that'll do it, stand and delivery swing to a length ball, smashed straight over the bowler's head
Sri Lanka vs England, 2nd ODI at Colombo, Nov 29 2014 - Ball by Ball Commentary
That's it from Colombo where England have much to think about. We travel to Hambantota for the third ODI on Wednesday, back as a day-night match so a 9am GMT start, 2.30pm local time, join us then...
Here's the losing captain, what's his name? Oh it's Alastair Cook..."We thought it was a good toss to win but I'm not sure that was the right choice. Sri Lanka totally outplayed us in all departments today. We assessed the pitch wrong but it's how you play and Sri Lanka put us under pressure with the ball. Then you end up having to try stuff in the field and keep players up and that gives class players the chance to hit boundaries. We had a few big shots that just evaded fielders but they played so well. It's been a tough few days, we've had no practise time with the rain, it'll be good to get out of Colombo and have a fresh start. We've got some good players and we can bounce back."
Angelo Mathews: "It feels great. The bowlers did the job, Dilshan was brilliant and then Mahela and Sanga showed how to bat on that wicket. It was playing a bit slow so I opened with Dilshan, especially as Moeen likes faster bowlers. I keep changing the bowlers because they're all good and they were brilliant today. Our fielding has picked up a little bit but we still can improve." Man of the Match goes to Mahela Jayawardene.
Dear Alastair, if you care about England's chances this winter, pls resign and just concentrate on Test cricket...#getHalesin
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) November 29, 2014
Suyog: "Dilshan should get Man of the match here...wickets of Cook and Ali and crucial hits at the start of the innings."
Presentation coming up shortly. Man of the match choice? Ajantha Mendis for his three wickets? Or the crowd choice no doubt, Jayawardene for his graceful innings in the chase?
England had a batting performance to be fairly pleased with in the opening rubber but there's nothing to take away from today - save perhaps more runs for Ravi Bopara. It's been a miserable day. They got nothing going with the bat, struggling badly once again to spin, and were fired out for a very poor total which their bowlers were unable to make any impression with in the second half of the game.
About as comprehensive a victory as you're likely to see that, Sri Lanka have won by eight wickets, strolling to victory in a cakewalk of a run chase that looked straightforward at tea but Mahela Jayawardene in particular, along with his old mucker Kumar Sangakkara, have given England the run around in the field, teasing them for a while with careful accumulation and then hurrying to the target after drinks. Easy peasy.
full just outside off pushing to cover
So this should be the final over, finish it off Sanga...
Told you he's brought out the give-it-a-tonk-I'm-hungry bat...
booooo...gentle nudge out to deep midwicket
down the track again, going leg side this time, a pleasant flick over mid-on and Sri Lanka are a hit away now
carefully pushed into the covers
aha, some timing from Sangakkara, down the wicket, staying leg side of the ball and driving over cover, the timing so good the sweeper has no chance
down the wicket to drive firmly to short extra cover
forward just outside off to press to cover
Big over and now the winning line within smacking distance...
pressing forward to a length ball around off stump, a little nudge/outside edge brings a couple fine of third man
a step down the wicket and now hoists this down the ground, gets plenty of it and that's the first six of the same over the long-on rope, had to fetch it slightly but the timing was excellent nevertheless
this drifts too far into the body and Jayawardene gets inside the line to play a gentle flick fine of long leg
a step down the wicket and a whack to the leg side, short of deep midwicket, another rather ugly shot from Sangakkara, not at his best today but grinding out the runs
full on the leg stump, flicked wide enough of long leg to allow the second
around the wicket, length angling in and Jayawardene tickles it to deep square
Just another 29 needed now and Harry Gurney is onto bowl...
Akseli: "76 50s for Jayawardene and 88 for Sangakkara. Almost unfair and unreal." They both have outrageous numbers...
forward just outside off, prodded up the wicket
this time gets into a proper position to cut and finds deep point
hangs back and tries to cut but it was too full and he missed and almost fell over backwards
down the track and a gorgeous lofted drive over mid-off, such simple sweep strokemaking
another one, this into the hands of Buttler who dropped it, not sure if there was anything on that
just outside off, a reverse sweep somehow slips between the keeper and first slip and dances away for four, another sign of England's predicament today