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Sri Lanka v England - Fourth ODI

Over-by-over commentary from the fourth ODI in Colombo

    England coach Peter Moores has no qualms about Morgan and also feels it could be good for the side that Cook's ban has come before the World Cup

    12/7/2014 4:13:20 AM
    England make 1 change Taylor in for Cook. Morgan won the toss and will bat first .#SLvENG
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 4:17:07 AM
    TEAM NEWS
    So, Morgan has called correctly and England will bat first. James Taylor finally gets a gig, coming in at three with Alex Hales moving up to open in the absence of Cook. Mahela Jayawardene returns for Sr Lanka having missed game three for personal reasons.
    12/7/2014 4:24:07 AM
    4th ODI at Colombo (RPS): @ECB_cricket 's XI today totals 444 caps. Mahela Jayawardene is playing his 431st ODI in this game.
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 4:26:47 AM
    COMMENTARY CHANGE
    David Lloyd is a tad under the weather today so Dominic Cork will be in the box for us. No pressure Dom! We're about to get underway, so stay glued to your telly - or this blog.
    12/7/2014 4:30:34 AM
    Over 1 – England 4-0 (Moeen 4, Hales 0)
    Angelo Mathews takes the new cherry and Moeen is happy to bide his time, defending the first two balls and letting the third amble through to keeper Kumar Sangakkara.  Moeen wallops a short one for four next up, though.

    12/7/2014 4:34:38 AM
    [wicket] Hales c Jayawardene b Prasad 0 – Eng 4-1
    Hales clips to Jayawardene at slip after failing to get his feet sorted. Missed opportunity for the Nottinghamshire man there.

    12/7/2014 4:37:27 AM
    Over 2 – England 6-1 (Moeen 4, Taylor 1)
    Dhammika Prasad opens up with a wild wide but snaffles Hales with ball two. That dismissal brings Taylor to the crease for just his third ODI appearance, the other two coming against Ireland. The diminutive shot-maker averaged almost 90 in domestic 50-over cricket last season, so what can he do here? He gets off the mark with the final ball.

    12/7/2014 4:41:40 AM
    Over 3 – England 9-1 (Moeen 5, Taylor 3)
    As Nick Knight sings the virtues of Taylor, the recalled batsman is content to ease himself in, with two dot balls against Mathews followed by a single on the leg side. Mathews confuses Moeen with a smart slowie before the left-hander punches classily into the off side for one. Taylor then adds another.

    12/7/2014 4:45:56 AM
    Most ListA runs in English Domestic since 2012: James Taylor 1414; Peter Trego 1304; Varun Chopra 1295; Mark Stoneman 1295; M Carberry 1244
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 4:46:24 AM
    [twitter]

    12/7/2014 4:47:42 AM
    Over 4 – England 9-1 (Moeen 5, Taylor 3)
    Prasad has been a bit wayward at times in this series but bowls three solid deliveries at the start of his second over. Ball four is even better, clattering into Taylor’s pads but with the ball seemingly sliding down leg, Sri Lanka opt not to review it. An absolute beaut fizzes past Taylor last up. Good over for the hosts.

    12/7/2014 4:51:03 AM
    Over 23 – England 112-2 (Taylor 57, Root 33)
    Taylor jams his bat into the pitch but Sri Lanka feel he may have feathered Prasad’s ball as it travelled through to Sangakkara.  The third umpire is asked to check if there was any bat. He says not out and Taylor goes about his merry way with a single off the next delivery. Prasad then wants Root lbw but he doesn’t get him. Too far towards leg side, you see.  England are on course for 243 at this rate, 274 if they up the run rate to six.
    12/7/2014 6:16:26 AM
    Over 24 – England 116-2 (Taylor 59, Root 35)
    England add four more as we approach the halfway mark in the innings. The tourists are well set and should have 300 in their sights.
    12/7/2014 6:18:57 AM
    YOUR VIEWS
    [twitter]

