and then for the stumping – not out as his foot never actually left the ground behind his crease. This is a great over: just a wide and a single to Chandimal, then Shanaka proves not so adept as his partner at not getting himself stumped.
“Matt Dony (23rd over) makes a good point,” reckons Janet Stevens (in France). “As long ago as 1909, PG Wodehous’s Psmith (in ‘Mike and Psmith’) opined that, while cricket was not an occupation for a man of refinement (I paraphrase, can’t find the exact quote but will now be diverted from what I should be doing while I search for it), WATCHING cricket was one of England’s finest manly sports. Even in those days, watching it at least was also womanly. In the novel, Mike Jackson’s sister Marjorie was fined pudding at lunch on several occasions for her caustic comments on the batting of their brother Reggie in important fixtures.”
Rashid floats this one down on Shanaka’s off-stump. The batsman comes forward and plays down the wrong line for the leg-break and Buttler completes the job nicely.
27th over: Sri Lanka 138-5 (Chandimal 21, Shanaka 22) target 325 Here’s something where I don’t know the relevant law. Vince gets around to make a sliding stop but the ball spins back towards the rope; however the fielder, in getting up again, moves the rope six inches or so away from the ball. Well, no boundary say the umpires and I would like to think they know better than me.
26th over: Sri Lanka 134-5 (Chandimal 18, Shanaka 22) target 325 With the required rate up around eight, Shanaka is determined not to let this match go quite yet: he steps forward and times his slog nicely over long-on for the first six of the innings. A short wide one might give him four more, but he mistimes the cut and can only get two behind point for his efforts.
25th over: Sri Lanka 126-5 (Chandimal 18, Shanaka 14) target 325 Jordan is back and still his line isn’t quite right: he strays fractionally towards leg and Shanaka gets the thinnest of inside edges to tickle it to the fine-leg rope.
In sad news, both Caroline Aherne and Robin Hardy have died today. The latter directed on of my favourite films.
24th over: Sri Lanka 119-5 (Chandimal 18, Shanaka 7) target 325 Rashid took a bit of tap in the last two matches but he’s back to exerting control over the batsmen here. Though as soon as I wrote that he gave Shanaka a dreadful full-toss that was more reminiscent of the old Adil. Shanaka couldn’t get hold of it though and barely cleared the mid-on fielder with his heave. Two runs, making that two-fifths of what this over cost.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 114-5 (Chandimal 17, Shanaka 3) target 325 It’s not that batting is particularly difficult out there, as Chandimal shows with a nicely timed drive straight back past Plunkett for four. Seven off the over.
“On topic today,” begins Matt Dony, “if I may answer McMahon’s question, tennis is the much more enjoyable sport to play (mainly because I used to be quite good, but I can’t throw for toffee, which hampered my cricketing), BUT I have a limited tolerance for watching tennis. I love it for half an hour, then get a bit bored. Whereas I can sit in front of the cricket motionless for hours. As my wife discovered on our honeymoon all those years ago. She’s a lucky lady.”
22nd over: Sri Lanka 107-5 (Chandimal 12, Shanaka 1) target 325 So Mathews’ and Chandimal’s run of 50+ partnerships comes to an end, bringing the in-form Tharanga to the crease, much lower in the order than many people would like him. And he absolutely justifies the calls for his promotion by, er, losing middle and off first ball. Shanaka comes to the crease with his team’s hopes of victory rapidly going from “slim” to “in the latter stages of post mortem decay”.
Oh that’s a gorgeous leg-break! Tossed up and pitched just outside off, it turns back and goes through the gate to get rid of the dangerman first ball.
21st over: Sri Lanka 105-4 (Chandimal 11, Tharanga 0) target 325 Chandimal brings up the team 100 with a lovely drive through extra-cover, which Bairstow has to run around a fair way to field and keep the value of down to two. The required rate is creeping up slowly; Sri Lanka need to keep that in mind but not worry just yet. Mathews gets revenge for missing out on the girl in the last over and gives Plunkett the charge, narrowly avoids decaptiating the bowler and murders the ball back over his head for four. “Eff you,” says Plunkett and bowls him with the very next ball.
Full, fast yorker. Mathews isn’t expecting it and dangles his bat down the wrong line; as a result his middle stump is crushed.
20th over: Sri Lanka 98-3 (Chandimal 8, Mathews 9) target 325 Rashid drags one short and Mathews’ eyes light up. He looks up and around and his eyes settle on a spot beyond the midwicket boundary. They turn misty and he allows himself the softest of smiles. He flexes his muscles a touch and sets himself. Applies some aftershave. Gives his hips a bit of a wiggle and adopts his most seductive look. Alas he spends a touch too long doing this, mistimes it and gets two. Five from the over.
19th over: Sri Lanka 93-3 (Chandimal 6, Mathews 6) target 325 After a single to Chandimal, Mathews reads a bouncer like Stephen Fry reading a quite interesting thing off a card: with great aplomb, and no little flourish. Unlike Stephen Fry, he sends the ball whistling through wide mid-on for four.
