Preview
Todays day/night fixture between Sri Lanka and England promises
to be one with much intrigue following the incidents of the previous
encounter played in Adelaide on Saturday.
Not to mention the ruling that Arjuna Ranatunga can continue to play
in the Carlton and United Series, following him being given a fine and
six match suspended sentence, following his confrontation with
Ross Emerson in Adelaide.
Added to this is the chance that Aravinda de Silva will make his
first appearance in the tournament following his recovery from a torn
thigh muscle, injured against Australia A back on January 8.
The 33 year old Sri Lankan vice captain is heading towards 8,000
limited over international runs and his inclusion would be great
boost to the Sri Lankans following their defeat against Australia in
Adelaide on Sunday.
The bouncy Perth wicket may cause some problems for the Sri Lankan
batting line up, although the last time they played there in a limited over
international was against the West Indies in 1995-96 where they
defeated them by 18 runs (202 to 9/186) in a low scoring game.
Their side also has a very similar look to that 1995-96 team, with
Jayasuriya, Kaluwithrana, de Silva, Tillekeratne, Mahanama and
Vass all members of that side and the current touring party.
England collapse early
Sri Lanka's bowlers have triggered an English batting collapse in the
opening ten overs against England at Perth in the Carlton and United
Series day night match.
England are four for 46 with Neil Fairbrother on 3 and Adam Hollioake
on 4.
Alec Stewart was first to go, being bowled by a Ruchira Perera yorker
for a duck in the second over. Nick Knight (13) looked in good shape before
edging Perera to Aravinda de Silva at slip in the sixth over and then
Nasser Hussain loosely drove at Perera and edged to the 'keeper also for
a duck to make England a sorry 3/37 in the eighth over.
Then Chaminda Vass picked up the vital wicket of Graeme Hick (10) as he
padded up to an inswinger from the left armer. Peter Parker gave the
decision which did appear as if it would miss the off stump from the
television replays. England had collapsed to 4/38 in the ninth over.
Hick had looked in imperious form hitting a great cover drive off
Perera through cover for a boundary and then pulling Chamina Vass away over
mid wicket for four.
Ruchira Perera, playing his first game of the tournament has 3/22 off five
overs and Chaminda Vass has started well with 1/19 off his five.
The Sri Lankans bowlers only blot on its copybook is the fact they have bowled
eight no balls and three wides.
Fairbrother and Hollioake provide recovery
Neil Fairbrother and Adam Hollioake have provided remedial action to the
England innings after a poor start in Perth.
After 20 overs England are now 4/78 with Neil Fairbrother 17 not out and
Adam Hollioake on 19
after they were in early strife at 4/38 in the ninth over.
They experienced Fairbrother and Hollioake have now added an unbeaten 40
for the fifth wicket as they attempt to get the England batting back on
its feet as it looks to end Sri Lanka's hopes of making the finals.
Ruchira Perera has been the best of the bowlers picking up Alec Stewart
(a duck), Nick Knight (13) and Nasser Hussain (also a duck) at a cost of
3/38 from seven overs.
Fairbrother and Hollioake restablish England
The partnership between Neil Fairbrother and Adam Hollioake for the fifth
wicket of 83 has taken England to a solid position of 4/121 after 30 overs
with Fairbrother on 34 and Hollioake on 43.
England have made a sound recovery from their position of 4/38 in the ninth
over when the seemed likely to be bowled out well before the end of their
fifty overs.
Muttiah Muralitharan has bowled six uneventful overs at a cost of 13 without
any hint of the controversy that dogged him in Adelaide on Saturday
afternoon.
Fairbrother and Hollioake restablish England
Despite the loss of Adam Hollioake, England are heading toward a very
competitive total against Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground in Perth.
After 39 overs England have moved along to 5/165
with Neil Fairbrother on 54 and Mark Ealham on 16.
After a fighting partnership of 90 for the fifth wicket between
Fairbrother and Hollioake, Hollioake was brilliantly run out from
deep square leg fielder Ruchira Perera's direct hit from thirty metres as the
batsman attempted two runs.
Hollioake's innings of 46 lasted 74 balls and he hit two boundaries after
coming in with the England innings in turmoil at 4/38.
Fairbrother's innings has held England together as he passed fifty in the
38th over off 88 balls, hitting three fours.
Fairbrother steers England to 227
England, after slumping to 4/38 in the ninth over, have made 7/227
at the completion of its fifty overs against Sri Lanka at Perth after
being sent into bat.
Neil Fairbrother ended up being the hero of the innings, finishing with
an unbeaten 81 off 119 balls with three boudnaries
after coming to the crease when England were in all sorts of trouble.
The 35 year old Fairbrother shared vital stands of 90 in 22 overs
with Adam Hollioake (46 off 74 balls),
39 in 9 overs with Mark Ealham (16) who was well caught off Muralitharan
by Roshan Mahanama and in 55 in just over nine overs with Robert Croft
who fell in the last over for a well made 32 off only 38 balls.
Sadly, the Lancastrian strained a hamstring coming back for two runs
from an off drive by Croft in the 47th over of the innings.
Ruchira Perara took the first three wickets of the innings in a
spell of 3/16 from four overs and finished with 3/55 from his ten overs
after he knocked over Alec Stewart (0) with an in swinging yorker, had
Nick Knight (13) well held at slip and Nasser Hussain (0) taken at the
wicket by Kaluwitharana.
Muttiah Muralitharan put Saturday's controversey behind him, bowling
very economically to take 1/26 from his ten overs and Chaminda Vass after
a very good opening spell finished of his ten overs very well finishing
with 2/38.
