BIRMINGHAM: Blistering hundreds by Jason Roy and Alex Hales hauled England to a crushing 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second One-day International at Edgbaston on Friday (partly reported in Saturday’s edition).
England, set a modest 255 for victory, finished on 256 without loss as they won with more than 15 overs to spare to go 1-0 up in the five-match series following Tuesday’s tied opener at Trent Bridge.
Roy, named man-of-the-match after also completing two run-outs, was unbeaten on 112 at the finish, with Hales 133 not out as both batsmen recorded their highest scores at this level.
Their unbroken opening stand surpassed England’s record ODI partnership of 250 set by Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott for the second wicket against Bangladesh at Edgbaston in 2010.
England’s total was the highest scored by any side winning an ODI by 10 wickets, topping the 236 scored by New Zealand against Zimbabwe at Harare last year.
Victory also saw England win the inaugural multi-format Super Series, with Sri Lanka now unable to surpass their 13-3 points lead in the remaining three ODIs and lone Twenty20.
Friday’s match was a day/night fixture but by the time Roy drove the winning four off Seekkugge Prasanna there was no need for the floodlights to be switched on.
“The chase was absolutely remarkable,” said England captain Eoin Morgan.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that where we were so in control without being reckless.” Successive fours by Hales off leg-spinner Prasanna saw the Nottinghamshire opener to a 91-ball century.
It was the start of a thrilling sequence in which Hales scored 26 runs in five balls off Prasanna — two fours followed by three sixes.
Hales was dropped on 126 but by then it hardly mattered.
Roy, a ball after surviving an lbw appeal on 99, drove Prasanna down the ground for six to go to a 92-ball century including six fours and four sixes.
England had collapsed to 82 for six on Tuesday but there was never any danger of a repeat at Edgbaston.
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA:
K. Perera run out (Roy) 37
D. Gunathilaka c Buttler b Plunkett 22
K. Mendis lbw b Plunkett 0
D. Chandimal run out (Roy/Buttler) 52
A. Mathews c Plunkett b Rashid 44
S. Prasanna c Willey b Rashid 2
U. Tharanga not out 53
F. Maharoof b Willey 2
S. Randiv not out 26
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-13, W-2) 16
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 254
DID NOT BAT: N Pradeep, S Lakmal.
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:
J. Roy not out 112
A. Hales not out 133
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-8) 11
TOTAL (for no wkt, 34.1 overs) 256
DID NOT BAT: J Root, E Morgan, J Bairstow, J Buttler, M Ali, C Woakes, D Willey, A Rashid, L Plunkett.
BOWLING: Maharoof 7-1-47-0 (4w); Lakmal 5-0-21-0 (2w); Randiv 8-0-62-0; Pradeep 4-0-31-0 (1w); Prasanna 8.1-0-78-0 (1w); Gunathilaka 2-0-14-0.
RESULT: England won by 10 wickets
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Jason Roy (ENG)
UMPIRES: Bruce Oxenford (Australia), Michael Gough (England)
TV UMPIRE: Paul Reiffel (Australia)
MATCH REFEREE: David Boon (Australia)
Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2016