18th over: Sri Lanka 88-3 (Chandimal 5, Mathews 2) target 325 Chandimal is hit on the pad and it looks like a very, very good shout. Rod Tucker disagrees though and Hawkeye proves him right: the ball didn’t turn and was missing leg. Four singles from the over.
17th over: Sri Lanka 84-3 (Chandimal 3, Mathews 0) target 325 A change of ends for Plunkett, who replaces the slightly wayward Jordan and strikes with his third ball, removing the set batsman just two short of his 50. Gunathilaka consults Chandimal about whether or not to ask for a review, but is quickly reminded Sri Lanka have no reviews left (and nor do England). Chandimal and Mathews, the Lenny and Carl of Sri Lankan cricket so reliable are they, come together. They’ve put on 50 partnerships in each of the last four ODIs.
From round the wicket, Plunkett fires one past Gunathilaka’s attempted leg-side heave and into the pads. Hit in front of middle and, despite the angle and the batsman being a fair way forward, Michael Gough gives it. That’s drinks, too.
16th over: Sri Lanka 82-2 (Chandimal 2, Gunathilaka 48) target 325 Time spin from Rashid. He saves a single by stepping back halfway into the path of Gunathilaka, meaning the batsmen didn’t have time to turn for a second. Despite what some idiot conspiracy theorist will no doubt tweet me, it was entirely accidental. He drops short and Gunathilaka pulls him through midwicket for four. He then hits the left-hander on the pad and, when the appeal is turned down Morgan reviews. It’s a rubbish decision frankly as that’s turning a good way past leg.
15th over: Sri Lanka 74-2 (Chandimal 1, Gunathilaka 41) target 325 Gunathilaka has looked very stylish in his brief cameos during this series: you imagine that if he’s going to help Sri Lanka to a win here then it’ll be more Thrillho than Millhouse. He gets two with a nice little dab behind point and two more with a push to mid-on. Very quietly, Sri Lanka have pinched eight from that boundary-free over, which is just what they need.
Mendis’s run out was the seventh of the ODI series for Sri Lanka, which is frankly unforgiveable.
14th over: Sri Lanka 66-2 (Chandimal 0, Gunathilaka 35) target 325 You might notice the score didn’t change between the last two overs. If you refresh the page I have corrected the 12th. Yet another run out in the series sees the in-form Mendis depart and the similarly good looking Chandimal enter. Beofre that, three runs had come from the over in singles; nowt come after it.
Oh look, another run out effected by Bairstow. Mendis clumps it out to the Yorkshireman in the deep and looks for a suicidal single. The throw is dead on target, Buttler takes in front of the stumps and breaks them cleanly.
13th over: Sri Lanka 63-1 (Mendis 20, Gunathilaka 34) target 325 Jordan sends down a wide, which is, to my recollection and without looking it up (which I could easily do) the first extra of the innings. After that Gunathilaka smashes a half-volley on the up and through mid-off for four runs more brutal than a Nelson Muntz wedgie. A single then brings up the 50 partnership from 51 balls. Mendis pulls out to midwicket but the ball dies before reaching the fielder and that’s just a single too. Another wide prompts me to check my earlier statement and it turns out there was a leg-bye earlier on.
“Cricket or tennis?” asks John Starbuck echoing an earlier question. “The way the question is posed invites the answer provided by Harry Hill ‘There’s only one way to find out: fight!!!’ In which case the tennis players may well be more nimble, but the cricketers carry the heavier weaponry, be it bat/racket or ball. Cricketers have more armour too.”
12th over: Sri Lanka 53-1 (Mendis 18, Gunathilaka 28) target 325 Here is Plunkett. Old Plunkers. The Plunkmaster. Liam. He gets a couple of excellent yorkers in and can be mightily miffed to be punished to the tune of five runs from them: Mendis squeezes his to midwicket and Gunathilaka digs his out and down to third man for four.
11th over: Sri Lanka 47-1 (Mendis 17, Gunathilaka 23) target 325 Jordan replaces Woakes, perhaps a wee bit of a surprise to see him on first change instead of Plunkett. Ah hold on, Plunkett is off the field for some reason, with Moeen fielding down at fine-leg. Anywho, six from the over, two of ‘em in ones and a pair of twos. Don’t ever accuse me of writing filler.
10th over: Sri Lanka 41-1 (Mendis 12, Gunathilaka 22) target 325 These two look more settled now: Mendis climbs into Willey’s first ball and lifts it cleanly over mid-on for four runs. He’s then not far off being run out when he pushes for a single and is a touch lackadaisical in getting to the other end: had the throw hit he was gone. That’s the end of a well-bowled powerplay.
“Good afternoon Dan,” writes Simon McMahon, who has a question. “I’m thoroughly enjoying the award winning Guardian sports website today. But
are you the only OBOer who can spell the Sri Lankan batsmen’s names
which is better, cricket or tennis? And don’t say rugby.” I’ll let you know after the Djokovic v Querrey match has finished. It’s back on serve in the fourth.
9th over: Sri Lanka 35-1 (Mendis 7, Gunathilaka 21) target 325 Shot from Gunathilaka, taking full advantage of a soupçon of room from Woakes outside off and cutting it elegantly past Roy for four. After an exchange of singles he’s at it again, this time not keeping it down and sending it only eight inches or so away from the diving Roy’s outstretched right hand. It would have been a blinder; alas it’s four runs instead.
