Sun, 03 July 2011 - England vs Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Tour of England 2011, 3rd ODI - Bulletin

Chandimal ton gives Sri Lanka 2-1 lead

For the second time running, Sri Lanka produced an emphatic all-round performance to outgun England to take a 2-1 lead in the series. It was young Dinesh Chandimal who emerged as the tourists’ hero cracking an unbeaten 105, second ton in his 6-match career, to take his side to an easy four wicket victory at the Lords. Mahela Jayewardene followed up his classy hundred on Friday with another pretty 77-ball 79 as former skipper engaged himself with the 21-year old for a match winning 112 run 2nd wicket stand. Sri Lanka might have romped home without many stutters but not before some drama thanks to Chandimal-Angelo Mathews’ strange tactics in the end stages of the chase.

At one stage Sri Lanka needed nine runs and Chandimal six for a ton and Mathews, keen to see Chandimal reach the landmark before the remaining were rounded off, didn’t take singles and virtually blocked everything. That didn’t please Sri Lankan balcony and numerous tense and angry faces could be seen. England players didn’t look chuffed either. And, some harsh words were said with Kevin Pietersen leading the way. In the end, Sri Lanka wouldn’t mind that for they notched up the win comfortably, and, making a strong for the remainder of the series. No sooner, he deposited Tim Bresnan into log-on boundary; shy-faced Chandimal erupted with joy before hitting a winning boundary through covers.

Save for that mini-phase of bizarre cricket, day clearly belonged to Chandimal. He showed talent, grit, aggression, patience and was full of strokes in his match winning knock. Entering the scene having seen his skipper Tillkaratne Dilshan bowled off a beauty by Tim Bresnan for 3 in the 4th over, Chandimal’s stay was made easier by Mahela’s presence on the other end.

The experienced batsman was all style, class and timing coupled with outstanding placement. Runs came thick and fast with Mahela making to look batting ridiculously easy. He drove magnificently, pulled with command and unleashed some gorgeous on-drives as English bowlers found it hard to contain him. He brought up his fifty off 45 balls with Chandimal getting a real working short stuff from Stuart Broad. Mahela guided Chandimal and the chase willfully before hitting one to Eoin Morgan at point off Jade Dernbanch to bring an end to a marathon stand.

Chandimal though continued his effort. Despite looking uncomfortable against testing short stuff from Broad, the number three batsman cracked some terrific pull shots. There were some neat drives and flick strokes as well. He brimmed with confidence and involved in another valuable partnership of 61 with Kumar Sangakkara. The former skipper went for steady 47-ball 25 and was England’s best bowler on the day, Graeme Swann’s first victim. Swann then removed vice captain skipper Thilan Kandambi cheaply but at not point the tourists looked under pressure.

Chandimal’s superb knock marked with eleven fours and two sixes might have given his team a lead, but, it could well be his strange tactics that could well hit the headlines.Alastair Cook made a strong statement in just third match after taking reins as England new ODI captain by scoring a determined hundred. His 143-ball 119, overall second in one-dayers was largely responsible to take his team to 246 despite most of top order batmen failing to deliver in what were batting friendly conditions at Lords.

England demonstrated their perennial problem of stagnating in the middle overs and not able to get the big shots away yet again as Sri Lankan bowlers maintained discipline and desire to restrict them under 250-mark. Their premier spinners Suraj Randiv and Jeevan Mendis conceded only 77 runs between two of them bowling 18 overs with leg spinner taking two wickets and giving away 44 runs in his two.

Cook took off in a breezy fashion hitting five square-off the wicket boundaries in the batting powerplay. His initial surge was handicapped by Craig Kieswetter and Jonathan Trot though. On a pitch that demanded some aggression, Kieswetter and Trott managed disappointing 5 run between two of them off all 26 balls. Kieswetter succumbed to a well disguised slower from Lasith Malinga and Trott offered a simple catch to Dilshan at mid-on off Suranaga Lakmal’s bowling.

For England, that decided to bat first, there weren’t many productive batting phases witnessed in the innings. Kevin Pietersen sparked the Lords’ crowd in Cook’s company by taking attack to the bowlers in what was a breezy 49-run stand. Such was the Pietersen’s domination in the partnership that out of 32 that came in the bowling powerplay, Cook scored only one run. He took a liking to Suranaga Lakmal hitting the fast bowler for five fours in two overs and looked all set for a big innings.

It wasn’t to be though. His nemesis in the series Mendis had better off him again having the star batsmen caught in the deep for 41. And, Mendis made things difficult for the hosts having in-form Eoin Morgan for 4 to have England in a spot of bother 85 for in 22nd over.

Cook, dropped by Mahela in first slip on 15, carried on to meander along bringing his fifty thanks to a leg side boundary off Malinga. To their credit, spinners didn’t give English batsmen anything to get away. England didn’t help the matters, lacking intent to make a move on. Consequently, stagnation was witnessed yet again.In a bid to up the ante, Cook opted for batting powerplay, coinciding with mandatory ball change at the end 34 overs. It didn’t bring England any joy either. The hosts lost Ian Bell who looked very ugly during his boundary-less 46-ball 30 and scored only 24 runs.

The England skipper kept the scoreboard ticking over by nudging, nurdling and occasional adhesive strokes. His century came off 126 balls and added crucial 75 with Bresnan to take England past 200. Cook, however, clearly lacked muscle and shots to give his team some late acceleration. Bresnan looked busy during his 29-ball stay at the crease for 26.

Cook finally departed via run-out in his attempt to farm the strike. England, however, ended the innings with some bubble: Graeme Swann hitting a six and four off last two balls.Malinga was again the pick of the bowlers bowling Yorkers, slower ones and searing short balls at the will in his ten over spell that yielded him two wickets.