PREVIEW
By Srian Obeyesekere
A 1-up buoyant Sri Lanka will go flat out in today’s decisive, but more than ever for England second ODI of 12 straight defeats of a once high firing basball formula under scrutiny by the recent long format Ashes defeat, and as much its architect head coach Brendon McCullum under fire by Charith Asalanka’s charges of extinction in a now or never showdown magnitude at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
Comparatively, while Sri Lanka’s firing line batting mechanism has revolved mainly around upfront Kusal Mendis’ bullseye 93 and middle order 49 muscled Janith Liyanage in that initial bleeding with substantial starts by openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara to setting it up with much more needed down the line from the recalled No 4 Dhananjaya de Silva and the skipper as well as newcomer Pavan Rathnayake, in whose case the early day foray can be a granted grooming phase knowing his inherent ability, England losing the plot from a winning 129 for 2 midway has certainly put the onus on the rest besides half centurions Ben Duckett and Joe Root. The bell mainly tolls on the much spoken young batting prodigy Harry Brooks whose high county cricket standings has therein made him the anointed future torchbearer of English cricket, to come good from disappointment in the opener
Of course, the Lankan power keg gauntlet has been the spin bowling factor that England was put under the hammer to downsising in the final run up on a surface that progressively offers turn to the spinners which the four pronged Lankan attack led by Dunith Wellalage and Jeffrey Vandersay exploited to good effect in halting what was an ominous England run charge when Duckett and Root were on song.
However, the failure of either of the two main run getters to translate their contributions to seeing England through was debilitating to England’s hopes.
Similarly, the English camp’s bowling attack will be under pressure for a better job if they are to salvage a fading reputation to stopping a Lankan side which is striving to enhance its ODI standings where high stake big cup qualification matters much.