8th over: Sri Lanka 25-1 (Mendis 6, Gunathilaka 12) target 325 On Sky, Athers makes fun of Nick Knight’s tie. I look forward to seeing this, but am then thoroughly disappointed when it turns out I have one very similar. I didn’t think it was too bad, but then I never wear the the things outside of weddings, and I don’t get invited to many of those. Back with the cricket, a mere single comes from Willey’s over, the final ball seaming past Mendis.
Do get in touch, by the way, this is a lonely business. Email dan.lucas@theguardian.com or tweet @DanLucas86 if you like.
7th over: Sri Lanka 24-1 (Mendis 6, Gunathilaka 11) target 325 A rank wide ball from Woakes goes unpunished when Mendis just overbalances a touch in reaching for it. It should have gone for four, although the next ball does just that when Woakes straightens, overpitches and gets driven crisply through extra-cover by Mendis. Those are the only runs of the over though and the required rate is already up to almost dead-on seven.
6th over: Sri Lanka 20-1 (Mendis 2, Gunathilaka 11) target 325 Another lofted flick into the leg-side from Gunathilaka but it’s another mistimed shot and just another two. Three balls later though he plays a similar shot, further towards mid-on this time, times it better, keeps it down and sends it trundling on its way to the rope for the first boundary of the innings. An awkward pull and a guide down to third man from the No2 and the No3 respectively each bring singles.
5th over: Sri Lanka 12-1 (Mendis 1, Gunathilaka 4) target 325 The new batsman is Kushal Mendis, whose form across all formats on this tour has been just about the brightest point for Sri Lanka. He has five half-centuries including the one against Leicestershire in the tour match and it would be really, really handy for Sri Lanka if he could kick on from one of those today. He’s off the mark with an edge down to third man, before Gunathilaka is perturbed by the umpire’s decision not to award a wide for a big high bouncer. He guides away a single behind point but that’s another lovely tight over from England.
4th over: Sri Lanka 9-1 (Mendis 0, Gunathilaka 3) target 325 For the first time today Willey strays on to the pads and Gunathilaka chips him into the outfield. There should be two as Vince slips in the outfield, but the batsmen settle for one lest they interrupt the serenity of this start. Or it was bad running. Perera then gets a thin edge into his pad and back on to the bat, but Buttler can’t get forward in time to catch the looping ball. No matter as Perera goes final ball, for a frustrated six from 15.
Perera’s bat comes down a slightly crooked line and the ball just nips through to strike him on the pads. Out he is.
Given out but reviewed...
3rd over: Sri Lanka 8-0 (Perera 6, Gunathilaka 2) target 325 Now Gunathilaka gets off the mark, in low-key fashion with a mistimed hook that he bottom edges to backward-square for one. Perera edges a single of his own then his partner gets another one with a push down the ground and a hasty dash. Perera is a lucky man off the last ball, top-edging a very loose pull and sending it just beyond the retreating Rashid for two. All of Sri Lanka’s runs have come off badly timed shots, while the plenty that have been well timed have gone to fielders.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 3-0 (Perera 3, Gunathilaka 0) target 325 Yes Willey is getting some early shape away from the left-handed Perera, who just defends the first four balls into the off-side. With that approach not yielding anything by way of runs, he swishes airily through midwicket for a couple.
1st over: Sri Lanka 1-0 (Perera 1, Gunathilaka 0) target 325 Changing things up again, maverick new England open the bowling with Chris Woakes instead of David Willey. He asks about lbw very first ball, but that one’s slipping down the leg-side I’d wager. There is a stiffish Cardiff breeze going across the wicket and that’s offering the bowler some movement, though that might be more useful for Willey. Perera gets a single to mid-off, before Gunathilaka plays a series of glorious-looking shots straight to fielders inside the ring.
Back out come the players. We will resume in one minute.
Mike Atherton is speaking about Mohammad Amir, following the interview that was aired during the interval and it’s a very interesting listen. Amir, for what it’s worth, still believes he can be the best bowler in the world and it’s difficult not to feel sympathy for the kid: he says he now also wants to be seen as a better human being.
As for Athers, he’s launched an eloquent defence of Amir. He points out that the News of the World sting essentially convoluted a crime that wouldn’t otherwise have happened and, with the agent under pressure after not delivering in the previous match, went after the youngest, most impressionable player.
Yes, Adam Collins is gone. I, Dan Lucas, am your glorious leader now, here to guide you through the final innings of this ODI series. The question now is whether the pressure of the chase will invigorate Sri Lanka or whether they will wilt under the pressure. To secure a first win on the tour they’ll have to make their highest score of the ODI series. They make 305 in 42 overs at the Oval so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. And after the way Sri Lanka’s spinners kept a lid on things, will England regret not picking Moeen Ali? Stay tuned to find out!
England held their nerve when the bowling was good, and cashed in what it wasn’t, tallying an target that will take some chasing for the visitors to register their first, belated win on tour.
