England seek series win under new skipper (Preview)

Simply, England have fancied their chances whenever given the bowling friendly conditions. And, have looked an average side on the flat decks. Four matches that have been so far in the series have given England a fair idea of where they stand in the ODI cricket.  They tasted both lop-sided victories and comprehensive defeats in the series having a scoreline 2-2 with one match to go.

Sri Lanka strolled past the hosts at Headingley and Lords where ball hasn’t swung or seamed and England could hardly put any fight. Roles were reversed when England have been offered the bowling friendly conditions giving hard time for Sri Lankan batsmen. After rolling past the tourists at Oval in the first match and losing next two comprehensively, England came back strongly to level the series at Trent Bridge.

For the Alastair Cook led side, Trent Bridge victory was so dominating   a target of 171 was rounded off inside 24 overs without losing any wicket. Cook produced his most fluent, perhaps best, knock of his ODI career to make a strong impression and Craig Kieswetter also played well for his 72 to take England to an easy victory. It was bowlers, though, that set up the win. James Anderson was at his lethal best ripping heart out of the top order, Jade Dernbach produced well directed Yorkers to polish off the tail and Tim Bresnan was steady as ever. Apart from openers’ batting, the positive aspect for England was their struggling paceman Stuart Broad getting amongst the wickets. 

Thanks to the win in the last match, England will go into Old Trafford fixture with all the belief and confidence of winning the series under new skipper. They have the players and form to do that. Skipper has had two back to back big scores, Kieswetter is looking good on his comeback and bowlers if given the conditions can be very effective. It will be interesting what kind of a pitch Old Trafford offers. With series in the line and Sri Lanka appearing vulnerable under swing and seaming conditions, home team, in all likelihood,  will be expecting a Trent Bridge-like surface.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have lacked skill and intent to brave swinging and seaming ball. On the flat decks, big runs have been scored, and, interestingly, their bowlers look to be more effective on those pitches.  They were outright winners in the second and third ODI when conditions weren’t helpful for the bowlers but came as a cropper against the moving ball.

The tourists’ batsmen barring their champion batting duo of Mahela Jayawerdena and Kumar Sangakkara and young Dinesh Chandimal have been poor. Skipper Tilkerratne Dilshan, it appears, has forgotten how to score runs after that finger injury. He hasn’t looked anywhere near his best and that has handicapped his team big time. Runs are due from the swashbuckler and there wouldn’t be a better occasion than a series’ final to make amends.

Lower middle order has to buck up. Likes of Thilan Kandambi and Angelo Mathews need to score runs to make it easier for the top order. Nuwan Kulasekera has had a good series so far and bled runs profusely.

Way the script has gone in the series; anything is possible at Old Trafford. England would do all to kick-start their new era in the Limited overs’ cricket with a series win. Sri Lanka, though, will have other ideas and would like to make a statement that weren’t runners in the world cup for nothing.

All said and done, it might well come to the how pitch behaves. Bowling friendly pitches would mean the hosts start as favourites and it could well turnout other way around if belter of a wicket in offer as Old Trafford. Fans would want a humdinger of an contest as this series hasn’t had one and final ODI should make a top billing.

ENGLAND

SQUAD: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes.

SRI LANKA

SQUAD: T Dilshan (capt), T Kandambi, K Sangakkara (wk), M Jayawardena, D Chandimal, J Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Thissara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Suranga Lakmal, Damikka Prasad, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Angelo Mathews.