England vs Sri Lanka, Only T20I at London, , May 20 2014 - Match Result

RESULT
Only T20I (D/N), The Oval, May 20, 2014, Sri Lanka tour of England and Ireland
(20 ov, T:184) 174/7

Sri Lanka won by 9 runs

Player Of The Match
49 (20) & 1/24
thisara-perera
Match centre 
Scorecard summary
Sri Lanka 183/7(20 overs)
England 174/7(20 overs)
66 (41)
28* (15)
end of over 2014 runs
ENG: 174/7CRR: 8.70 
Chris Woakes2 (2b)
Ravi Bopara28 (15b 3x4 1x6)
Suranga Lakmal 4-0-44-1
Lasith Malinga 4-0-28-3

So the international summer is underway and Sri Lanka have begun their tour with a victory. Monty and I shall be back on Thursday for the first one-day international, also at The Oval, that's a day-nigher so see you then, bye for now...



The stand-in England captain is Eoin Morgan. Now what would Stuart Broad say in valiant defeat? "I think we were outplayed. It cost us towards the end of the first innings, it fell away towards the end, things were quite controlled for the first 15 overs. It's disappointing having got so close. We've dropped three catches which is inexcusable here. Bowling we were just a little bit off our skill level. Harry Gurney played very well, you don't often see that on début so it's pleasing to see. We probably left a bit much to do at the death with the bat."



Lasitha Malinga: "In the last couple of years the captain has used me in pressure situations and I've really enjoyed that. I enjoy the pressure. I say to the captain, no matter whatever the situation give me the ball. In the last couple of years I've realised my slower ball is my wicket-taking ball. Perera can hit the ball hard, he can clear the fielder. He did a really good job for us and is looking forward to this tour." Man of the Match is Thisara Perera for his 49 in just 20 balls which proved the difference.



The World T20 Champions begin their new post-Jayawardene/Sangakkara with a win and England kick off their new era under Peter Moores with a very English close defeat. Jolly well played chaps but hard luck. This is the only T20 of the tour with the first of five one-day matches on Thursday before the two Tests, so a heart-warming start for the tourists.



So not for the first time, it's close but no cigar for England. Another credible effort but not quite getting over the line. But we've also seen this before from Sri Lanka, defending a score really well thanks to the master Lasith Malinga, he was incredible just at the right time here and closed out the match just when England were bubbling.

19.6
1
Lakmal to Woakes, 1 run

full at the pads, Woakes can only dab it to midwicket for a single

19.5
1
Lakmal to Bopara, 1 run

full outside off but Bopara can only run it down to long-off for a single

19.4
4
Lakmal to Bopara, FOUR runs

leg side again, met on the full and gets four past long leg, it was a ball to go large with but Bopara go it all along the floor, still alive though England

19.3
6
Lakmal to Bopara, SIX runs

length ball at the pads, swung leg side and Bopara clears the rope, big strike

19.2
2
Lakmal to Bopara, 2 runs

yorker-length, swung down the ground, easy two to long-on

19.1
Lakmal to Bopara, no run

full at the stumps, Bopara across his stumps swinging leg side misses and got an inside edge which saved the lbw

Well England have been waiting for a big over this innings, what better time to find one. Lakmal to bowl with 24 to defend. Short boundary leg side...

end of over 194 runs • 1 wicket
ENG: 160/7CRR: 8.42 RRR: 24.00
Ravi Bopara15 (10b 2x4)
Chris Woakes1 (1b)
Lasith Malinga 4-0-28-3
Nuwan Kulasekara 4-0-39-1
18.6
1
Malinga to Bopara, 1 run

low full toss, played to extra-cover and that is an absolutely outstanding over from Malinga, probably a match-winning over

18.5
Malinga to Bopara, no run

Bopara down to scoop, it was full pace and outside off, nowhere to go for Bopara and he missed completely

18.4
1
Malinga to Woakes, 1 run

yet again, it's pace off the ball, clipped into the leg side and they get a single

18.3
W
Malinga to Jordan, OUT

another slower ball, Jordan tries to step back and play off side but is through too early on the stroke and gets a thick inside edge into his stumps. Jordan without too much of an idea against Malinga, he's finally decided to force the pace and has perished

Chris Jordan b Malinga 5 (4b 1x4 0x6 8m) SR: 125
18.2
1
Malinga to Bopara, 1 run

excellent yorker, 85mph, right on the money, nothing Bopara can do except dab it to point

18.1
1
Malinga to Jordan, 1 run

73mph on the stumps, blocked into the covers and they take a quick single

England are still alive, 28 needed from 12 balls...

end of over 1813 runs
ENG: 156/6CRR: 8.66 RRR: 14.00
Ravi Bopara13 (7b 2x4)
Chris Jordan4 (2b 1x4)
Nuwan Kulasekara 4-0-39-1
Lasith Malinga 3-0-24-2
17.6
4
Kulasekara to Bopara, FOUR runs

steps across the off stump and whips a low full toss leg side and finds the cow corner rope, picked his gap and creamed it

17.5
Kulasekara to Bopara, no run

yorker-length again just outside off and Bopara is beaten aiming off side

17.4
2
Kulasekara to Bopara, 2 runs

tucked to extra-cover, Malinga fumbles and Jordan charges back for an outrageous second, great running

17.3
4
Kulasekara to Bopara, FOUR runs

wonderful shot, Bopara leans back and lifts a full ball up and over extra-cover, great timing

17.3
1w
Kulasekara to Bopara, 1 wide

right on the line again outside off, Bopara swings and misses, this is called wide but that was just inside the guidelines, harsh call

17.2
2
Kulasekara to Bopara, 2 runs

full, struck hard off side, can't evade the cover sweeper running to his right

17.1
Kulasekara to Bopara, no run

nails the wide yorker, just inside the guideline and Bopara misses

end of over 1710 runs • 1 wicket
ENG: 143/6CRR: 8.41 RRR: 13.66
Chris Jordan4 (2b 1x4)
Ravi Bopara1 (1b)
Lasith Malinga 3-0-24-2
Nuwan Kulasekara 3-0-26-1
16.6
Malinga to Jordan, no run

another slower ball and this slips past the outside edge and through to the keeper, six slower balls but it did go for 10 so okay for England

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
AD Hales
66 runs (41)
7 fours2 sixes
Productive shot
off drive
23 runs
2 fours1 six
Control
67%
NLTC Perera
49 runs (20)
7 fours2 sixes
Productive shot
off drive
23 runs
5 fours0 six
Control
55%
Best performances - bowlers
SL Malinga
O
4
M
0
R
28
W
3
ECO
7
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
1W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
HF Gurney
O
4
M
0
R
26
W
2
ECO
6.5
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
Match details
Kennington Oval, London
TossEngland, elected to field first
Series
Season2014
Player Of The Match
Match numberT20I no. 401
Hours of play (local time)18.00 start, First Session 18.00-19.15, Interval 19.15-19.30, Second Session 19.30-20.45
Match days20 May 2014 - daynight (20-over match)
T20I debut
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
AskESPNcricinfo Logo
Instant answers to T20 questions
England Innings
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