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England vs Sri Lanka, 4th ODI at Nottingham, , Jul 06 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
4th ODI (D/N), Nottingham, July 06, 2011, Sri Lanka tour of England and Scotland
(23.5/48 ov, T:171) 171/0

England won by 10 wickets (with 145 balls remaining) (D/L method)

Player Of The Match
95* (75)
alastair-cook
New
ENG
Full commentary

England level the series 2-2 with a resounding 10-wicket win. The limited-overs leg of this tour really has swung back and forth. Sri Lanka breezed through the Bristol Twenty20, and then crashed and burned at The Oval. They came back to inflict a heavy defeat at Headingley, and then took the lead with a comfortable win at Lord's. And now England have levelled the series by easing to a 10-wicket hammering. What will Old Trafford provide? Stick with us for the presentations, and to find out who the Man of the Match is.

"We lost so many wickets in the first few overs," says losing captain Tillakaratne Dilshan. "230 to 240 would've been a good total. England batted really well in the second half, there was no pressure with such a small total. If we get runs on the board, we can win the next match and the series. England bowled really well in the conditions today, especially Anderson. If we can bat through the first 10 without losing wickets we can set a good score. Cook has played good cricket, but i'm thinking of my own game."

"It was outstanding, from the moment we won the toss, bowled, put Sri Lanka under pressure - wickets always help that - and then knocked off the runs without losing any wickets," says Alastair Cook. "It was a good wicket, it didn't do as much as we thought it did. I honestly don't think it moved that much, although thank you to the groundsman for leaving grass on the pitch, which is what we asked for. Craig [Kieswetter] and I proved it was a very good wicket, but home advantage is there in all sports, and you can use it."

Cook is also Man of the Match. 'Have you ever batted better in a one-day game than you did tonight?' asks Nasser Hussain. "Probably not, I don't always time the ball as nicely as that." 'Have you answered your critics?' "A couple of innings dont do that, I've got to prove that over a long period of times. [As captain there are] tough times and good times, when you win you enjoy it. I think it's important we've stayed unchanged [in the series], it shows we've got faith in our cricketers." He also answers the question as to whether Kieswetter will be dropped for not allowing him to reach a hundred with good humour, suggesting his interviewer knows it's the red inker that counts!

Read all about England's thumping win in Andrew Miller's bulletin, or if pictures are your thing, check out our match gallery. Be sure to check in a little later as well, when you'll find match analysis courtesy of Andrew McGlashan. Otherwise, goodbye from the whole team, and we'll see you again for the series-deciding final match at Old Trafford on Saturday.

23.5
1
Kulasekara to Kieswetter, 1 run

Kieswetter glances a low full-toss to square leg, where the fielder dives but can only parry it and allow the batsmen to sprint through and complete a crushing win

23.4
Kulasekara to Kieswetter, no run

tapped to mid-off

23.3
6
Kulasekara to Kieswetter, SIX runs

what a strike! Real flamboyant stuff from Kieswetter, who comes down and smears the ball over midwicket, raising one leg off the ground as he does so

23.2
Kulasekara to Kieswetter, no run

Kieswetter dances down and slams a length ball straight at the cover fielder. He's not playing for Cook's ton

23.1
1
Kulasekara to Cook, 1 run

Cook steps right across to off, exposing leg and middle stumps, and clips a low full toss out to deep square ... just the single

Both opening bowlers come back on, here's Kulasekara.

end of over 231 run
ENG: 163/0CRR: 7.08 RRR: 0.32
Craig Kieswetter65 (64b 8x4 2x6)
Alastair Cook94 (74b 16x4)
Lasith Malinga 5-0-28-0
Jeevan Mendis 2-0-20-0

So, Cook still has a chance! He wants 6, England need 8.

22.6
Malinga to Kieswetter, no run

another perfect blockhole delivery, and Kieswetter does well just to keep that away from his stumps

22.5
Malinga to Kieswetter, no run

full, straight and fast. Kieswetter jams the ball to mid-on

22.4
Malinga to Kieswetter, no run

Malinga digs in a bouncer, but it's a fairly toothless one and Kieswetter ducks underneath it easily

Cook has a quick chat with Kieswetter - telling him not to worry about the landmark?

22.3
1
Malinga to Cook, 1 run

dug out to cover for one more

22.2
Malinga to Cook, no run

another very full ball, though this one is wide of off and Cook drives over the top of it

22.1
Malinga to Cook, no run

no warm-up ball for Malinga, he just sprints in and delivers a perfect yorker, well kept out by Cook

9 for the win, 7 for the ton ... and Malinga is brought back for a final burst, though it's all a bit pointless now.

end of over 2217 runs
ENG: 162/0CRR: 7.36 RRR: 0.34
Craig Kieswetter65 (61b 8x4 2x6)
Alastair Cook93 (71b 16x4)
Jeevan Mendis 2-0-20-0
Suraj Randiv 5-0-32-0
21.6
4
Jeevan Mendis to Kieswetter, FOUR runs

muscled out to deep midwicket, there's balance and power in the shot, and placement too. Shades of Shane Watson ...

21.5
Jeevan Mendis to Kieswetter, no run

chopped to backward point, there's no single to be had

21.4
6
Jeevan Mendis to Kieswetter, SIX runs

heaved straight back over the bowlers head! Kieswetter opened up his stance and just swung his arms cleanly through the line

21.3
1
Jeevan Mendis to Cook, 1 run

driven down to long-on with plenty of bottom hand

21.2
2
Jeevan Mendis to Cook, 2 runs

swept down to fine leg, where a sliding stop saves the boundary

21.1
4
Jeevan Mendis to Cook, FOUR runs

this wasn't all that short, but Cook picked up the length really quickly and smashed a pull out to deep midwicket. He's into the 90s now!

"Best thing here would be for kieswetter to get out, trott come out and play his natural game...surely cook would get his hundred then." So says Arsalan Qadir.

end of over 215 runs
ENG: 145/0CRR: 6.90 RRR: 0.96
Craig Kieswetter55 (58b 7x4 1x6)
Alastair Cook86 (68b 15x4)
Suraj Randiv 5-0-32-0
Jeevan Mendis 1-0-3-0
20.6
Randiv to Kieswetter, no run

tapped quietly back to the bowler to end the over

20.5
Randiv to Kieswetter, no run

Kieswetter lunges forward to smother another flighted delivery outside off

20.4
Randiv to Kieswetter, no run

bounce and a hint of turn for Randiv, and Kieswetter is hit on the thigh as he attempts to work to leg