BIRMINGHAM: Adil Rashid took two quickfire wickets as England held Sri Lanka to 254 for seven in the second One-day International at Edgbaston here on Friday.

Leg-spinner Rashid, unlucky to go wicketless in a return of none for 36 in 10 overs during Tuesday’s thrilling tie in the series opener at Trent Bridge, took two for 34 on Friday.

Sri Lanka were struggling at 191 for seven in the 41st over.

But an unbroken stand of 63 between Upul Tharanga (53 not out) and Suraj Randiv (26 not out) gave their bowlers some runs to play with.

Former opener Tharanga, now batting at number seven, has an ODI average against England of 57.63 compared to a career mark of 33.15.

Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal (52), restricted by a hamstring injury during his innings, and Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews (44), playing following a similar hamstring problem, shared a fourth-wicket stand of 82.

Mathews won the toss and opted to bat in front of a capacity crowd of just over 23,000.

Danuskha Gunathilaka, dropped in the slips on five, drove two straight sixes in three balls off left-arm paceman David Willey.

But fast bowler Liam Plunkett, whose last-ball six hit secured Tuesday’s tie, struck with his third delivery when he had Gunathilaka (22) caught behind.

The Yorkshire quick then had Kusal Mendis lbw for nought.

Kusal Perera (37) batted steadily before he was run out by Jason Roy’s direct hit from backward point.

Mathews, playing despite an injury that forced him off at Trent Bridge after he had top-scored in Sri Lanka’s innings with 73 and then taken two wickets with his medium pace, kept England at bay.

But Rashid rocked Sri Lanka with two wickets for no runs in three balls.

Mathews fell for 44 when he top-edged a sweep to Plunkett at short fine leg.

Then the big-hitting Seekkkugge Prasanna, who made a rapid 59 on Tuesday, exited for just two when he skyed Rashid and Willey, running round from mid-on, took a fine catch as he avoided colliding with Alex Hales.

The hampered Chandimal compiled an 80-ball fifty and Sri Lanka went seven overs without a boundary as England turned the screw.

Chandimal was run out in search of a non-existent single before Tharanga and Randiv, playing instead of the dropped Dasun Shanaka, added 44 in the last four overs.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka:

K. Perera run out (Roy)37 D. Gunathilaka c Buttler b Plunkett22 K. Mendis lbw b Plunkett0 D. Chandimal run out (Roy/Buttler)52 A. Mathews c Plunkett b Rashid44 S. Prasanna c Willey b Rashid2 U. Tharanga not out53 F. Maharoof b Willey 2 S. Randiv not out26

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-13, W-2)16

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs)254

FALL OF WKTS: 1-39, 2-47, 3-77, 4-159, 5-163, 6-188, 7-191

BOWLING: Willey 10-0-65-1; Woakes 8-0-36-0 (1w); Plunkett 10-0-49-2 (1w); Ali 9-0-41-0; Rashid 10-0-34-2; Root 3-0-15-0.

England: Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett.

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS), Michael Gough (ENG).

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)

Match Referee: David Boon (AUS)

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2016