another inside edge to fine leg, this time Wright can't get to it and that's the game!
England vs Sri Lanka, Only T20I at Bristol, Jun 25 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Well, what a reversal after the Test series. Sri Lanka win by nine wickets and looked the classier team by some distance today, Twenty20 cricket is obviously something they excel at. England looked like posting a really competitive total in the midst of Morgan and Pietersen's rapid 83-run stand, but there was precious little from the rest of the batsmen and England collapsed in a heap at the end. Sri Lanka lost Jayasuriya early but Jayawardene and Sangakkara took them home with minimum fuss. Stay with us for the presentations and post-match interviews.
"Who said you have to slog and slam in T20?" writes Daniel Alexander. "Pure classy chase by two classy batsmen!"
"Credit where credit is due," says Stuart Broad. "Both Jayawardene and Sangakkara played really well. At the end of the day we didn't get enough runs. We were going to have a bowl, but it doesn't matter about the toss, whatever you do you have to do it well. We didnt execute the plans we wanted to, and of course Malinga bowled very well at the end. We didn't hit enough boundaries in the last six or seven overs."
A somewhat chastened Broad explains Bell's absence thus: "He has been in good form, but with Ravi we get an extra bowling option, which you sometimes need in T20 cricket."
"It was our target to keep them under 150," says Sri Lankan captain Thilina Kandamby. "It was a good wicket and a good outfield, so we did well."
How did his team cope when Morgan and Pietersen were smashing it to all parts? "In twenty20 cricket it happens, there are ups and downs, and we need to be good in the field. There are a lot of things we can improve still."
He gives credit to the seniors, saying that Malinga "is amazing. In every version of the game if you have Lasith in your side you have a huge advantage. They took their responsibilites, the senior guys, and showed their class. We've done well in one-dayers in the last couple of years, and the last time we were here we beat England 5-0, so we enjoy it."
Mahela Jayawardene is the Man of the Match. "It is a simple game," he says, sagely. "A lot of people make it complicated, but it's not. I didn't spend much time in the middle in the Test series, but that happens. You feel hungry to get runs after that, and that's what I did today. We had a tough Test series, but apart from that Cardiff session it could've been great. I'm looking forward to the one-dayers."
And that's all from Bristol. Before you go, be sure to have a look at Andrew Miller's bulletin, which is always a good read, and Plays of the Day from Andrew McGlashan. We've also got a gallery for you to peruse, if you so wish. Sahil Dutta and Liam Brickhill have been your commentators today, goodbye from the whole team and do join us for the first ODI at The Oval in three days' time.
good yorker! Fast and straight, Jayawardene does well just to keep it out and the inside edge sends the ball to fine leg, where a sliding Luke Wright cuts it off
Stuart Broad, with one final throw of the dice
leg-stump half-volley from Bopara, and Sangakkara chips nonchalantly out to the midwicket boundary. Didn't over-hit it at all, just timing and placement. Sangakkara's got a huge smile on his face now, he knows this match is in the bag
width offered outside off, Jayawardene cuts into the deep
pushed down the leg side, Kieswetter gets a glove on it but that's two wides
Jayawardene walks across to the off side, looking for the paddle, and Bopara responds with a short ball. Can't stop the single though
cutting in to the right-hander off the pitch, Jayawardene flicks to midwicket and the fielder quickly hurls the ball back to the non-striker's end
a low full-toss is chipped to wide long-on
dibbly-dobbly on off stump, Sangakkara isn't quite sure what to do with it and nudges to midwicket
Speaking of Bopara, here he is. But it's surely too late for England to salvage anything
full and straight, cracked straight back to the bowler
Brendan Taylor-esque from Jayawardene! The short ball rose up towards his throat but he just leaned back and ramped the ball up and over the keeper for four
"Ravi Bapara bowled a veyr good over leaving 3 runs from it only... The best performance of all the bowlers England have....So... why has he bowled only 1 over ?" Good question, Joe Noodle.
full on the pads, Sangakkara misses the whip to leg but they take a run off the leg
Jayawardene gives himself some room and chops a short ball on off stump down to third man
cut hard towards Morgan at point, who dives to cut it off but can't stop the single
straighter, but angling towards leg stump and Jayawardene tucks off the hip for a single
hmm, short and misdirected down the leg side - a wide
Chris Woakes comes back. He was poor in his first spell and will be looking to make amends. He needs to do something miraculous
whipped to midwicket to end the over
just slightly too short from Swann, but Sangakkara is good enough to take full toll, stepping back and pulling powerfully to the midwicket boundary
quicker one from Swann, and Jayawardene eases the ball down to long-on for another single
Sangakkara chips now, to long-off. No risk in the shot, it was deliberate and the placement was good
flicked to midwicket
Sri Lanka are 107 for 1 and starting to pull away from England, who were 105 for 5 at the same point. There's a man in at slip now - England need a wicket
the bottom hand comes into the shot as Jayawardene chips out to midwicket