Match Centre
Match Details
Toss
Player Of The Match
Series result
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
Match days
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Scorecard Summary
SRI LANKA 174 (43.4 OVERS)
- Angelo Mathews39 (49)
- Kumar Sangakkara75 (107)
- James Anderson3/24 (8)
- Jade Dernbach3/38 (8.4)
ENGLAND 171/0 (23.5 OVERS)
- Alastair Cook*95 (75)
- Craig Kieswetter*72 (68)
- Jeevan Mendis0/20 (2)
- Lasith Malinga0/28 (5)
Scorer: Gopi Rangarajan | Commentator: Liam Brickhill
England level the series 2-2 with a resounding 10-wicket win. The limited-overs leg of this tour really has swung back and forth. Sri Lanka breezed through the Bristol Twenty20, and then crashed and burned at The Oval. They came back to inflict a heavy defeat at Headingley, and then took the lead with a comfortable win at Lord's. And now England have levelled the series by easing to a 10-wicket hammering. What will Old Trafford provide? Stick with us for the presentations, and to find out who the Man of the Match is.
"We lost so many wickets in the first few overs," says losing captain Tillakaratne Dilshan. "230 to 240 would've been a good total. England batted really well in the second half, there was no pressure with such a small total. If we get runs on the board, we can win the next match and the series. England bowled really well in the conditions today, especially Anderson. If we can bat through the first 10 without losing wickets we can set a good score. Cook has played good cricket, but i'm thinking of my own game."
"It was outstanding, from the moment we won the toss, bowled, put Sri Lanka under pressure - wickets always help that - and then knocked off the runs without losing any wickets," says Alastair Cook. "It was a good wicket, it didn't do as much as we thought it did. I honestly don't think it moved that much, although thank you to the groundsman for leaving grass on the pitch, which is what we asked for. Craig [Kieswetter] and I proved it was a very good wicket, but home advantage is there in all sports, and you can use it."
Cook is also Man of the Match. 'Have you ever batted better in a one-day game than you did tonight?' asks Nasser Hussain. "Probably not, I don't always time the ball as nicely as that." 'Have you answered your critics?' "A couple of innings dont do that, I've got to prove that over a long period of times. [As captain there are] tough times and good times, when you win you enjoy it. I think it's important we've stayed unchanged [in the series], it shows we've got faith in our cricketers." He also answers the question as to whether Kieswetter will be dropped for not allowing him to reach a hundred with good humour, suggesting his interviewer knows it's the red inker that counts!
Read all about England's thumping win in Andrew Miller's bulletin, or if pictures are your thing, check out our match gallery. Be sure to check in a little later as well, when you'll find match analysis courtesy of Andrew McGlashan. Otherwise, goodbye from the whole team, and we'll see you again for the series-deciding final match at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Both opening bowlers come back on, here's Kulasekara.
END OF OVER:23 | 1 Run | ENG: 163/0 (8 runs required from 25 overs, RR: 7.08, RRR: 0.32)
- Craig Kieswetter65 (64b)
- Alastair Cook94 (74b)
- Lasith Malinga5-0-28-0
- Jeevan Mendis2-0-20-0
So, Cook still has a chance! He wants 6, England need 8.
Sri Lanka tour of England and Scotland 2011 News
Scotland no match for Sri Lankan pace
Scotland's cricketers dared to dream of a first-ever win against a full member after a fighting display with the ball at the Grange, but were rapidly brought down to earth by a feisty Sri Lankan attack
Not all doom and gloom despite defeat
We played some good cricket, weren't outplayed for long periods of time and unearthed some really talented youngsters
Problems still persist for England
England's victory in the final ODI against Sri Lanka showed that their spluttering batting order is still missing a few parts
Swann crowned world No. 1 ODI bowler
Graeme Swann has become the world's No. 1 one-day spinner after his eight wickets helped England to a 3-2 series win against Sri Lanka
Flower lauds Cook for series win
Andy Flower, the England team director, has praised Alastair Cook for the way he has handled the dual challenges of batting and captaincy