Match Report

England's bowlers are on top after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

After five overs Sri Lanka are 1/10 with Sanath Jayasuriya the wicket to fall, driving Darren Gough uppishly to Nasser Hussain at point to be out for just one. Romesh Kaluwitharana is on 6 and Marvyn Atapattu is yet to score as the bouncy Melbourne pitch is causing the Sri Lankans some problems.

Darren Gough and Alan Mullally have bowled particularly well, beating both Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana in their opening overs from the Members' stand end.

For once Jayasuriya struggled to get off to his normally brisk start using up 17 balls for his one run.

Kaluwitharana eventually broke his own shackles with a top edged pull shot over the slips to the third man fence in Gough's second over.

Sri Lanka in dire trouble

England's opening bowlers have reduced Sri Lanka to 4/27 after 15 overs, in the Carlton and United Series match at the MCG. Currently Jayawardene is not out on three and skipper Ranatunga is on four.

Darren Gough has been the destroyer with four for 10 off seven overs. He started the rot by getting Sanath Jayasuriya to edge to the keeper for just one in the fifth over.

Romesh Kaluwitharana (15) was comprehensively bowled in Gough's next over, Marvan Atapattu (1) attempted a big back foot drive in the ninth over, only to edge to second slip and Hashan Tillekeratne, who faced 13 balls, was superbly yorked for a duck to leave Sri Lanka 4/21 after 11 overs.

At the other end Alan Mullally has given nothing away and has bowled seven overs for just 12 runs.

The large contingent of Sri Lankan supporters in the Great Southern Stand have remained very quiet as they have watched their team struggle after winning the toss.

Sri Lanka continue to slide

The Sri Lankan slide continues to occur at the MCG and after winning the toss and batting they are now 5/58 after 25 overs.

Only skipper Arjuna Ranatunga has held the innings together, he is currently not out on 20 after coming in at the precarious position of 4/21 after eleven overs.

In front of around a crowd of 15,000, Darren Gough destroyed the Sri Lankan top order picking up four for ten off seven overs. Then in the 23rd over, when some sort of recovery appeared iminent, Jayawardene edged Adam Hollioake to the 'keeper for 12 and that left Sri Lanka 5/48.

Sri Lanka have struggled in their two games so far in the tournament and a win is vital here for them to have any chance to make the first of the finals commencing on February 10th in Sydney.

Ranatunga and Chandana put Sri Lanka back into the match

After struggling at 5/48 in the 23rd over, Sri Lanka, through a good unbeaten partnership of 86 for the sixth wicket between Arjuna Ranatunga and Upul Chandana have got themselves right back into the match.

With ten overs remaining, Ranatunga is on 52 and Chandana, who has passed his previous best of 27* is on 46 off 60 balls as Sri Lanka are now 5/134.

Chandana has been particularly impressive, playing very straight and not being frightened to go over the top of the infield.

The pair have put their side with a chance of scoring around 200, after an opening spell of 4/12 from seven overs by Darren Gough put Sri Lanka in early strife. Alan Mullally's was also impressive early conceding just 12 runs from his first eight overs.

Skipper Ranatunga gives Sri Lanka something to bowl at

A fighting innings of 76 by Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga has given the Sri Lankan's something to bowl at in the day/night Carlton and United Series match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

After collapsing to the early pace of Darren Gough, Sri Lanka have reached 186 after their fifty overs, thanks to mainly great stand of 92 for the sixth wicket between Ranatunga and Upul Chandana who contributed a maiden limited over half century after coming together with Sri Lanka in serious danger at 5/48 in the 23rd over.

Chandana's innings ended immediately after bringing up his fifty, as he attempted to hit a well flighted delivery from Robert Croft out of the ground, only to be beaten in flight and hole out to the deep mid on fielder, Vince Wells. Chandana faced 68 balls and hit three boundaries as his partnership with the skipper was worth 92 in 20 overs

Wickramasinghe should have fallen in the 44th over, as he attempted to hit Adam Hollioake out of the ground, only to top edge to the deep mid off area, for Alan Mullally to make a real mess of the chance. While the ball was in the air the batsmen ran two and while Mullally tried to mop up the ball which had rebounded some twenty metres away the batsmen ran another two, thus making a very strange all run four.

In the 45th over we again saw a prolonged third umpire run out decision after the batsmen attempted a leg bye, only for Gough to brilliantly soccer the ball onto the stumps at the strikers end. The decision went in favour of the Sri Lankan skipper, after a deliberation of about two minutes from Geoff Morrow.

Wickramasinghe was bowled by Hollioake in the 46th over but then a handy partnership of 22 between Chaminda Vass and his skipper for the eighth wicket took Sri Lanka to the 49th over before Ranatunga was run out by Hussain after Vass refused Ranatunga call for a single, Ranatunga had to return to the bowlers end but made it too late.

