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Sri Lanka v England - Fourth ODI

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

    Over 46 – England 229-7 (Morgan 32, Woakes 2)
    While wickets fall around him, Morgan is looking better at the crease than he has in some time for England. He hits a lovely slog-sweep over midwicket for six off Dilshan. Four overs left now, what will the target be?
    12/7/2014 7:49:39 AM
    Over 47 – England 237-7 (Morgan 36, Woakes 6)
    Woakes, who has struggled a bit with spin recently, is in. And he doesn’t look completely comfortable facing spin again. His job will surely be to get Morgan on strike these final few overs. But the pair just rotate the strike this over – 8 from it.
    12/7/2014 7:53:15 AM
    [wicket] Woakes b Herath 6 – Eng – 238-8
    Woakes falls to spin again. Herath does really well here, with a loopy, slow one that Woakes tries to slop sweep but plays all around.
    12/7/2014 7:56:14 AM
    Over 48 – England 245-8 (Morgan 43, Jordan 1)
    Herath back on, replacing Dilshan this time. Morgan immediately charges down the pitch to him but can only get him away for a single with a heave to the legside. Woakes is then out with the third ball, bringing Jordan to the crease. He immediately gets a single to get Morgan back on strike who still looks completely untroubled and sweeps for four with the last ball of the over.
    12/7/2014 7:58:35 AM
    England now 245-9 with 11 balls remaining. #SLvENG
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 7:59:57 AM
    [wicket] Jordan c Perera b Mendis 1 – Eng – 245-9
    Jordan goes first ball of the next over to Mendis trying to cut him away to the boundary but it goes straight down Perera’s throat at backward point. Will England bat out the 50 overs?
    12/7/2014 8:00:46 AM
    Over 49 – England 247-9 (Morgan 44, Finn 1)
    Very disappointing stuff this from England who surely must have been aiming for a score of 280+ at around the 30-over mark. But once again they came unstuck with the batting powerplay. Morgan and Finn see out the rest of the over after the wicket of Jordan. Morgan on strike for the last – what damage can he do?
    12/7/2014 8:03:42 AM
    Morgan takes 18 of last over.England post 265. During the interval we will have reaction and highlights of England's innings. #SLvENG
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 8:07:34 AM
    [wicket] Morgan c Sangakkara b Dilshan 62 – Eng – 265 all out
    Morgan skies the final ball of the over high into the air and it’s comfortably pouched by Sangakkara with the gloves on.
    12/7/2014 8:08:21 AM
    Over 50 – England 265 all out (Morgan 62, Finn 1)
    Morgan’s wicket comes after he inflicts a fair bit of damage to spare England’s blushes somewhat. He brings up his fifty – his first in ODIs since January – with a huge six off the first ball over deep midwicket. He hits another off the next delivery, straighter this time. The fourth ball off Dilshan’s goes for four over cover, and he the runs two with the fifth – 18 from it and England finish on 263.
    12/7/2014 8:10:52 AM
    [twitter]

    12/7/2014 8:18:49 AM
    [nickknight] I think 265 is just under par. England were in such a good position with 35 overs gone that 300 looked on and I think they got ahead of themselves. But Angelo Mathews did well to get his bowlers to take pace off the ball and to keep his fielders up."

    12/7/2014 8:20:44 AM

    This is why England are particularly keen to break this partnership...

    12/7/2014 10:23:30 AM
    Over 24 – Sri Lanka 117-2 (Sangakkara 40, Jayawardene 22) Chasing 266
    A glorious shot to the ropes from Sangakkara, who is finally slinging his willow at Root. Sri Lanka are on Easy Street here, accumulating seven from the over without breaking sweat.
    12/7/2014 10:25:57 AM
    Over 25 – Sri Lanka 125-2 (Sangakkara 42, Jayawardene 27) Chasing 266
    Stokes is into the attack. This could go both ways… Jayawardene feathers the first delivery for a single and then Sangakkara hits one on the rise to bring up the 50 partnership. Stokes was a real menace in Australia last winter but is a little powder-puff at the moment, as his wide off an attempted slower ball shows. A Bopara mid-field won’t do much for England’s psyche either.

    12/7/2014 10:31:33 AM
    [ianbotham] We all know how much talent Stokes but he’s had a few problems with his run-up which has cost him pace and control. This is a big moment for the young man.”

