England dismissed for 185 in 2nd ODI vs. Sri Lanka
Colombo: Spin bowler Ajantha Mendis led the way with three wickets as Sri Lanka dismissed England for an unimpressive 185 in the second one-day international on Saturday. Spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan and seam bowler Dhammika Prasad
Colombo: Spin bowler Ajantha Mendis led the way with three wickets as Sri Lanka dismissed England for an unimpressive 185 in the second one-day international on Saturday.
Spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan and seam bowler Dhammika Prasad also took two wickets to end England's innings in 43 overs in a match shortened to 45 overs because of rain.
England captain Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to bat on a slow pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium but his batsmen failed to put on substantial partnerships.
Dilshan opened the bowling from one end and dismissed in-form Moeen Ali cheaply to leave England at 7-1. Ali, who scored a quick 119 in the first match, tried to charge Dilshan but was bowled off the edge of the bat.
Ian Bell (11) and Cook (22) looked comfortable at first but fell to ambitious strokes. Bell lofted left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and Thisara Perera took a running catch from long-on. Cook swept Dilshan only to find Kusal Perera at deep square-leg.
There were promising partnerships -- Joe Root and Eoin Morgan (38), Root and Ravi Bopara (42) and Bopara and Chris Woakes (41) -- but the Sri Lankan bowlers intervened at crucial stages.
Bopara top scored with 51, his 14th one-day international half-century, and Root made 42. Both men were uncharacteristically subdued and scored just a boundary each.
Mendis had 3-33. Prasad returned 2-16 and Dilshan had 2-32.
There was a minute's silence before play began and players wore black armbands to honor Australian batsman Phillip Hughes who died in hospital Thursday after being hit in the neck by a ball during a domestic match.
Sri Lanka leads the seven-match series 1-0 and fielded an unchanged side from the first match. England recalled fast bowler Steven Finn in place of Ben Stokes.