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17th over: Sri Lanka 123-4 (Bhanuka 16, Dasun 2) Bye leg, one, one, dot, dot, dot. Sam Curran run, run, tight genius.
16th over: Sri Lanka 120-4 (Bhanuka 13, Dasun 1) Finally a World Cup pitch for Rashid, after a very uncharacteristic fallow. Sri Lanka misses the gas pedal with four overs to go.
Hi Tanya, “Hello Tim Father!”
At the top of Sri Lanka, in an auditorium for presentations about a technology innovation center doing great projects… more than me in the audience checking your coverage, I didn’t realize Guardian cricket was so well thought out . Fella on stage definitely confused by some of the reactions her presentation is getting.”
Well that’s good news! Hello everyone at the Tech Innovation Showcase in Sri Lanka, thanks for tuning in.
wicket! Pathum c Jordan b Rashid 67 (Sri Lanka 118-4)
The end of a brilliant innings, cleverly caught by Chris Jordan, passed to the injured Dawid Malan (what a sub he has) who sprinted from the ropes.
Malan’s injury
15th over: Sri Lanka 116-3 (Pathum 66, Bhanuka 13) Dawid Malan limps off the field after tweaking his groin and immediately signals to the dressing room. As he makes his slow way around the SCG, Ben Stokes performs a ballet of fielding, sprinting, turning and throwing at full speed, and restricting a potential boundary to one run. Pathan makes the boundary a couple of balls later, through cover as the ball accelerates away from Sam Curran. And an uppercut from Bhanuka to finish off four, effortlessly done.
14th over: Sri Lanka 104-3 (Pathum 60, Bhanuka 7) Rashid may not have been England’s wicket-taking machine in this competition, but another priceless miser around here, shirt off and silent accuracy .
13th over: Sri Lanka 100-3 (Pathum 57, Bhanuka 6) Pancake time: Pathum looks up, lifts his thigh forward and puts Stokes into the stands for six. A few balls later, he leans in languidly, like an EM Forster character, and cuts the ball over the two fielders chasing for four more.
Updated at 09.04 GMT
12th over: Sri Lanka 89-3 (Pathum 50, Bhanuka 2) Spin doing the business here for England after Sri Lanka’s opening attack. Five from Livingstone as Pathum moves to an excellent fifty off just 33 balls.
11th over: Sri Lanka 84-3 (Pathum 47, Bhanuka 0) Great stuff from Stokes: Pitching the ball, just three narrow runs and a wicket.
“Tanya morning.” Hi Simon McMahon! “Whatever happens on the field, the Sri Lankan fans are having an absolute ball it seems. All kinds of face painting, costumes, bands and drums in the stands. Tremendous things. We hope that the game will adjust.”
That’s right, lots of joy all around. And the Sydney sky is now flaming orange. If you’re there, I’m incredibly jealous.
WICKET! Charith c Malan b Stokes 8 (Sri Lanka 84-3)
Ben Stokes hammers the ball down the ground and Charith reaches a calm Malan like you.
10th over: Sri Lanka 78-2 (Pathum 45, Charith 4) And finally the over continues, as it began, with a single on every ball of Moeen Ali’s first over, except the last. And halfway through, Sri Lanka’s momentum has slowed, but they are still in a tasty position.
9.3 overs: Sri Lanka 78-2 (Pathum 45, Charith 4) The ball that sees the Sri Lankans slip away for a run, but they don’t hurt themselves as they hit mid-off in their rush The Docs come out and while the beaters are fixed, they have DRINKS.
9th over: Sri Lanka 75-2 (Pathum 44, Charith 2) – another wicket for Sam Curran in what has been an excellent World Cup – is the second highest wicket-taker. One pocket in the pocket, and only four from the top.
Sorry for being slow on the email front. Tom VD Gucht writes:
“Everyone seems to be talking about how England just have to do enough to win. In my experience, that’s fraught with danger. I remember an essay at university only had a pass or fail grade – the pass grade was about 40% so I called work thinking it would do enough instead of bursting when there were no 2:1’s or even Desmonds on offer. Unfortunately I underestimated what 40% should be and I ended up going below the pass mark, spending the Easter holidays rewriting the damn thing. I’m worried England will do the same and collapse before blowing it with a flurry of wickets when chasing a small score.” .
WICKET! Dhananjaya c Stokes b Curran (Sri Lanka 72-2)
Dhananjaya goes for one more but fails to cross the rope on the short side and Stokes does well, taking it sideways, keeping his feet just on the right side of the boundary.
8th over: Sri Lanka 71-1 (Pathum 43, Dhananjaya 9) Rashid is again able to strangle the score, six overs.