Root (93) accumulated well, Buttler (70) showed his tricks late and Vince (51) reminded all of his charms, especially when driving. For Sri Lanka, Danushka Gunathilaka’s ten overs of off-spin netted 3/48, proving a a constant challenge for the England players. Seekkuge Prasanna’s leggies were equally as important in the context of the visitors’ fightback after the hosts got off to a flyer.
50th over: England 324-7 Plunkett gets the chance to face off again with the man who he plonked over the rope to tie the first ripper a week and a half ago. And it’s the Englishman who wins this next, brief skirmish as well, twice pulling him hard through midwicket for final-over boundaries. He’s run out last ball via a direct hit from the bowler, but his cameo was a successful one.
Right. Let me gather my thoughts before handing over to Dan Lucas.
Root makes it to the final over and the 90s, but no further, bowled by Pradeep who finally gets his name in the book. Not the most compelling innings Root will play, but combined for useful partnerships down the list putting England in a very strong position.
49th over: England 314-5 (Root 93, Woakes 16) Even the otherwise pretty good Lakmal has completely lose his way in his final over. Woakes cashes in. A full toss to start the over which still could have been one if not for Bandara misfielding on the rope. Oh dear. Then to the penultimate delivery the all-rounder gave himself the room to swing, and connect he did shovelling a ball that followed him over the fence at backward square leg. Resourceful.
48th over: England 302-5 (Root 92, Woakes 5) After slipping through Butter’s gate Bandara tried to repeat the dose but Root is already down low in a reverse sweep stance and is able to lift the overpitched ball over where slip would conventionally stand. 11 from it.
A very handy first ODI wicket for the man on debut, “he may have just saved his side chasing an extra 30” the analysis of Botham. Bandara’s yorker from around the wicket slipped by Buttler. Excellent death bowling.
47th over: England 291-4 (Root 86, Buttler 70) Buttler’s. Bottom. Hand. Pradeep lands a practically perfect slower ball yorker out the back of the hand in the style of Ian Harvey, but the England ‘keeper has the skills to leverage it through the covers. Somehow. Then when the bowler dropped short in overcompensating nest time up, it’s to the rope at square leg. Buttler doesn’t miss half trackers. 14 from it. Sri Lanka have done so well to keep this in check... until now.
46th over: England 277-4 (Root 83, Buttler 59) Bandara on for his penultimate over at this stage always came with some risk. Early in the set Buttler is able to get underneath a pull shot to a poor short ball for one boundary. Then later, Root wallops a ball on the up through the covers for a second. He’s had more fluent days than today the England no. 3. But he’s still there and a 100 quiet possible if he goes the distance. Can’t ask much more than that.
45th over: England 266-4 (Root 77, Buttler 54) Right on from Pradeep, just when Buttler looked ready to start depositing them into the crowd at will he bowls an over where no boundary is conceded.
Nasser is a fan of Jos: “He will be a good Test Match player at some stage. Get him in, he’s so talented.”
44th over: England 259-4 (Root 72, Buttler 52) Buttler shows just how strong his hands are when lifting the first ball of this Lakmal over over the long off fence. Anything is possible if he can get on a run here. Nasser makes a good point o the commentary that the problem for opposing teams when he bats is that they are so aware of his ability to flog it to the boundary - setting up right on the rope - that it is harder to stop him taking two. He does precisely this three times in a row to end the over, turning it into a really good set for the hosts, 14 taken. In all that, he passed 50 in 35 balls. As you do.
43rd over: England 245-4 (Root 71, Buttler 39) Outstanding from Pradeep! Back into the attack and three valuable dot balls to end the over, Root trying to reverse sweep on each occasion and slower balls good enough to beat him each time. A couple of Buttler boundaries started the set, the first lifted over the ‘keeper and the second cut hard. Plenty going on out there right now as we near the end.
42nd over: England 236-4 (Root 71, Buttler 30) Oh yeah, here’s Jos! A bottom hand hockey slap races to the extra cover boundary when Lakmal overpitches. It’s the only error from the bowler though, another series of slower balls prevailing, only six added. Not enough at this stage.
Still care about what’s going on in Australia? Hung parliament looks the favourite. The senate is all over the place. Partisan commentators are calling for resignations and the like. Just another day in our democracy.
41st over: England 230-4 (Root 70, Buttler 25) Prasanna continues to rip his leg breaks all the way through to the end of his spell. A big, conventional turner beat Buttler’s edge, and later in the over a topspinner crashed into Root’s pad prompting a DRS referral. It was unsuccessful, the third umpire Bruce Oxendale quickly skipping through the process as it is missing by a mile. I hope one day the third umpire DRS role gets to the stage where they can editorialise a bit too: “that wouldn’t have hit a second set,” etc. Dare to dream.
I digress. What a great job from the spinners. Prasanna’s last over going for three, his ten completed for 52.
40th over: England 227-4 (Root 68, Buttler 24) Lakmal showing his experience, back into the attack and immediately running his fingers across the seam to change his pace; no two balls look the same He’s successful in preventing England from scoring a boundary.
39th over: England 221-4 (Root 65, Buttler 22) Plenty of room for these two senior players to work singles off Prasanna. Buttler is yet to give it the big ones yet - but can’t be long now?
