England end tri-series on a high with consolation win
ENGLAND had spent the previous week demonstrating that there is apparently no position from which a one-day international cannot be lost.
In the space of four days, Harry Brook’s side had gone down after scoring 429 against Sri Lanka - and then again after reducing Pakistan to 154-9 in pursuit of 242.
How on earth would they mess things up this time, one was tempted to wonder from behind the sofa?
Well, a strange thing happened in Lahore on Thursday: England won, beating Sri Lanka by 55 runs to salvage something from their tri-series campaign.
Once again, England racked up an imposing score. Their 386-5 was founded on Ben Duckett’s second successive hundred and Tom Banton’s fifth innings of 50-plus in his last six ODIs. The pair put on 163 for the first wicket in 25 overs.
Duckett struck a career-best 167 from 132 balls, with 24 fours, while Banton made 74 from 75 deliveries, with eight fours and two sixes.
Their efforts were complemented by Harry Brook’s 44 from 34 balls, Jordan Cox’s 43 from 27, Will Jacks’s 30 from 21, and Sam Curran’s unbeaten 21 from 12.
Eshan Malinga, the 25-year-old seamer, became only the second Sri Lankan to concede 100 or more runs in an ODI, returning 1-101 from his 10 overs. The first was fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep, who took 0-106 against India in Mohali in 2017.
In reply, Sri Lanka kept pace for much of their innings. Kusal Mendis, their captain, made 89 in his first major contribution of the series, and opening batsman Avishka Fernando added 48. That laid the foundation for another hundred from Pavan Rathnayake, the increasingly impressive 24-year-old.
He followed his 130 in the remarkable chase of 430 against England in Rawalpindi with 118 from 77 balls, including 15 fours and a six. This time, however, it was not quite enough to inspire another huge heist. Sri Lanka lost their way towards the finish, their last five wickets falling for 16 runs.
Liam Dawson, the left-arm spinner preferred to Adil Rashid, took a career-best 4-49 as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 331 with 4.5 overs unused. England again looked a frontline bowler short but will be cheered to have come away from the tri-series with something, the World Cup less than a year away.
This match was a dead rubber for both sides. England, sent into bat, were already out after three defeats from as many games, while Sri Lanka were already through to Saturday’s final against hosts Pakistan. That no doubt explained the banks of empty seats and a sparse-looking crowd in the early stages, plus the fact it was a neutral game.
England began brightly through Banton and Duckett. The latter won the race to a half-century from 46 balls, Banton following suit from 49 deliveries. Banton eventually chopped on attempting a cut, but Duckett pressed on, advancing to his sixth ODI century - and third on this ground - from 89 balls.
Joe Root was not called on as England continued to attack, emboldened by the platform given them by their openers. Brook played nicely before scooping a return catch to Asitha Fernando, the pick of the bowlers.
Duckett fell to Eshan when he scooped a full toss to fine leg. Jacks, making room to hit through the offside, played on and kicked away a bail in frustration. Cox fell to the final ball of the innings, caught at long-off.
Sri Lanka’s hopes effectively ended when Dunith Wellalage was run-out in a mix-up with Rathnayake, who fell soon afterwards to a top-edged sweep.