7th over: Sri Lanka 65-1 (Pathum 41, Dhananjaya 4) After his triumph in the field, Liam Livingstone takes the ball. All is relatively quiet for England until the last ball, which Pathan drives over that short boundary and Chris Woakes for Six.
I think the answer to that is: magic equipment alchemy
Remind me what Stokes is being picked apart from @tjaldred vibes? He’s obviously a great cricketer, but if there’s no wicket, I still don’t see how he’s better than Curran, Livingstone or Mo. It almost looks like a mascot, there for dressing room inspiration.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) November 5, 2022
6th over: Sri Lanka 54-1 (Pathum 32, Dhananjaya 2) Relief for England as Buttler turns to Adil Rashid and he immediately takes some control. Just two singles from him. And Mark Wood is back on the field.
5th over: Sri Lanka 52-1 (Pathum 31, Dhananjaya 1) Thirteen off Sam Curran’s opener as Pathum surge ahead, unfazed by the loss of their opening partner – a top edge over his head for four and another six, alone, on the stretching stream, crashing against the boundary.
4th over: Sri Lanka 39-1 (Pathum 20, Dhananjaya 0) – Mark Wood runs off the field after that packed event – hopefully something and nothing. And the boundary stroke continues as Mendis whips Woakes square for four more. Waakes responds with a wide flyer over Mendis’s head, then the breakthrough – some spectacular acrobatics from Livingstone, and England needed it.
WICKET! Mendis c Livingstone b Woakes 18 (Sri Lanka 39-1)
As Mendis pulls…a spectacular catch from Liam Livingstone, sprinting along the edge of the boundary, sliding on his knees and holding on with both hands. A furious Mendis walks off. Waakes double cuff pumps.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 32-0 (Pathum 18, Mendis 13) Mark Wood, the fastest bowler of the tournament, comes on. Mendis doesn’t bother with the watchful wait and dives in with a thunderbolt, landing rows in the stands again. Two people dress up as watermelon slices. Wood falls on his follow-up and Mendis takes three more over midwicket. An upper cut for six to finish! Right over Liam Livingstone’s leaping head. Nissanka smiles.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 15-0 (Pathum 11, Mendis 3) The camera pans up, outside the stadium, and we see the sun blazing on the horizon. It’s Chris Woakes with the ball, he needs it, the stats light up, just three wickets for 150 T20 wickets. No boundaries, but some smart running from Sri Lanka and an excellent dive from Alex Hales on the edge of the circle.
An email, hello Daniel Rickard!
“I haven’t paid much attention to this competition, other than looking at the results, but basically we’re in the knockout stages, so I’m in…
The problem is, when you haven’t been getting ready with the wife and kids (2 out of the 3 are just football, not cricket), it’s hard for me and my oldest to just put the tools down for the whole morning of unexpected way .
I’m sure everyone else will be fine. Come on England!!!”
Play!
1st over: Sri Lanka 9-0 (Pathum 8, Mendis 1) Ben Stokes’ first ball goes safely but Pathum takes the second effortlessly over the short boundary for six – just 62 meters long, will have hitters salivating tonight.
Here come the players, Pathum Nissanka to strike. Cameras roll around the SCG – it’s not full, but there are a fair number. And my dog barks with impeccable timing because he refuses to squeeze through the back door left ajar and needs to be opened.
England, arms around shoulders, stand up for the national anthem. Some do, others, Jos Buttler, prefer the letterbox mouth method. And here’s the upbeat tune from Sri Lanka, arms this time strictly at their sides.
The SCG is so beautiful, just looking at that gorgeous green roof in the afternoon sun. By the way, send me any thoughts, just making a last minute cup of coffee. Back in five.
And as you put the kettle on before the game starts, this is a great read:
Something to cheer for Sri Lanka: Teams batting first have won all five matches at the SCG in this World Cup. But on the other hand, no Sri Lankan team has beaten England in a T20 International.
Teams
England unchanged again, Sri Lanka make a change, Karunaratne for Pramod Madushan.
England XI: Alex Hales, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Sri Lanka XI: :Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka , Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara.
Updated at 07.42 GMT
Sri Lanka win the toss and will bat
Jos Buttler and Dasun Shanaka shake hands, and Buttler says he would have batted first on a used pitch as well.
It’s a cold morning here in Manchester but the crowds are gathering at the SCG where England can’t expect much support from the Aussie fans. Australia are out in their own backyard unless Sri Lanka can pull off a surprise. And the rain, by the way, is not England’s friend.
Updated at 07.24 GMT
preamble
Good morning! Well here…