38th over: England 214-4 (Root 61, Buttler 20) Oh that’s right, Joe Root is out there! He’s barely seen the strike over the last half hour, but he doesn’t miss out when the last ball of Bandara’s over gives him sufficient room to swing the arms, the ball racing out to the extra cover boundary. It follows a wide the first time attempt he had at finishing what was to then a serviceable set. In the end, it went for 11.
He’s having a rough time of it at the moment, but this isn’t a bad stat.
New milestone for England skipper @Eoin16.
First @englandcricket player to hit 100 sixes in ODI.#ENGvSL
37th over: England 204-4 (Root 55, Buttler 16) That’s ten of the best from Gunathilaka, his final over conceding four, 3/48 his work. It has been a superb spell of consistent spin from around the wicket, doubly impressive as he has relatively modest weapons at his disposal to create errors. The power of control. Well bowled.
36th over: England 199-4 (Root 54, Buttler 13) I take back what I said about Banadna before, this is a good little fightback for him in the third spell. He’s routinely got it on the dancefloor, making it hard to get him away. Buttler does look likely though, a crunch off the back foot suggests he’ll be trying to hit it onto the Moon pretty soon.
Meanwhile, Jimmy’s at Wimbledon in the Royal Box with a big smile on his face. Good on him.
Good to see @jimmy9 in the Royal Box pic.twitter.com/5oZkaXo0DF
35th over: England 194-4 (Root 54, Buttler 8) Gunathilaka pushing through an over quick, tidy, useful over. Six from it, but it looks like they’ve accepted that taking him to the rope or beyond just won’t be happening. He has one over left. They have a drink ahead of happy hour, 15 to go.
34th over: England 188-4 (Root 52, Buttler 4) Bandara looks the man most likely to be taken apart by England, on debut and struggling across his spells to find any rhythm. A ball on Buttler’s pads is dealt with accordingly with fine leg up, a nice pressure-release boundary for the hosts. Nothing much wrong with the rest of the over, Buttler playing himself in. Plenty of time for him to go big.
33rd over: England 183-4 (Root 51, Buttler 0) Well, it started off well enough with Root raising his half century, but the Gunathilaka wicket, his third, really hurts. Not because they don’t have plenty of batting in the sheds, but because Bairstow just started to look ready to launch.
Gunathilaka is having a day out here! They just cannot get him away, and then when Bairstow attempts to go down the ground he doesn’t get anywhere near enough of it, Shanaka taking the easiest of catches in the deep. Bairstow should be livid with that, not quite giving it a full blooded swing.
32nd over: England 179-3 (Root 48, Bairstow 21) The debutant Bandara back on after two earlier nervous spells. His main problem then was overpitching, not the worst to have, but there’ll be less margin for error with the older ball and these two looking set. Saying that, Bairstow does miss the one full toss of the over when it does come. Five singles taken around the wagon wheel. Time for a little bit of tap? I think so.
31st over: England 174-3 (Root 45, Bairstow 19) Gunathilaka back after the Mendis experiment. Which wasn’t an altogether bad one, if you ask me. He’ll be used again, if not today. And he’s back into that shoebox. Although after a couple of good overs the batsmen are able to now work him with more control through the gaps for six risk-free runs.
30th over: England 168-3 (Root 43, Bairstow 15) England just getting a bit of control here, Prasanna unable to this time prevent the accumulation of singles before Bairstow builds up the confidence to go down the track and whack him over long off for four. It doesn’t do things in halves, our Jonny.
29th over: England 160-3 (Root 41, Bairstow 9) Root decides to break up the monotony with a little reverse sweep dab shot, successfully evading third man for four. Mendis looks pretty decent for a bloke who is having his first bowl in international cricket. Eight from it, though.
28th over: England 152-3 (Root 35, Bairstow 7) I reckon Prasanna is trolling me, trying to bowl his overs quicker and quicker, the perpetual motion machine or something like that. Three singles from it, so it’s working. His seven overs have gone for 34. Excellent. The 150 came up in that over.
27th over: England 149-3 (Root 34, Bairstow 5) Mathews has thrown Mendis the ball for his first trundle in ODI cricket. At the expense of Gunathilaka, who presumably he will hold back for the death overs. Not sure about that with him going so well, no reason his last four couldn’t have continued to be efficient and effective here and now? Mendis, though, coming around the wicket with off-breaks performs a similar role to the man he replaces, each ball right on the mark, five coming from it. It should have been four, if not for a misfield. Just for something different.
Dan Lucas is with you later on, I should add. He saw Massive Attack and TV On the Radio last night and I hate him for it.
Poor old Bairstow's going to be the one who gets dropped when Stokes is fit, isn't he? #ENGvSL
26th over: England 144-3 (Root 32, Bairstow 2) Bairstow has to dive to make his ground at the non-strikers end, and lucky he does as Mendis, racing around to midwicket from behind the stumps, nails them with a direct hit. They manage to cobble from the Prasanna over, the strike now turned over at each time of asking. But the pressure remains. Any big stroke here will carry risk.
25th over: England 138-3 (Root 29, Bairstow 0) A fantastic spell this from Gunathilaka, a second wicket coming courtesy of the captain, and only two runs from this over all told. He has 2/28 from his six.
