England v Sri Lanka, 2014-15
Wisden's review of the seventh ODI, England v Sri Lanka, 2014-15
15-Apr-2015
At Colombo (RPS), December 16, 2014 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by 87 runs. Toss: Sri Lanka.
England's tour arc dipped sharply back towards the X-axis with their fifth defeat. The margin was again comprehensive as, for the second match running, a Sri Lankan centurion laid the foundation for a challenging total, before England barely scraped their way to within 100. Dilshan, who also took three wickets, was the star, but the Premadasa never bounced more giddily than when Jayawardene (retiring after the World Cup) and Sangakkara (in his final home one-day international) combined, for the first time, to take the last wicket. Root provided England's main resistance once more, finishing the series as the second-highest run-scorer, and emphasising his importance to an otherwise flaky middle order. Things had started badly with Ali's golden duck; England were soon 78 for five, but Root prevented a complete rout in partnerships with Buttler and Woakes. The result mattered little in the immediate context, but the symbolism of defeat - England's 11th in 16 completed one-day games during Peter Moores's second stint as coach - was amplified by another tortured innings from Cook, whose 32 from 49 deliveries included two slip chances Jayawardene failed to take, before he finally snapped up a third. Cook lingered as the TV umpire confirmed the catch was clean, then returned, head bowed, to the dressing-room. He later admitted he could have "no complaints" if England sacked him as one-day captain; four days later, the ECB confirmed precisely that. Hales and Gurney had been given final World Cup auditions, but neither took his chance, although Gurney did have Jayawardene caught off a long-hop. Sangakkara also suffered a soft dismissal, but Dilshan's measured 101 paved the way for Tissara Perera's 23-ball fifty.
Man of the Match: T. M. Dilshan. Man of the Series: T. M. Dilshan.
England's tour arc dipped sharply back towards the X-axis with their fifth defeat. The margin was again comprehensive as, for the second match running, a Sri Lankan centurion laid the foundation for a challenging total, before England barely scraped their way to within 100. Dilshan, who also took three wickets, was the star, but the Premadasa never bounced more giddily than when Jayawardene (retiring after the World Cup) and Sangakkara (in his final home one-day international) combined, for the first time, to take the last wicket. Root provided England's main resistance once more, finishing the series as the second-highest run-scorer, and emphasising his importance to an otherwise flaky middle order. Things had started badly with Ali's golden duck; England were soon 78 for five, but Root prevented a complete rout in partnerships with Buttler and Woakes. The result mattered little in the immediate context, but the symbolism of defeat - England's 11th in 16 completed one-day games during Peter Moores's second stint as coach - was amplified by another tortured innings from Cook, whose 32 from 49 deliveries included two slip chances Jayawardene failed to take, before he finally snapped up a third. Cook lingered as the TV umpire confirmed the catch was clean, then returned, head bowed, to the dressing-room. He later admitted he could have "no complaints" if England sacked him as one-day captain; four days later, the ECB confirmed precisely that. Hales and Gurney had been given final World Cup auditions, but neither took his chance, although Gurney did have Jayawardene caught off a long-hop. Sangakkara also suffered a soft dismissal, but Dilshan's measured 101 paved the way for Tissara Perera's 23-ball fifty.
Man of the Match: T. M. Dilshan. Man of the Series: T. M. Dilshan.