Leeds, Mark Wood and Joffra Archer attacked in a pair as England restricted Sri Lanka to 232/9 in theor 50 overs at the Headingley Cricket Ground on Friday. Both pacers picked three wickets each and while Archer gave away 52 runs in his 10 overs, Wood bowled 8 and conceded 40. For Sri Lanka, Angelo Mathews top scored with an unbeaten 85 off 115 balls.
Sri Lanka never really got going in the innings. They lost their first wicket in the second over of the innings, bowled by Archer. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne was done by a delivery that was bowled in the channel but moved away from him. It took Karunaratne’s edge as it went to the wicket-keeper and Archer got his first wicket of the day.
Chris Woakes then got Kusal Perera in the next over and Sri Lanka found themselves 3/2. Sri Lanka then managed to not lose any more wickets in the first 10 overs with Avishka Fernando looking in control. Fernando hit six fours and two sixes before a lose shot off Wood in the 13th over went straight to Adil Rashid at third man and he had to walk.
Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis then laboured on with a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket. However Rashid then got a twin strike, dismissing Kusal and Jeevan Mendis off consecutive balls and Sri Lanka found themselves tottering at 133/5 at the 30-over mark.
Mathews then got steady assistance from Dhananjaya de Silva which ensured that Sri Lanka crossed the 200-run mark. Archer and Wood then ran through the lower-order and ensured that the mighty England batting line-up have to chase a target below 240.
Brief score: Sri Lanka: 232/9 in 50 ovs (Angelo Mathews 85, Avishka Fernando 49; Mark Wood 3/40) vs England
