Spinners bowl Sri Lanka to 19-run win over England

 Joe Root falls lbw to Dhananjaya de Silva for 61 and England falter

Dunith Wellalage (left) and skipper Charith Asalanka celebrate the wicket of Jacob Bethell

• Sri Lanka take 1-0 lead in three-match ODI series

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

A complete bowling effort from the spinners in particular saw Sri Lanka beat England by 19 runs in the first ODI to go one-up in the three-match series at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The spinners made the difference keeping things tight while also striking regularly to apply constant pressure as England tried to chase down a target of 272. Despite a late cameo from Jamie Overton (34 off 17 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes), which pushed the game deep, it was eventually not enough to take England over the line as they were bowled out for 252 in the final over with four balls to spare. 

England were dented early by the loss of Zak Crawley for six. Although Ben Duckett (62 off 76 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) and Joe Root (61 off 90 balls, 5 fours) built the innings with a steady partnership of 117 off 146 balls – both reaching their fifties in the 25th over – they, however, found it difficult to shift gears against Sri Lanka’s spinners, who made full use of the conditions and struck at regular intervals.

Jeffrey Vandersay, who came in for Wanindu Hasaranga, took 2/39, and Dunith Wellalage 2/41. Wellalage had an outstanding game, holding onto two catches—one of them a brilliant one on the boundary line—and hitting an unbeaten 25 off 12 balls to beat Kusal Mendis to the Player of the Match award.

If the spinners were brilliant, Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers were rather disappointing as they sent down five wides and bowled poorly to allow England to add 39 for the last wicket off 16 balls, with Overton making full use of the lapses. Although they took four wickets, they conceded 103 runs off 13.2 overs.

The average first-innings score at this venue is around 223, but Sri Lanka went well beyond that to make 271-6, giving them a solid platform to push for a series-opening win. 

The innings was anchored by Kusal Mendis. He arrived at the crease after Pathum Nissanka (21) and Kamil Mishara (27) had put on a steady 50-run opening stand off 63 balls, took his time to settle, and then assumed complete control of the innings. Even as wickets kept falling at the other end, Mendis held firm, stitching together a crucial 88-run partnership off 98 balls with Janith Liyanage (46 off 53 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) for the fifth wicket to arrest the slide and rebuild momentum.

Mendis showed remarkable grit, battling through a back injury picked up in the 60s and finished unbeaten on 93 off 117 balls (11 fours). Wellalage (25* off 12 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) then provided a handy cameo in the final over, ensuring Sri Lanka pushed past the 270 mark. Sri Lanka scored 80 off the final 10 overs—23 of them coming in the final over of the innings bowled by Overton—to give themselves a competitive total. It was this decisive over that cost England the match.

The pitch wasn’t a belter by any means and the spinners found plenty of assistance. That was reflected in the bowling figures, with Adil Rashid (3/44) and Liam Dawson (1/31) standing out as England’s most effective bowlers, combining for four wickets while conceding just 75 runs. England spinners bowled a total of 33 overs in the innings – the second highest since 36 against Pakistan in Sharjah in 1985.

England cricketers wore black armbands during the match to pay tribute to former England cricketer Norman Gifford and former England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive David Collier. 

The second ODI will take place at the same venue tomorrow.