Much like the other international series currently being contested in the UAE and Bangladesh, England’s tour of Sri Lanka has taken on a sombre tone following Phillip Hughes’ death. The teams have already observed a minute’s silence at an event in Colombo on Thursday evening, and have planned to commemorate Hughes’ life on match day as well. World Cup preparation appears a trivial pursuit in comparison, but life goes on, and the cricket world begins to turn once again. Though there had been a discussion on whether Saturday’s game should be abandoned, the series will forge ahead as scheduled.
Before Thursday’s news hit, the first ODI had left the contest in an intriguing place. Few felt England had a chance of running down Sri Lanka’s 317, but even in defeat, the visitors found a spark named Moeen Ali, then Ravi Bopara took over from their opener’s fluidic brutality. Those knocks were each lone hands, of sorts, but England need something more cohesive. If more of their sticks rub together the right way, their World Cup hopes might just catch fire.
England’s bowling, however, seems less than formidable, in its current state. None of their frontline seamers traveled at below six an over on Wednesday, and as 17 wides suggested, the cobwebs of their two-month international hiatus, are yet to be cleared away. Steady rain the day before their match has also hampered the training sessions that might have helped England’s bowlers work themselves into a rhythm.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are merely hoping for more of the same, if with modest improvements across the board. Kusal Perera’s return to form helped begin a clear departure from their batting woes in the previous series, while quick runs from the likes of Jeevan Mendis will please the selectors, who took a gamble on recalling him to the side. The spinners did not have their best outing on Wednesday, but with four of them available to Mathews in this XI, concerns in that department are minimal.
Form guide
(last five matches, most recent first)
England: LWLLL
Sri Lanka: WLLLL
In the spotlight
In England, Lahiru Thirimanne’s batting had been neatly unseamed by James Anderson’s skilful fingers, but with his nemesis out of the tour, Thirimanne has reclaimed the kind of form that had made him instrumental to Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup win. By his own admission, Thirimanne is not a natural finisher. His attacking options are still limited, and he relies far more on touch, than the brute power that is more often seen at the death. But if he continues to provide stability in the last 15 overs of an innings, so that more ambitious hitters can prosper around him, Sri Lanka will have found a cure for their long-standing middle-order problem.
After his impact on the first match, it will be impossible not to watch Moeen Ali. He flowed to a 72-ball hundred, the third-fastest by an England batsman made all the more remarkable by it being Moeen’s first in ODIs, while picking up an important wicket and helping check Sri Lanka’s early momentum – though his figures took a hit later on. His uninhibited, whole-hearted approach should be the blueprint for the rest of the team.
Teams news
Sri Lanka have not reported any injury concerns since the last match and are unlikely to change their XI.
Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Dhammika Prasad, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Ajantha Mendis
Only the four players not involved on Wednesday – Alex Hales, James Taylor, Chris Jordan and Steven Finn – trained the following day and there are still doubts over Finn’s fitness. He was able to bowl eight or nine overs but, with England’s practice on Friday again disrupted by the rain, a decision will not be made until Saturday morning. Ben Stokes could be most under threat if England do make a change.
England: (probable) 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Moeen Ali, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Ravi Bopara, 8 Ben Stokes, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 James Tredwell, 11 Harry Gurney
Pitch and conditions
Just like Wednesday’s surface, the pitch for Saturday has spent a lot of time under covers, and looks a similar track. There will be modest help for the seamers early on, but plenty of spin as well. There is a reserve day for this game, but there may be enough gaps between the bad weather to squeeze in a match.
Stats and trivia
If Steven Finn is not fit, Ravi Bopara will again go into the match as England’s most successful seam bowler with 37 ODI wickets
Tillakaratne Dilshan has not hit a hundred since July 2013, but has still managed to average 45.80 since then
England’s 10-over Powerplay score of 81 for 1 was their third-highest since 2001
Quotes
“It’s always nice knowing that Lahiru is after you. He gives that cushion to play freely. He’s a very smart character and plays according to the situation. He handles those pressure moments.”
Angelo Mathews on batting ahead of Thirimanne
“He had another bowl yesterday and we’re just seeing the results from that today, see how he pulls up. These injuries tend to get better and better so I’m hoping fingers crossed he’ll get a good medical report.”
Alastair Cook on Steven Finn’s fitness