Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Splendid stuff from Sri Lanka, worthy victors once again with Sanath Jayasuriya cruising to the Man-of-the-Match award with a brilliant century and a vital, constricting, bowling spell. But England really are a shambles at this form of the game. Perhaps it's something to do with the looming World Cup - 1996, 1999 and 2003 were distinctly average vintages as well. Or perhaps they've all got hot seats for tonight's footie

Either way, well done Jamie Dalrymple for putting up a fight, Kevin Pietersen for having a go, and Steve Harmison for keeping it tight. As for the rest ... oh well, there's always next Saturday at Chester-le-Street.

Thanks for tuning in, hope you've enjoyed it all, and don't forget to read Andrew McGlashan's typically feisty bulletin, in which he tells it like it really is. Will Luke, our man at The Oval, will add his thoughts once he's heard what the players have to say.

This is Andrew Miller saying thanks and goodbye. You can go and watch the footie now

46.4
W
Muralidaran to Harmison, OUT, and that is comprehensively that. A suitably shambolic denouement, as Harmison swung, missed, started, stopped, went hell for leather anyway, keeper lobbed the ball, Murali whipped the bails, and you can guess the rest.

SJ Harmison run out 2 (3m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

46.3
1
Muralidaran to Bresnan, 1 run,
46.2
1lb
Muralidaran to Harmison, 1 leg bye,
46.1
2
Muralidaran to Harmison, 2 runs, but that is the two a ball needed ... not over yet ... ahem ... splutter ...

END OF OVER:
46 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 269/9 (51 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.84, RRR: 12.75)

  • Tim Bresnan10 (8b)
  • Steve Harmison0 (0b)
  • Lasith Malinga8-0-45-2
  • Muthiah Muralidaran9-0-48-1
45.6
0
Malinga to Bresnan, no run, that six briefly took the asking-rate back below two a ball. But that dot ... you get the rest
45.5
6
Malinga to Bresnan, SIX, a mighty smear, straight down the ground! Lovely stuff, youngster. Well done everyone, etc

Still, Harmison has been known to swat a few in his time ...

45.4
W
Malinga to Plunkett, 1 run, OUT, direct hit from Sri Lanka's best fielder, and another nail in England's coffin.

LE Plunkett run out 3 (3m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

45.3
2
Malinga to Plunkett, 2 runs,
45.2
0
Malinga to Plunkett, no run,
45.1
1
Malinga to Bresnan, 1 run,

Situations such as these are precisely why one-day cricket will never, ever, be a patch on a good Test match. When a game is dead, it is horribly dead, and I'm all set to eat my words when this pair lambast England to a famous, nay miraculous, victory. Anyway, rant over

END OF OVER:
45 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 259/8 (61 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 5.75, RRR: 12.20)

  • Tim Bresnan3 (5b)
  • Liam Plunkett0 (0b)
  • Muthiah Muralidaran9-0-48-1
  • Sanath Jayasuriya9-0-51-3
44.6
1
Muralidaran to Bresnan, 1 run, ho hum, another single.
44.5
W
Muralidaran to Mahmood, OUT, but stony silence all around the ground now, as Mahmood scampers for a make-or-break single, and is broken by Sangakkara's shy at the non-striker's end

SI Mahmood run out 4 (3m 4b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Sri Lanka tour of England 2006 News

  • Sri Lanka cricket in good shape: Moody

    Tom Moody, the coach of Sri Lanka, believes his side's recent success in England was a stepping stone towards achieving greater goals in the future

  • The difference between Harmison and Akram

    A look at the bowlers and teams who have conceded the highest number of wides and no-balls in one-day internationals

  • Lopsided lbws, and England's ODI worries

    In the West Indies-India series, India won 19 lbws while West Indies only got six in their favour. The difference of 13 was among the highest in any Test series

  • England slump further in rankings

    England's credibility as a one-day side took a further blow after their 5-0 thumping to Sri Lanka, dropping to the eighth spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings

  • A voyage of self-discovery

    Sri Lanka were not only competitive during their tour of England, they finished the dominant team, their confidence at sky-high after what proved to be a voyage of self-discovery