The skipper’s awful run continues, caught in the deep to a ball he’s hit nicely but picked out the sweeper running in at extra cover. Who knows why he has directed the ball there, it didn’t look like a false stroke? In any case, the spin of Sri Lanka has netted a second wicket. What a wonderful little passage of play. If they can a win here, their first of the tour, they can look back at these overs as the catalyst for it.
24th over: England 136-2 (Root 28, Morgan 20) You know how I talked about the Smith Street Band earlier? They also have a song called Throw Me In the River. That’s precisely what Morgan has done there, clobbering the second last ball of Prasanna’s otherwise handy over into the drink at long on.
Paul Turp is dropped us a note. “Hi Adam.” Yo. “I might just be very dim and slow getting this joke but is Joe Root’s shirt a deliberate ‘Root 66’ pun?”
23rd over: England 126-2 (Root 26, Morgan 12) Morgan decides to take control, into a passionate version of the reverse sweep to Gunathilaka’s first ball, successfully taking it to the rope. As a colleague Izzy Westbury said last year in relation to Glenn Maxwell’s predilection for the stroke, the best thing about the reverse sweep is that it requires full commitment to the cause to be effective. Only two further singles through the rest of the set though, highlighting how hard the England batsmen are finding it to get off strike the way that’s common in the accumulation phase of an ODI innings.
22nd over: England 120-2 (Root 25, Morgan 7) The spin twinning of England continues, Prasanna keeping the breaks firmly on with an over that goes for just the two, each batsmen claiming a single to long on. This is fine bowling. They’re pushing these overs through extremely quickly as well. Thanks for that, fellas.
21st over: England 118-2 (Root 24, Morgan 6) Gunathilaka successfully pins down Morgan, provoking a reverse-lap of sorts that goes awry when collecting an outside edge (or was it an inside edge by that stage?). Flummoxed by affairs, Mathews is going the wrong way at first slip and has no chance of pulling down the catch. The captain survives and the ball spills away from a boundary. One they needed to break things up a bit.
Phil Withall is keeping me company on the email. You can too. He writes: “Thanks for bringing up the Australian election, I have been trying to avoid it by following the OBO, drinking wine and having rather disturbing drawings of me created by my daughter.”
20th over: England 111-2 (Root 22, Morgan 1) Prasanna more than holding up his end of the bargain, already creating a couple of half chances. He goes ever so close to claiming the vital wicket of Root, who misjudges a legside flick that ends up spitting into the offside off a leading edge. Mathews’ dive falls just short. Three from the over, making it 17 runs from the last five. Spin to win, and all that. They have a hydration break, as the man on the PA calls it. Spare me.
19th over: England 108-2 (Root 20, Morgan 0) After having just one taken from his previous over, Gunathilaka conceded a couple of singles but that would be it. And the wicket of Vince. For a man who copped some serious tap in his first over the other night, he’s been outstanding since. Doesn’t do much with it, but ever so consistent with where he lands the ball, from a decent trajectory.
That’s the reward the Sri Lankan tweakers had earned after changing tempo of this game. Trying to assert himself, Vince went dancing but the Gunathilaka delivery didn’t spin back as he anticipated, evading the blade with Chandimal doing the rest for the easiest of stumpings. Out comes the captain.
18th over: England 106-1 (Vince 50, Root 19) Better from England, able to turn the strike over to each of Prasanna’s deliveries, albeit with a couple of leading edges in there too. The last ball of the over nets Vince his maiden ODI fiftyafter tucking one around the corner. 54 balls it took, with five boundaries. 100 up in that over too.
17th over: England 98-1 (Vince 46, Root 15) Gunathilaka’s time for a 90 second over, an excellent one, one run coming. The spinners are really doing a job for Mathews here just as the home side were skipping away against the seamers.
16th over: England 97-1 (Vince 46, Root 14) “That’s the line, Seeky!” chirps Chandimal to the leggie Prasanna, who delivers a very tidy first over, only the three singles found.
Plenty going on in Australia. A hung parliament “more likely than not” says the man who knows more about this than most. Second (third?) screen with the Guardian Australia’s excellent coverage.
15th over: England 94-1 (Vince 45, Root 12) Spin for the first time today, via Gunathilaka, who did a most serviceable job amongst the carnage on Thursday. Around the wicket with his off-breaks, both men are happy enough to use their feet to reach the ball on the half volley to take singles. Root is squared up with the penultimate delivery when he elects for the alternative approach playing deep in the crease, but gets away with it. Vince ends the over with a conventional sweep shot, breaking the sequence of overs with six scored from it, 10 taken from this one. They could be on track for a big’un one today. Worth tuning in.
14th over: England 84-1 (Vince 37, Root 10) Ominous. Joe Root. His second boundary just as joyous as the first. Uppish, but straight with impeccable timing. One for the statto nerds: that’s the fifth over on the spin that’s gone for exactly six.
13th over: England 78-1 (Vince 36, Root 5) Pradeep let down in the field, a Vince drive through cover going for four when it really should have been cut off. It continues the pattern where the hosts keep picking up a run a ball regardless of how well the over is bowled.
