Rapid Mills adds intrigue to England's T20 return

July 5, 2016
Start time 6.30pm (1730GMT)

England return to the format that provided heartbreak earlier this year when Carlos Brathwaite grabbed the World T20 from under their noses. But the game moves on and judging by the way they played in the one-day series against Sri Lanka, their belief with the white-ball remains undimmed.

A one-off T20 at the end of a tour feels a lonely fixture but there is added spice to this game with England on the verge of unleashing Tymal Mills, the Sussex left-arm quick, who is purely a T20 player these days due to a congenital back condition and is making a fine stab and forging a career from it.

If Sri Lanka thought they were peppered in the Test and ODIs from England's quicks - especially Liam Plunkett in the one-dayers - then they had better make sure chest pads, arm guards, and other assorted protective equipment is securely in place at the Ageas Bowl.

This is their last chance to take something from a dispiriting tour. Angelo Mathews has looked a more forlorn captain the longer the trip has gone - exasperated by repeated failings in his team - but insists he has the stomach to continue leading them. Whether that decision is taken out of his hands on return home remains to be seen.

The format has not provided much solace for Sri Lanka amid their struggles. England knocked them out of the World T20 and they have won just three of 13 T20s they have played in 2016 - and only one of those against a Full Member. They may as well go out swinging and see if it provides a change in fortune.

England LWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLWL

He left England's best batsmen hopping around the Centurion Park nets. He has roughed up Chris Gayle. And just when the batsmen are camped on the back foot, he has confounded them with a slower ball. You dare not take your eyes off Tymal Mills when he is bowling. He admits it won't always go well - as a career economy rate of 8.10 attests to - but this season he has produced four-over spells of 3 for 15 and 1 for 15 off four overs

Kusal Perera will likely be in the firing line early against Mills. He hasn't quite managed to translate the promising form he showed in the Lord's Test, and then with a century against Ireland in Malahide, but that is not surprising given his enforced absence of six months after the erroneous drugs suspension.

Trevor Bayliss wants Mills in the final XI and though he is not the sole voice in selection it would seem perverse to name Mills in the squad and not give him a game. Liam Dawson, the Hampshire allrounder who was in the World T20 squad, has been confirmed to make his debut while Dawid Malan, the Middlesex left-hander, could make it three new caps. Alex Hales, Joe Root and Moeen Ali have all been rested.

England (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 James Vince, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Liam Dawson, 7 Adil Rashid, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 David Willey, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Tymal Mills

Dhananjaya de Silva could replace Upul Tharanga who is not part of the T20 squad.Chaminda Bandara was given his ODI debut in Cardiff and though he went for 83 there isn't much to lose playing him in the T20 where left-armers have proved particularly effective. Suraj Randiv, the offspinner, could also come into the equation.

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal(wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Seekkuge Prasanna, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Dasun Shanaka, 9 Chaminda Bandara/Suraj Randiv, 10 Nuwan Pradeep, 11 Suranga Lakmal

The pitches at the Ageas are normally excellent for international cricket, offering pace for both bowlers and batsmen to work with, although the recent wet weather could make things tougher this time for the groundsman. The forecast is for a dry and mild evening.

"I saw him at a practice in South Africa when he bowled to the boys and again the other night against Kent and it was impressive stuff. Good to see some batsmen ducking and weaving. I'd love to see him play, I won't be the sole selector but from my point of view it would be great to see someone like that charge and give it everything."
Trevor Bayliss is eager to unleash Tymal Mills

"Hopefully quite a number of our players have grown as cricketers even though we haven't had the results we wanted. Although we've come second I think there has been some progress.''
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