On a bouncy Perth pitch the Sri Lankans will have to work hard to get
the 228 required for victory and to keep them with a sniff of a chance of
making the finals
Sri Lanka struggle early in reply
Like England early in its innings, Sri Lanka are strugling
after ten overs of its run chase of 228.
Good opening spells by Darren Gough (1/11) and Alan Mullally (1/12) has restricted
Sri Lanka to 1/23 after ten overs with Sanath Jayasuriya on 12 and
Marvyn Atapattu on 5.
The man out was Romesh Kaluwitharana (5) , brilliantly caught by Adam Hollioake
at forward square leg off the bowling of Darren Gough in the fifth over.
Sanath Jayasuriya could quite easily have the next man to go as he had
two slices of luck, in two overs.
Firstly, in the seventh over when it appeared that
Jayasuriya gloved a ball down the leg side off Gough to Alec
Stewart. Umpire Steve Davis felt no contact had been made with either
glove, bat or pad and ruled the delivery a wide.
Television replays indicated that Jayasuriya had got some glove on the
delivery.
Then in the next over from Alan Mullally, Jayasuriya cut hard to gully and
was put down by Nasser Hussain.
Ealham routing Sri Lanka
An amazing spell of bowling by medium pacer Mark Ealham has put
Sri Lanka on the back foot at the WACA.
After twenty overs of its run chase, Sri Lanka are 4/69
with Ealham picking up three wickets in four balls as he has reduced
Sri Lanka from 1/65 to 4/67.
Ealham's first victim was Sanath Jayasuriya who was putting Sri Lanka on target in
its run chase until he reached 40 in the 18th over, before pulling
Mark Ealham, who was bowling around the wicket, to deep square leg
where Adam Hollioake took a simple catch.
Marvyn Atapattu, who helped Jayasuriya add 50 for the second wicket,
crossed while the catch was taken and fell to the next delivery
caught by Nick Knight at mid wicket while attempting the pull shot
for 17. This put Ealham on a hat trick, which was averted as Mahela
Jayawardena watchfully played away to mid on.
With the new batsmen Aravinda de Silva coming to the crease, Darren Gough
was brought back into the attack in the 19th over to attempt to knock
over the veteran of nearly 250 matches who was
playing his first game in the tournament.
But it was Ealham who struck again, inducing de Silva to nick the first ball
of the 20th over to Alec Stewart, and the burly right hander was out for only
one.
Ealham continues his rout of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's woes have continued as they chase England's 7/227, they are
now 6/94 after 30 overs, with Arjuna Ranatunga on 11
and Upul Chandana on 9.
The return of Darren Gough saw the demise of Mahela Jayawardena (3) caught in
the gully by Nasser Hussain for just three and then in the 28th over, Roshan
Mahanama (6) was also held in the gully this time off Mark Ealham to give him
his fourth wicket.
Ranatunga is desparately trying to hold the innings together after coming
in at 4/67, on the back of the Ealham three wickets in four balls burst.
Mark Ealham now has 4/32 from nine overs.
Ealham (5/32) demolishes Sri Lanka
A tremendous spell of bowling by Mark Ealham and a solid innings by
Neil Fairbrother has seen England to an easy victory by 128 runs
over Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground in Perth.
Ealham finished with a career best 5/32 off ten overs as he helped
rout Sri Lanka for just 99 in reply to England's 7/227.
After being sent in to bat, England collapsed early to be 4/38 in the
ninth over after debutant Ruchira Perera claimed the wickets of Alec Stewart
(0), Nick Knight (13) and Nasser Hussain (0) in a great start to his
limited over international career.
However from here England began to recover thanks to two major partnerships.
Firstly Adam Hollioake (46) added 90 in 22 overs with Fairbrother and
then at 6/166 in the 40th over, Robert Croft (32 off 38 balls) joined
Fairbrother and domianted a stand of 55 in nine overs with the pluckly
Lancastrian.
Fairbrother sadly disturbed his left hamstring while attempting a quick two
for his batting partner Croft to long off and batted the last four overs
with a runner while compiling an fine unbeaten 81 off 119 balls.
Sri Lanka's reply started difficultly with Romesh Kaluwitharana brilliantly
caught by Adam Hollioake at forward square leg off Darren Gough in the
fifth over for just five.
A half century partnership developed between Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvyn
Atapattu before Mark Ealham struck taking three wickets in four balls as
Sri Lanka fell from 1/65 to 4/67.
Jayasuriya started the rot holing out to a long hop in the deep after a
solid innings of 40, Atapattu (17) was caught pulling next ball and then
after Mahela Jayawardena survived the hat trick, Aravinda de Silva (1)
in his comeback game edged to Stewart to complete Ealham's flurry.
Darren Gough returned to pick up the scalp of Jayawardene (3) and after
seven overs of resistance, Roshan Mahanama (6) went caught in the gully to
make Sri Lanka 6/85. The final nail in the coffin went in when skipper
Arjuna Ranatunga well held one handed at slip by Nick Knight for just
11 to give Ealham his best figures and Sri Lanka were gone at 7/98.
Alan Mullally mopped up the tail and Sri Lanka were done in just under
34 overs.
Ealham's bowling was well supported by Gough whose two wickets came at
a cost of only 15 from eight overs.
The victory now places England on top of the table and Sri Lanka, now
with only four points from seven games have little chance of making the
finals.
Man of the Match: Mark Ealham. Attendance: 13,303.
Back to top | Back to live coverage