    12/7/2014 6:21:07 AM
    Over 25 – England 122-2 (Taylor 64, Root 36)
    Prasad bowls shrewdly but after befuddling Taylor, sees the England man get an edge to the boundary. More by luck than judgement but they all count! A crisp shot from Root yields just one as Sri Lanka field well. They’ve improved on that after being a bit slack in Hambantota.
    12/7/2014 6:24:18 AM
    [wicket] Root b Herath 36 – Eng 122-3
    Root misjudges one from Herath, who breaks his defences and clatters his stumps. Big wicket for Sri Lanka as Root and Taylor were going along nicely, putting on 93.
    12/7/2014 6:26:54 AM
    Over 26 – England 123-3 (Taylor 64, Bopara 1)
    Ravi Bopara is in at five, ahead of captain Morgan. The Essex bat pushes a single off Herath’s final ball to retain the strike.
    12/7/2014 6:29:40 AM
    Not since 105 partnership between Root & Trott v SA (The Oval) 2013 has England's 1st/2nd or 3rd wkt partnership passed 100 - 29 matches ago
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 6:34:01 AM
    Over 27 – England 127-3 (Taylor 66, Bopara 2)
    Bopara drills Prasad into the covers and runs one after a minor mis-field from the usually solid Jeevan Mendis. Taylor flicks away a full toss but has to get his skates on to complete the single. If the ball had hit the stumps, he may have been sent packing. Taylor is then given an official warning for running on the playing surface.
    12/7/2014 6:34:35 AM
    Over 28 – England 131-3 (Taylor 68, Bopara 5)
    A quiet over goes by, with England adding four.
    12/7/2014 6:37:04 AM
    Over 29 – England 137-3 (Taylor 73, Bopara 6)
    Perera replaces Prasad but is equally metronome with his line and length – until Taylor picks up a short one and clubs to the fence. Real quick hands from him there. Taylor has the highest score by a No 3 for England in ODIs this year – but he’ll want much more than 73.
    12/7/2014 6:40:51 AM
    Over 30 – England 140-3 (Taylor 74, Bopara 8)
    Jeevan Mendis races through his first three deliveries, all of which are dot balls, before a single is accrued from ball four following after a brief hesitation from Taylor. Perhaps he has been frazzled by his warning for running on the pitch. The drinks break is taken mid-over. When play resumes, Bopara scoots through for two.
    12/7/2014 6:48:41 AM
    Over 31 – England 148-3 (Taylor 80, Bopara 10)
    Dilshan is back and after a few singles are milked, Taylor opens the face and creams over mid-off. He’s into the eighties now and making people wonder why it has taken him this long to be given a chance.
    12/7/2014 6:52:50 AM
    Over 32 – England 151-3 (Taylor 80, Bopara 12)
    The good running continues as Beefy insists England should be looking at 285 minimum as a target. The tourists bring up the 150, before Taylor misses out after giving himself a bit of room and looking to thwack into the off-side.
    12/7/2014 6:55:19 AM
    Over 33 – England 158-3 (Taylor 85, Bopara 14)
    A sumptuous sweep off Dilshan sees Taylor rack up four more. He then clips into the leg side again for one. Bopara collects a single, too. Will England take the batting powerplay soon?
    12/7/2014 6:58:03 AM
    Over 34 – England 168-3 (Taylor 89, Bopara 20)
    Buzzers! Overthrow runs are accrued after Sri Lanka have a temporary mare in the field. Could they prove costly at the game’s denouement? Taylor whips away shortly after and England run two. That aspect of their game has been – in the main – stellar today.
    12/7/2014 7:03:08 AM
    Taylor unbeaten on 89. England 169-3.#SLvENG
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 7:07:28 AM
    Of @ECB_cricket 's last 11 ODI 100s, been scored by 9 different batsmen (Root x2, Morgan x2, Ali, Buttler, Lumb, Bopara, Trott, Bell, Cook)
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 7:09:36 AM
    [wicket] Taylor c K Perera b A Mendis 90 – Eng 170-4
    Darn! Taylor lofts into the covers while trying to force his way through to three figures. Kusal Perera pouches and England’s Little Masters departs. Here comes the skipper.

    12/7/2014 7:09:52 AM
    Over 35 – England 171-4 (Bopara 21, Morgan 0)
    The umpire waves his arms to inform us all that England are taking the batting powerplay. Ajantha Mendis comes into bowl and England pick up the one that takes Taylor into the proverbial nervy nineties. Bopara ambles through for another and it seems the nineties really were nervy for Taylor who holes out to Perera.