    12/7/2014 10:31:51 AM
    Over 26 – Sri Lanka 127-2 (Sangakkara 42, Jayawardene 28) Chasing 266
    Morgan reviews a tame-looking lbw shout from Root after Jayawardene’s pad is clipped. A hunch? Desperation? Either way, it was the wrong choice, with Hawkeye conveying what most of us thought: the ball was not hitting the stumps. England have no reviews left.
    12/7/2014 10:36:15 AM
    Over 27 – Sri Lanka 140-2 (Sangakkara 44, Jayawardene 38) Chasing 266
    Jayawardene missed Wednesday’s game to celebrate his daughter’s birthday but doesn’t look to have gone overboard with cake. He’s as fit as a fiddle. Stokes bowls a high and wide delivery which Mahela, who chopped for one of the first ball of this over, ducks down to avoid. Jayawardene frees his arms next up, though, carving to the fence for four. Elegant isn’t the half of it. Sangakkara swings powerfully but only accrues one. Jayawardene shows his mate how it’s done with a gorgeous drive to the ropes. Expensive over from Stokes.

    12/7/2014 10:42:57 AM
    50 number 205 in all international cricket for Kumar Sangakkara - and 109th in ODIs (only Tendulkar 145 and Ponting 112 have more)
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 10:46:28 AM
    Sangakkara goes to his 3rd fifty in the series. Sri Lanka 151-2 after 28 overs.#SLvENG
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 10:46:29 AM
    Over 28 – Sri Lanka 151-2 (Sangakkara 51, Jayawardene 40) Chasing 266
    A wide from Root begins the 28th over on a poor note for England. Sri Lanka are cruising here with singles available whenever they want them. Sangakkara duly posts his seventh ODI fifty of 2014 with a four. England need wickets, lots of wickets.
    12/7/2014 10:46:56 AM

    Sangakkara brings up his fifty. Sri Lanka are cruising along at 150-2 after 28 overs #SLvENG http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4PzuysIAAA30ZB.png

    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 10:46:57 AM
    Over 29 – Sri Lanka 156-2 (Sangakkara 54, Jayawardene 42) Chasing 266
    What ya got, Moeen? You enjoyed a lot of success against Sri Lanka with the ball in the Test arena last summer and your team-mates need you now. The spinner doesn’t get walloped but doesn’t weave any magic either.
    12/7/2014 10:51:53 AM
    Over 30 – Sri Lanka 161-2 (Sangakkara 58, Jayawardene 43) Chasing 266
    Jordan’s seam is redeployed by Morgan, who is running out of options. This has the feel of a procession and England look a little devoid of energy in the field. Keep your heads up, boys!
    12/7/2014 10:55:26 AM
    Sri Lanka need 105 runs to win from the last 20 overs. Can England turn things round? Follow via our blog www1.skysports.com/live-scores/cr… #SLvENG
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 12/7/2014 10:55:32 AM
    Over 31 – Sri Lanka 165-2 (Sangakkara 61, Jayawardene 44) Chasing 266
    Sangakkara cuts Moeen again to the boundary – or does he? Some good work from Stokes saves two runs. But England will need a bit more than good fielding to turn this round. They need wickets.
    12/7/2014 11:00:14 AM
    Most international runs v @ECB_cricket : D Bradman 5028, A Border 4850, V Richards 4488, R Ponting 4141, S Tendulkar 3990, M Jayawardene 3952
    by Richard V Isaacs via twitter 12/7/2014 11:02:42 AM
    [wicket] Jayawardene b Jordan 44 – SL – 165-3
    And they’ve got one. Jordan gets the breakthrough, with a helping hand from Jayawardene who chops it on to his stumps. But it was a good delivery from Jordan all the same, cramping him for room.
    12/7/2014 11:02:56 AM
    Over 32 – Sri Lanka 167-3 (Sangakkara 61, Mathews 1) Chasing 266
    He can be very frustrating Chris Jordan. He gets the crucial breakthrough, with the wicket of Jayawardene but follows it up with a legside wide to the new batsman Mathews, the very next ball. But the rest of the over is back on the spot, and he looks England’s biggest threat right now.
    12/7/2014 11:07:23 AM

    If you've just joined us, where have you been? Here's the state of play and, as you can see, Sri Lanka are in the ascendancy.
    12/7/2014 11:08:21 AM
    Over 33 – Sri Lanka 171-3 (Sangakkara 63, Mathews 3) Chasing 266
    Another tight over from Moeen and England are just getting a foothold back in this game. Sri Lanka still strong favourites with Sangakkara at the crease, but England consistently lost wickets towards the end of their innings and will be hoping the home side do the same.
    12/7/2014 11:10:56 AM
    Over 34 – Sri Lanka 176-3 (Sangakkara 66, Mathews 5) Chasing 266
    Sangakkara hits a cracking cover drive midway through the over but Root was in the perfect spot on the cover boundary to stop it, so it is only a single. Still, it shows the form the Sri Lankan No.3 is in. It’s going to be difficult to dislodge him from here.
    12/7/2014 11:15:20 AM

    Here's Jordan claiming the scalp of Jayawardene - but is it too little too late?