12th over: England 72-1 (Vince 31, Root 4) After taking a wicket Lakmal would have ran in with confidence to Root, but the no. 3 was having none of that, starting his hand with a picture-perfect cover drive. We should all be so lucky to do it like that first ball.
Lakmal has struck and it’s the clutch wicket of Roy after Perera takes a very assured catch in the deep. With the strong breeze we’ve been told of already plenty could have gone wrong there; it’s excellent fielding. Not Roy’s greatest shot of all time, swinging hard at a delivery that didn’t deserve the cow corner treatment, the ball bouncing off a goodish length after Roy had entered into a premeditated dance. “They needed a breakthrough, they couldn’t let Roy get away again,” says Mahela Jayawardene on the commentary. Too right.
11th over: England 66-0 (Roy 34, Vince 29) To be fair to Sri Lanka, they’ve done plenty right this morning, principally Lakmal and Pradeep. The latter bowls a beauty to Vince in this over, cutting him in half.
Nick Knight on Sky is showing us with technology how James Vince has the glide down the third man down to a fine art already. After a very modest Test series, this could be an important day for him if he kick on. Looks like he might.
10th over: England 60-0 (Roy 31, Vince 27) We said the other night that as impressive as Roy’s hitting in his monster 162 was his relentless running. That’s already a feature today. Six came in the last over of the first power play, both batsmen clipping behind square, but the final ball of the over required them to really motor to collect their second three in as many overs.
9th over: England 54-0 (Roy 27, Vince 25) Roy’s had enough of this respecting the bowler business, taking a bad Bandara ball to fine leg. Next chance he gets he’s scampering down the track, whacking over long on. It bounces inside the rope, but the intent is clear. Another three added to the total before the expensive over of 14 is done, pulled to midwicket with some determined running between the wickets from both. Half century stand also raised in all that activity.
Nasser Hussain on the TV call sums the up the conundrum for Sri Lanka: “That’s classic Roy. Taking it to the bowler, hitting a boundary and then rotating the strike. It’s why it is so hard as a bowling side when he’s out there, you can’t build momentum.”
8th over: England 37-0 (Roy 14, Vince 21) Roy gets off strike early in the over, both men taking singles down to third man. Pradeep’s into his groove early. Can I will him onto a bag of wickets before this tour is over?
7th over: England 37-0 (Roy 14, Vince 21) Bandara has been spun around to the other end to replace Lakmal from the Cathedral Road end. But it’s not a flattering re-start, Vince reached at one that would have been called wide outside off stump, doing enough to reach the rope. Bandara did fight back well, three dots to end his set with Vince now happier to defend.
“Does your potential hung parliament mean you will be ruled by Nick Clegg?” asks Ian Copestake. Well, after the week that was at Westminster, we best not play the old rule in/rule out game.
6th over: England 33-0 (Roy 14, Vince 17) My Sri Lankan fave Nawan Pradeep into the attack. As usual, he’s been deprived of the new ball, but with Bandara only afforded two overs he should be able to generate some early movement. Oh, what he did prompt was an early run out chance, Vince taking on the man at cover for no obvious reason and was gone my a metres had it hit. It didn’t.
Jason Roy tries to show some authority early in today’s relationship with Pradeep by charging straight away, midtiming into the legside expanse, still enough for three.
Good news: covers are off, sun is out and we’re back in business. Cricket to resume at 11:30am, with England 28-0 after five overs. As we’re still within an hour of the scheduled start of play, we won’t be lose any overs yet.
Enough time for one song? I was going to lob an election-related track at you from the mighty Smith Street Band, but there’s a bit too much swearing in it. Australians in England (or vice versa) can identify with this instead.
During the rain delay, Sky have previewed an interview to be screened later this week, Mike Atherton talking with Mohammad Amir. Looks fascinating, the subject saying his whole life now is about being “a better human being,” with obvious remorse for what happened at Lord’s last time he was in town.
For those who have came for the cricket and staying for my searing Australian election insight, the early signs are that this could be one of the most volatile results in modern history. Minor parties look set to claim seats from both the major parties, while the conservative government (who have a 19 seat leading, out of 150, coming into the night) are leaking green leather to the Labor opposition. A hung parliament prevailed in 2010; twice in six years, maybe? Wow.
One of those days by the looks: the ground staff were taking the covers off, but it’s raining again, so they’ve been rolled back out. Tough yards being a groundsman this season.
The great British summer #ENGvSLpic.twitter.com/BRbdvnVIOi
5th over: England 28-0 (Roy 11, Vince 15) Now, Lakmal stops in his follow through and takes a look at Vince as he backs out. Is he suggesting the new England opener is a Man-candidate? It’s another good over from the opener, forcing defensive strokes rather than anything more lavish.
David Wall wants to know if in Australian election debates “the worm” is still used. And “was it inspired by early one-day cricket comparative progress graphics (a bit like the Manhattan)?”
Can’t speak for the former as I’m over here now, but I know I’ll never go to New York without hearing Tony Greig’s voice in my ear talking about Manhattans when looking at the skyline.
And after it looked so sunny, they are off for rain. Didn’t see that coming. But according to the commentary, it’s “too heavy too continue” right now. Fair play.
