COLOMBO – Jonathan Trott led an England fightback after a poor start to post 229 for six as Sri Lanka missed a slew of easy catches to let them off the hook in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
Trott (86) added 64 runs for the third wicket with Ravi Bopara (31) and 91 runs for the fourth with Eoin Morgan (50) to anchor England to a fighting total on a slow wicket at the R Premadasa Stadium.
Sri Lanka went into the match with three frontline spinners — Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath — who made it tough for the batsmen to score with their tight line and length.
Morgan was dropped three times — on 16, 33 and 34 — while television replays showed he was also lbw to Lasith Malinga, a decision Sri Lanka did not appeal.
Mendis was the unfortunate bowler on the first occasion while an infuriated Muralitharan watched on as the left-handed batsman was spilled twice in the space off three deliveries.
England got off to a terrible start and were reduced to 31 for two inside nine overs, after captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and decided to bat first.
Strauss struggled against some accurate bowling by part-time off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan, who bowled the second over of the innings.
Ian Bell (25) became the third batsman to be promoted to open the England innings in the tournament and got off to a confident start but chipped one straight to Thilan Samaraweera off Angelo Mathews.
The winner of the match will play against New Zealand at the same venue on Tuesday in the first semi-final.
England score 229-6 v Sri Lanka