Darren Gough was easily the best of the England bowlers finishing with the impressive figures of 4/28 from his ten overs. Alan Mullally had a good day, except for his dropped chance, picking up 1/23 from his ten overs. Mark Ealham bowled well in the middle stages conceding a shade over three runs per over.

England off to a good start

Openers Alec Stewart and Nick Knight have headed England in the right direction as its chases its fourth win in five matches in the Carlton and United Series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

England are no wicket for 49 after ten overs chasing Sri Lanka's 186. Stewart is on 19 and Knight is on 29 as England now need just 138 from 40 overs at around 3.5 runs per over.

Opening bowler Chaminda Vass was relieved by Zoysa in the ninth over after his four over spell went for 21 as the Sri Lankans not only struggled to take early wickets but also to keep a reign on the England scoring rate. Zoysa did nothing at all to help in that way either as he conceded ten from his first over, with Knight cutting him to the fence off his fourth delivery

Zoysa gives Sri Lankan chances a boost

Two wickets in two balls from Nuwan Zoysa has brought Sri Lanka back into the game against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

England are now 2/76 after twenty overs with Graeme Hick unbeaten on 12 and Nasser Hussain on 11 as the balance in this match has been somewhat restored.

Zoysa picked up the wickets of Nick Knight (31) cutting to point and Alec Stewart (20) caught at short mid wicket off the last ball of the 11th over and the first ball of the 13th over respectively as England went from 0-52 to 2-53. Zoysa bowled the hat trick ball to Nasser Hussain, which was defended safely, but the next ball beat the right handed Hussain, as Zoysa's confidence grew with each ball he bowled.

Hussain's dismissal puts life back into game

England's batting heroes from the game in Sydney two days ago, Graeme Hick and Nasser Hussain were steering England to a position of great strength against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

But in the 29th over Hussain was stumped off Muttiah Muralitharan for 29 and off the next ball new batsman John Crawley survived an appeal for a bat pad catch to silly point. TV replays gave no real help and England are now 3/119 after thirty overs with Hick on 29 and Crawley on 4.

Hussain like Crawley may have had a slice of luck, being fortunate not to be stumped earlier on by Kaluwitharana off the bowling of Muralitharan.

Earlier Nuwan Zoysa causing some concern by picking up two wickets in two balls, but then the pair of Hick and Hussain added 62 in 16 overs for the third wicket in fine style before the wicket of Hussain. Zoysa has bowled in fine style to take 2/22 off his six over spell.

Hick innings steering England to victory

A Graeme Hick half century is steering England to a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka at the MCG.

Hick brought up his fifty in the 38th over off 77 balls with three boundaries as England are 3/168 now after 40 overs, Hick is on 57 and Crawley is 21.

The pair have just brought up an impressive fifty partnership as England need just 19 from ten overs.

Nuwan Zoysa hasn't returned for a second spell despite taking the wickets of Nick Knight (31) and Alec Stewart (20) for 22 runs off six impressive overs. Zoysa went for ten off his first over but from that point bowled particularly well.

Hick and Gough star for England

England thanks to an outstanding opening burst from Darren Gough and steady batting from Graeme Hick, have picked up a comfortable victory in the sixth Carlton and United Series match at the MCG.

Hick was there at the end unbeaten on 66 and Darren Gough had a sensational opening to really set Sri Lanka on the back foot early.

Sri Lanka won the toss, and were 4/21 after eleven overs with eventual Man of the Match Gough being devastating in his opening spell taking 4/10 from seven overs as he had a frustrated Jayasuriya caught by Hussain for one (off 17 balls), bowled Kaluwithrana (15) and Tillekeratne (0) and in between those victims had Atapattu (1) well held at second slip by Graeme Hick.

It was only a partnership of 92 for the sixth wicket between Arjuna Ranatunga (76 off 105) and Upul Chandana (50 off 68) of 92 for the sixth wicket that allowed a near respectable total of 186 to be reached.

Gough had great support from Alan Mullally (1/23 off ten) and Mark Ealham (0/32 off ten) as England controlled the Sri Lankan innings after such a horrific start.

England had a solid half century opening through Nick Knight and Alec Stewart but then Nuwan Zoysa struck taking wickets of consecutive balls as Knight (31) cut to point and Stewart (20) flicked to short mid wicket.

Nasser Hussain joined Hick and these two added 62 in 16 overs, with Hussain being stumped off Muralitharan, after earlier surviving a stumping chance from the off spinner.

John Crawley survived an appeal for a bat pad catch off his first ball but went on to play a good support role for Hick, finishing with an unbeaten 31 in an unbroken stand of 74 for the fourth wicket.

England now go to the top of the one day series table with four wins from five matches and Sri Lanka remain winless from their three matches. Sri Lanka desparately need to beat Australia in Hobart on Thursday to keep their finals hopes alive.

Man of the Match: D Gough, Attendance: 14,979.

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