Kumar Sangakkara laid the foundation before Angelo Mathews completed a nervy chase as Sri Lanka defeated England by six wickets in the fourth One-Day International to go 3-1 up in the seven-match series on Sunday.
Sangakkara hit a sparkling 86 but it was Mathews’ fine, if not flawless, captain’s knock of 51 not out that helped the host overwhelm the 266-run victory target with two balls to spare.
Earlier, James Taylor’s career-best 90 and Eoin Morgan’s belligerent 62 had powered England to 265 all out in 50 overs, nine of the wickets claimed by spinners.
Sri Lanka looked in trouble at 69 for two but Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who have played over 800 ODIs between them, added 96 runs for the third wicket to put the chase back on track. Jayawardene dragged a Chris Jordan delivery onto his stumps to depart, while Sangakkara perished chasing a wide delivery from the same bowler.
England maintained the pressure and was nearly rewarded but Alex Hales spilled a Mathews’ catch in the 46th over from an exasperated Jordan. Despite conceding 20 extra runs including 12 wides, the visiting bowlers showed enough fight to take the game to the last over but Mathews hit Steven Finn for a boundary to bring up his 50 and seal victory.
Earlier, regular England captain Alastair Cook’s suspension, due to a slow over-rate offence, handed Taylor an opportunity and the 24-year-old grabbed it.
Opting to bat, England wobbled early as Hales fell for a golden duck and the in-form Moeen Ali (19) was sent back by Tillakaratne Dilshan (three for 64). The 93-run partnership between Taylor and Joe Root (36) steadied the innings before left-arm spinner Rangana Herath (three for 36) dismissed Root. Taylor, who completed his maiden ODI fifty in 69 balls with two fours and as many sixes, developed cramps and became one of Ajantha Mendis’ three victims.
Scoreboard:
England : M. Ali c Sangakkara b Dilshan 19, A. Hales c Jayawardene b Prasad 0, J. Taylor c Perera b A. Mendis 90, J. Root b Herath 36, R. Bopara b Dilshan 22, E. Morgan c Sangakkara b Dilshan 62, J. Buttler c Jayawardene b Herath 15, B. Stokes c Perera b A. Mendis 6, C. Woakes b Herath 6, C. Jordan c Perera b A. Mendis 1, S. Finn (not out) 1, Extras (lb-1, w-6) 7, Total (in 50 overs) 265.
Fall of wickets : 1-5, 2-29, 3-122, 4-170, 5-173, 6-203, 7-219, 8-238, 9-245.
Sri Lanka bowling : Mathews 6-0-21-0, Prasad 6-1-29-1, Dilshan 10-0-64-3, Perera 2-0-19-0, Herath 10-0-36-3, J. Mendis 7-1-39-0, A. Mendis 9-0-56-3.
Sri Lanka : T. Dilshan c Morgan b Woakes 16, K. Perera c Jordan b Ali 31, K. Sangakkara c Woakes b Jordan 86, M. Jayawardene b Jordan 44, A. Mathews (not out) 51, L. Thirimanne (not out) 19, Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-12) 20, Total (for four wkts. in 49.4 overs) 267.
Fall of wickets : 1-28, 2-69, 3-165, 4-214.
England bowling : Finn 9.4-1-61-0, Woakes 9-0-53-1, Ali 10-0-44-1, Jordan 10-0-35-2, Root 6-0-29-0, Bopara 3-0-16-0, Stokes 2-0-21-0.
Toss : England; Man-of-the-match : K. Sangakkara.