4th over: England 26-0 (Roy 10, Vince 14) Shooooooot roar the slowly-building Cardiff crowd as Vince strokes his first boundary, and it’s a delightful one through the posh side in front of point. Just a push really. That’s why he’s such a compelling player; a joy to watch. Oh and he goes and ends the over with one that’s even better, holding the pose after crunching a cover drive that if quickly looking up at the TV you would assume was from the blade of Roy such was the force. That’s how they reach it in the MCC coaching manual. Vince is officially away.
3rd over: England 15-0 (Roy 9, Vince 4) Lakmal is right on his length early, as Vince carefully addresses the bulk of this over with a straight blade. They still find four from it.
Ian Copestake on the email wants to know what it feels like to come from a land known for sporting success: “Does it have a colour? A smell? Is it actually worth it at the end of the day? We need to know before a committee makes the England footy team the best ever.”
I’ll say this much: it’s complicated. The journey more enjoyable than the destination, and all that.
2nd over: England 11-0 (Roy 9, Vince 1) Chaminda Bandara is on international debut at the age of 29 today. His first over is successful in zipping one down full at Vince’s foot which causes some discomfort, but also overpitching to Roy, which you can’t do; his second cover driven boundary the result. A quick single from the penultimate ball, but a fumble in the covers prevented any real danger.
1st over: England 4-0 (Roy 4, Vince 0)
Roy is beaten first ball outside the off stump, out of character with a tentative prod. The last two completed innings Roy has played in this series have resulted in tons - what they’d give for an early edge. Not to be, England’s new talisman driving the third ball with far more purpose, racing through the gap. A nice way to get under way. Lakmal on the mark early though, no further scoring shots.
Correspondence!
“Good morning Adam,” it’s John Starbuck. Morning, mate. He wants to talk rain mostly, but per above, I’m not going to indulge that today. Positive vibes. He goes on, though: “It seems the best way to get into the England team is to have a J in your name. J-Roy should be safe as he’s got two.”
I can see behind Mike Atherton’s head on the telly that the covers are on their way off, so it looks like we’re away at 10:40am as per the earlier advice.
Always a vexed question as a recreational player when rain is about for a Saturday game. On one hand, it’s cricket; it’s your life. Right? On the other, a rained out rubber equals dancing on the bar in a Hawaiian shirt all afternoon. Both are great.
Close to a sell out at Cardiff, less than a thousand tickets available. Don’t think it’s overly bold to suggest many will be getting in late after a night on the tiles. Lucky it’s still raining. For them, at least. Sounds like a ten minute delay for now, but the forecast looks pretty good.
Here are the teams in more detail, in assumed batting order.
Let’s get some things out of the way.
First: I want to talk to you this morning. Get into me over at @collinsadam on the twitter, and adam.collins.freelance@theguardian.com. This is usually the bit where I make a gag about my email being instructive that I’ll work for literally anyone who’ll pay me. Assume I did that.
Can't wait to see who will be first in @LaurieOakes's CRUSHER! #AusVotes#9Todaypic.twitter.com/npVNmTDSzU
Good morning, or ‘bore da’ as they say in Wales, and why wouldn’t we talk in Welsh after their truly epic performance in the Euros last night? My Grandmother is Welsh and my Grandfather went bankrupt there under an assumed name (a couple of times, the ideas man), so for today, I’m Welsh. We’re all Welsh.
But it’s cricket we’re here for. In Cardiff, no less. A dead rubber, so to speak, after England wrapped up the series on Wednesday night. But let’s not labour that point too much, for it is a Saturday and it is summer and it is cricket.
However, in keeping with the theme of the season to date, it is raining at Cardiff. Ian Botham says a local told him that it would blow over. I’ll come back to my views about “local knowledge” on weather shortly.
Adam will be here shortly. In the meantime, you can read Andy Bull’s piece for this week’s The Spin on the merits of Test cricket’s two-tier proposal:
To Test cricket again, then, and a conversation almost as old the game itself: the state it’s in, what’s gone wrong, and how to fix it. Only two decades after the very first Test, newspapers were already publishing leaders on the health of the sport and letters recommending remedies. In the 1890s the hot topic seems to have been what The Times described as “a preponderance of batting” causing too many draws, which were, in turn, putting spectators off the game. “Under its present conditions,” Wisden noted in 1900, cricket “is in the very direst peril of degenerating from the finest of all summer games into an exhibition of dullness and weariness.” Mooted solutions included abolishing boundaries, bringing in a fourth stump, and narrowing the bat.
In the Times, one correspondent proposed doing away with draws altogether, with the team that scored the most runs-per-wicket being the winner. Thirty years later, “dull cricket” was once again the great complaint. In the Daily Telegraph, a suggestion that “an extra be added to the total for every ball scored off, and one deducted for every ball not scored off”. Wisden wanted to tinker with the lbw law, bring in bigger stumps, and ban groundsmen from using liquid manure. A decade later the Telegraph was it again. First, matches should begin on Sundays; second, “batsmen’s average scoring speeds should be published”; and third, cricket should think about bringing in promotion and relegation.
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