    12/7/2014 7:11:42 AM
    [wicket] Bopara b Dilshan 22 – Eng 173-5
    Another one goes, Bopara this time. He plays across the line to a straight one from Dilshan and just misses it. Clean bowled.
    12/7/2014 7:15:08 AM
    Over 36 – England 175-5 (Morgan 1, Buttler 0)
    Dilshan, with that habit of taking wickets at crucial times, does it again. He accounts for Bopara with just a standard straight delivery. From looking very well set with Taylor and Root in, England just struggling a bit now.
    12/7/2014 7:17:43 AM
    Over 37 – England 182-5 (Morgan 5, Buttler 4)
    Morgan finishes off a rather speedy over from Ajantha Mendis with a sweetly times sweep to the boundary for four. Can the captaincy help him recover some form?
    12/7/2014 7:20:16 AM
    Over 38 – England 184-5 (Morgan 6, Buttler 5)
    Just two from that over from Dilshan as these two are slightly caught in two minds. Just one over left in the powerplay now and usually they’d be looking to attack, but the wickets have meant they are just happy building a partnership for now.
    12/7/2014 7:23:25 AM
    Jos Buttler (@josbuttler ) has now hit 30 ODI 6s - more than any other England wicket-keeper/batsman, passing Craig Kieswetter's 29
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 7:25:06 AM
    Over 39 – England 191-5 (Morgan 7, Buttler 11)
    Buttler with a lovely shot down the ground for six off Anjantha Mendis mid-over. But only a Morgan single at the start of the over can be added to it. Powerplay done , 11 overs left.
    12/7/2014 7:25:51 AM
    Over 40 – England 196-5 (Morgan 10, Buttler 13)
    Sri Lanka sticking with spin here, racing through their overs – five singles for England off this one. When will this pair look to put Dilshan under pressure and attack?
    12/7/2014 7:28:41 AM
    Over 41 – England 197-5 (Morgan 11, Buttler 13)
    Herath comes into the attack, replacing the disappointing Ajantha Mendis. Trickier to get away is the slow-left-armer, with only a single coming from the over. Morgan tries to attack with a reverse-sweep off the first ball but smacks it straight in to his shin. Ouch!
    12/7/2014 7:31:05 AM
    Over 42 – England 200-5 (Morgan 13, Buttler 14)
    Buttler reads a delayed delivery from Dilshan well midway through the overs and smacks it into the covers before smacking into his partner as he and Morgan run into eachother accidentally when trying to push for a second run. Just three runs from the over as Dilshan continues to frustrate, but the 200 does come up for England.
    12/7/2014 7:33:46 AM
    [wicket] Buttler c Jayawardene b Herath 15 – Eng – 203-6
    Buttler tries to hit another straight six down the ground but doesn’t find the success as he did against Mendis, managing to pick out Jayawardene in the deep.
    12/7/2014 7:36:41 AM
    Over 43 – England 205-6 (Morgan 16, Stokes 1)
    Sri Lanka picking up the crucial wicket of Buttler in that over just as we enter the stage of the game where he is most dangerous. They will be very happy with the way they have pulled themselves right back into this game.
    12/7/2014 7:38:50 AM
    Over 44 – England 210-6 (Morgan 20, Stokes 2)
    England do bat deep we keep hearing, so someone in the lower order needs to step up here as they are looking like they will fall some way short of the score they will have been setting themselves when Taylor and Root were in. Morgan tries to go on the offensive this over but top edges Dilshan the very first ball, and is lucky to see it land safe.
    12/7/2014 7:41:24 AM
    [wicket] Stokes c Perera b Mendis 6 – Eng – 219-7
    Stokes goes for a massive heave over the leg-side to Ajantha Mendis but only succeeds in hitting it high up in the air and Perera takes a good catch.
    12/7/2014 7:46:03 AM
    Over 45 – England 219-7 (Morgan 25, Woakes 0)
    Ajantha Mendis back into the attack. Interesting move here, because although he did account for Taylor, he has been expensive today. Morgan, after surviving an early stumping appeal (which wasn’t even close) goes on the charge and slaps one down the ground for four, before Stokes departs having pulled for four the ball before.
    12/7/2014 7:47:41 AM
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