    12/7/2014 11:19:03 AM
    Over 35 – Sri Lanka 185-3 (Sangakkara 69, Mathews 11) Chasing 266
    Finn back in to bowl. He gets Mathews to glove one down the legside which had him hopeful for a second, but it was a thick deflection that went behind for four rather than into the gloves of Buttler. Sangakkara pulls one for two, with some slightly comical fielding on the boundary between Woakes and Jordan stopping a boundary (just).
    12/7/2014 11:21:17 AM
    Over 36 – Sri Lanka 188-3 (Sangakkara 71, Mathews 12) Chasing 266
    Sri Lanka take the batting powerplay and Woakes comes on to bowl. But he pulls up in pain after the first delivery – he’s got a problem with his knee which may have been caused by his collision with Jordan on the boundary in the previous over. After a slight delay with the physio coming on, he’s ready to continue. He gets through the over, even causing Mathews some problems with a well-directed bouncer that very nearly brushes the glove.
    12/7/2014 11:31:53 AM
    YOUR VIEWS
    [twitter]

    12/7/2014 11:32:27 AM
    Over 37 – Sri Lanka 195-3 (Sangakkara 75, Mathews 15) Chasing 266
    Some great work in the field from England. Firstly on the third man boundary by Jordan and then Bopara at deep backward point who cuts off a certain Sangakkara boundary. Their fielding has been improved today, although the bowling not so much.
    12/7/2014 11:37:23 AM
    Over 38 – Sri Lanka 201-3 (Sangakkara 80, Mathews 16) Chasing 266
    The 200 comes up for Sri Lanka a ball after Sangakkara very cleverly uppercuts a short one from Woakes up over Buttler and down for a boundary behind the keeper. Just another 65 runs needed to win now for Sri Lanka with 12 overs remaining. What can England do?
    12/7/2014 11:40:59 AM
    Over 39 – Sri Lanka 205-3 (Sangakkara 81, Mathews 19) Chasing 266
    …Not much by the looks of it. There seems to be an air of resignation already in the England team. It has been a tough day for them in the heat in Colombo and there hasn’t been much encouragement from the pitch I suppose. Four from that over from Finn.
    12/7/2014 11:46:36 AM
    Over 40 – Sri Lanka 208-3 (Sangakkara 82, Mathews 20) Chasing 266
    A pretty uneventful ‘powerplay’ that one. Woakes’ over goes for three and there were only 23 total runs scored from the five overs. Sri Lanka would have been mindful of the flurry of wickets that fell when England took theirs. So this pair have seen it off and need less than a run-a-ball from the final 10 overs.
    12/7/2014 11:50:56 AM

    England have near enough matched Sri Lanka for runs in the powerplays, but lost too many wickets during them.
    12/7/2014 11:51:03 AM
    Over 41 – Sri Lanka 214-3 (Sangakkara 86, Mathews 22) Chasing 266
    Moeen comes back into the attack for just the one over as he bowls out his 10. Sangakkara gets a bit greedy, dancing down the wicket, trying to punish Moeen down the ground but almost offering a catch to mid-on. He hits the next one slightly better but still only gets a single as it is fielded at long-off this time.
    12/7/2014 11:54:49 AM
    Dominic Cork says there is no chance that England will leave Alastair Cook kicking his heels during the fifth ODI on Wednesday.
    Whatever happens, I think Alastair Cook will come back in in Pallekele.”

    Is that the way to go - and if so, who misses out? Tell us your thoughts #SLvENG @SkyCricket.
    12/7/2014 11:56:18 AM
    [wicket] Sangakkara c Woakes b Jordan 86 – SL – 214-4
    You could see signs of it in the previous over, Sangakkara was just getting a bit impatient, wanting to bring up his hundred and a Sri Lankan win in quick fashion. But he smacks a Jordan long hop outside off right down the throat of Woakes at deep cover. Jordan continues his knack of taking wickets despite not bowling at his best.
    12/7/2014 11:57:43 AM
    Over 42 – Sri Lanka 215-4 (Mathews 22, Thirimanne 1) Chasing 266
    Perhaps I wrote England off too soon. A tight over from Jordan after the wicket and there’s pressure being applied by the fielders in the ring – although Thirimanne does get off the mark to a Woakes fumble when a possible run out was on. Suddenly Sri Lanka look a little jittery. Still heavy favourites though.
    12/7/2014 12:02:23 PM
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