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Sri Lanka v England - Fourth ODI

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

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    12/7/2014 12:06:27 PM
    Over 43 – Sri Lanka 221-4 (Mathews 25, Thirimanne 3) Chasing 266
    Finn back into the attack for a crucial spell in the game. If he can help pick up another wicket here – preferably Mathews – England will definitely fancy their chances. Although it’s not his best over, with six coming from it, including a legside wide in amongst it. It’s a problem England’s pacemen desperately need to cut out from their game.
    12/7/2014 12:07:51 PM
    Over 44 – Sri Lanka 223-4 (Mathews 26, Thirimanne 4) Chasing 266
    It’s Jordan who still looks the most likely wicket-taker for England. He has Mathews wildly swinging and missing at one, which will please him given that he got him out with a little feather behind when attempting a similar shot in the last ODI in Hambantota. Just two runs from the over and the required run-rate is creeping up towards seven an over.
    12/7/2014 12:12:05 PM
    Over 45 – Sri Lanka 238-4 (Mathews 33, Thirimanne 11) Chasing 266
    Unfortunately Finn can’t keep the pressure on at the other end. Thirimanne pulls him away with disdain for four, then uppercuts in much the same fashion as Sangakkara did earlier – although this one only goes for two. Mathews then finish the over with a pull fine for four more. It has been a disappointing outing for Finn, his bouncer looking particularly tame. 15 from the over, a big one for Sri Lanka.
    12/7/2014 12:17:48 PM
    Over 46 – Sri Lanka 242-4 (Mathews 34, Thirimanne 12) Chasing 266
    He’s been the pick of the bowlers today, but Jordan gets it all wrong to start this over with two more leg-side wides to add to the total. They are cheered by the partisan home crowd as if they’ve been smashed to the boundary. He recovers his line and length before drawing a false shot from Mathews with the last ball of the over. Hales drops in on the boundary though and that might be that. A run-a-ball 24 needed for Sri Lanka now to take a 3-1 lead in the series.
    12/7/2014 12:24:01 PM

    Hales follows up his first-ball duck by dropping Mathews. The bowler, Chris Jordan, is not happy. His guttural roar tells us that.
    12/7/2014 12:25:24 PM
    Over 47 – Sri Lanka 247-4 (Mathews 39, Thirimanne 12) Chasing 266
    Woakes comes back in for Finn at the other end. But Mathews manages to get a slower ball of his away through the covers for four. That was zeroing in on the stumps and Mathews almost playing it one-handed as he tried to manoeuvre it through the gap in the field. Incredible shot.
    12/7/2014 12:27:55 PM
    Over 48 – Sri Lanka 253-4 (Mathews 44, Thirimanne 12) Chasing 266
    Jordan bowls the last of his 10 overs, meaning Finn will likely have to come back if it goes down to the last. He causes Thirimanne some problems with a play and a miss, then hitting him on the pads the very next ball. But it would missed leg stump and with the leg bye Mathews gets back on strike and smashes one past a diving extra cover for four. Excellent figures for the Sussex quick though, finishing with 2-35 from his 10. Sri Lanka need 13 from 12 to win.
    12/7/2014 12:34:39 PM
    Over 49 – Sri Lanka 262-4 (Mathews 47, Thirimanne 18) Chasing 266
    Sri Lanka have looked a little flustered at times during the last 10 overs. But they’ve always got a boundary or a good over when they’ve needed one to keep the pressure off just enough. It’s no different here, Thirimanne driving through the off-side for four off the second ball, making their task a whole lot simpler. Woakes drags it back again though and forces Thirimanne into a false shot which skews up in the air, but lands safely. But nine runs come from the over and just four needed to win now for Sri Lanka.
    12/7/2014 12:41:34 PM
    Over 50 – Sri Lanka 267-4 (Mathews 51, Thirimanne 19) Sri Lanka win by 6 wickets
    Thirimanne goes for the big shot to win it with the very first ball, but again doesn’t get hold of it. And again, it lands just short of an England fielder. But two dot balls follow which increases the pressure on captain Mathews. Next ball though he gets the required boundary needed, whipping Finn through the legside for four. He brings up his fifty and the hosts go 3-1 up in the series.
    12/7/2014 12:45:34 PM
    [twitter]

    12/7/2014 12:55:15 PM
    So England go 3-1 down in the series - but are there any positives to take from today's defeat?
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    12/7/2014 12:55:20 PM
    Bob Willis says one England player has boosted his World Cup chances in Colombo, while another may have damaged his beyond repair.
    [bobwillis] James Taylor has made his case for inclusion and I’m afraid Ben Stokes has made his case for exclusion. I don’t see how he can make the World Cup squad from here.”

    12/7/2014 12:58:59 PM
    Here's what stand-in captain EOIN MORGAN had to say after today's defeat:
    We were good in patches. James Taylor played fantastically well. For him to front up like that was outstanding but in patches we weren't at the races today, losing wickets in clusters and not finishing as well as we’d have liked.”

    12/7/2014 1:08:24 PM
    EOIN MORGAN on his own form…
    It was nice to get some runs under my belt and spend some time at the crease. I haven’t had much time out in the middle since I've arrived in Sri Lanka so obviously that will lift my confidence a little bit.”

    12/7/2014 1:10:43 PM
    Captain ANGELO MATHEWS has been reflecting on Sri Lanka’s win, praising both his bowling attack and his evergreen batting lynchpins.
    “It was a good, close game that we had to fight really hard to win. But our bowlers, especially our spinners, bowled brilliantly from the 35th over onwards."

    “We were a bit nervous at the end [of our innings] but we had to stay calm as we had wickets in hand after Sangakkara and Jayawardene put on a great partnership when we were struggling.”
    12/7/2014 1:16:52 PM
    So England need to win all three of the remaining ODIs in the series, but there is one reason for hope, JAMES TAYLOR.
    12/7/2014 1:21:44 PM
    Some big shots from Taylor today. And remember you can see more big-hitting when the IPL is broadcast live on Sky Sports next year.
    12/7/2014 1:24:18 PM
    That's it for today's game then. Thanks for following the blog. So England fall two games back in the series again and it's must-win from here on out. They now travel to Pallekele, with the next game on Wednesday. Join us at 8.25am to see if Alastair Cook comes back into the side, and who for? Until then, goodbye!
    12/7/2014 1:30:23 PM
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