Current champion England is not doing well in the current World Cup. With three losses in four matches, the English are in eighth place in the points table. Desperate to turn around, the English are not in a very good position even in their fifth match. In the fifth match, England won the toss against Sri Lanka and went into bat.
Two English openers Jonny Bairstow and David Malan got off to a good start in batting against Sri Lanka. But after breaking this pair for 45 runs, the English could not turn around. England lost 5 wickets for only 85 runs on the bowling ball of the Lankans. Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali tried to save the team from disaster in the sixth wicket partnership but the pair was broken for just 37 runs. Ben Stokes, the highest run-scorer for England today, also returned with 43 runs. In the end, the English managed to score 156 runs after losing all the wickets after playing 33 overs.
Jonny Bairstow and David Malan, the two openers who came to the opening for England, started to watch from the beginning. He took 39 runs in the first 5 overs. But in the seventh over, the rhythm fell.
Angelo Mathews bowled David Malan with a catch to Kushal Perera. Sri Lanka took a review when the field umpire didn’t respond to Mathews’ appeal at first. And in this Malan’s forehead burned. He had to return after scoring 28 runs off 25 balls. England’s opening pair broke for 45 runs on his departure.
Jonny Bairstow formed a pair with Joe Root after Malan’s departure. But this pair could not go far.
The pair broke when Joe Root returned for the team’s 59 runs. Root, who scored 3 runs from 10 balls, was run out and returned to Sajghar. On his departure, England lost 2 wickets for 59 runs.
Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler went back to suit Joe Root. Jonny Bairstow scored 30 runs off 31 balls off Kasun Rajitha, caught at mid-on by Dhananjaya de Silva and went back to home.
Jos Buttler also returns to the dressing room following Jonny Bairstow’s path. He fell victim to LBW by Lahiru Kumara. Scored 8 runs off 6 balls before getting out. On his departure, the English lost 4 wickets for 77 runs.
After Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone could not stay long at the crease. He returned to be Lahiru Kumara’s second victim with just 1 run off 6 balls. On his departure, the English lost 5 wickets for 85 runs and fell into a batting disaster.
Ben Stokes paired with Moeen Ali after 5 wickets fell for 85 runs. The English tried to turn around by relying on this pair.
But after the departure of Moeen Ali for the team’s 122 runs, this pair was broken by 37 runs. Moeen Ali, who scored 15 runs off 15 balls, fell victim to Angelo Mathews and went back to Sajghar.
Chris Woakes returned in the over after Moeen Ali’s dismissal. He returned with zero runs off 4 balls.
Ben Stokes, who raised hopes of a half-century, also returned with 43. He returned as Lahiru Kumara’s third victim with 43 off 73 balls. After his departure, England’s innings could not go much further. In the end, the English managed to score 156 runs after losing all the wickets after playing 33 overs.
For Sri Lanka, Lahiru Kumara took 3 wickets, Angelo Mathews 2 wickets, Kasun Rajitha 2 wickets and Mahesh Thekshana 1 wicket.
(26 October/NBW/EH)