England ODI & T20I Tour of Sri Lanka

Weather issues, toss delayed.

Dawson bowls a well pitched up ball. It pitches middle stump, and hits him plum in front of middle stump. The umpire gives him Not Out.

England challenged and the reply showed that it was going to hit middle stumps.

Good just that there are reviews

The England spinners have done a top job in this innings it must be said.

And a Sam Curran hat-trick .

I do find it hard to accept that Pathirana is bowling legally

^^ A Sri Lankan bowler with a dodgy action....surely not.

What a fantastic turnaround, Sri Lanka 75-1 off 7 overs, & then lose 9 wickets for 56 runs in 57 balls. It is often said that spinners get better with age, Rashid & Dawson have a combined age just short of 74, can't buy experience.

(30-01-2026 20:35 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  ^^ A Sri Lankan bowler with a dodgy action....surely not.

Eshan Malinga is the nephew of legendary pacer Lasith Malinga. Same suspicious bowling action. I'd like a slow mo to see if that arm is flexed or straight.

Sri Lanka v England 2nd T20I - Pallekele - Sun 1 Feb - 13.30
Toss - England elected to field
Sri Lanka 189-5 (20 overs) Rathnayake 40 Mishara 36 Nissanka 34 Kusal 32 Asalanka 28 no Archer 2-42
England 173-4 (16.4/17 overs) Banton 54 no Buttler 39 Brook 36 Pathirana 2-47
England won by 6 wickets (DLS Method) Target 168

Nowt quite like winning matches.
Excellent, meaningful preparation for the T20 World Cup for England.

Sri Lanka v England 3rd T20I - Pallekele - 2 Feb - 13.30
Toss - England elected to bat
England 129-9 (20 overs) S Curran 58 Buttler 25 Chameera 5-24Pathirana 2-27
Sri Lanka 116 (19.3 overs) Kusal 26 Nissanka 23 Bethell 4-11 Jacks 3-14
England won by 12 runs