4th Match: England v Sri Lanka at Leeds, 2 Jul 2002 CricInfo Live Report

4th Match: England v Sri Lanka at Leeds, 2 Jul 2002
Ralph Dellor

Sri Lanka innings: interval,
Pre-game: weather report, toss,
England innings: mid-innings, result,

ENGLAND GET HOME BY THREE WICKETS WITH FOUR BALLS TO SPARE
In gathering gloom that would have made conditions treacherous for an incoming batsman, Paul Collingwood and Alec Stewart took England to within four runs of victory before Collingwood was bowled by Dilhara Fernando for an enterprising 38. A wide from Fernando to Darren Gough before a couple of snorters and a single off the last ball left England needing two off the last over with Gough on strike. There was a strike and a miss off the first bowled by Nuwan Zoysa, before Gough calmly stroked the next ball away over the covers to record a remarkable victory.

The situation was only made possible by an innings of 82 from 60 balls by Marcus Trescothick. Ronnie Irani, Andrew Flintoff and Collingwood all made significant contributions, as did the evergreen Stewart who scampered around like a young colt and thumped some meaty shots away to keep the momentum going with 38 from 31 balls as England closed in on the total.

FALL OF WICKETS TAKES INITIATIVE FROM ENGLAND
England started brightly after Sri Lanka has set them a scoring rate of 7.53 runs an over to win. They lost Nick Knight in the first over, but then Ronnie Irani, coming in at three, and Marcus Trescothick put on 68 from just 51 balls to put them up with the rate.

Irani was caught when he skied an intended drive into the covers, Andrew Flintoff had an enterprising flurry, but when he was out, Nasser Hussain perished from the second ball he faced and Graham Thorpe was narrowly run out, the impetus was lost.

Trescothick went on flaying the bowling to reach fifty from 39 balls with seven fours, but as the weather closed in again, it would take a herculean effort for England to maintain the required rate to the end.

SRI LANKA REACH MASSIVE TOTAL AT HEADINGLEY
They started four hours late because of heavy showers throughout the morning and their innings restricted to a mere 32 overs, but that did not stop the Sri Lankans from reaching the massive total of 240 for seven. Sanath Jayasuria led the way with an innings of 112 from 87 balls with five sixes and nine fours. For a man who has been worried about his form, it was a marvellous transformation but one that was considerably aided by some sub-standard bowling that wilted in the face of the onslaught.

Darren Gough announced that he was back in international cricket with a wicket from the first ball of his second over when Romesh Kaluwitharana skied a drive into the covers. It was something of an unnecessary shot, for there were already 26 runs on the board as a result of poor Matthew Hoggard going for 19 off the second over of the innings. That included three wides.

The second wicket partnership with Marvan Atapattu added 92 from just 86 balls, with Atapattu scoring just 18 of them. The Sri Lankan captain went to his fifty from 42 balls, taking just a further 36 to reach his twelfth one-day international hundred. It was an innings that contained savage strokeplay, but questions have to be asked about the wisdom of bowling so much on his legs. It was not long before it was found that he could play in that area, but England's bowlers persisted in testing him out.

No other batsman offered substantial support, but then it could be said that he did not need support. He was eventually fifth out with the score on 201 in the 28th over when he skied Hoggard to long on to give the bowler some consolation amid the carnage.

GOUGH BACK FOR ENGLAND AS ENGLAND WIN TOSS AT HEADINGLEY
After the rain relented at Headingley, England won the toss and elected to field first in a match reduced to 32 overs a side.

The good news for England is that Darren Gough was passed fit to play and will take his place in the line-up at the expense of left-arm spinner Ashley Giles. Otherwise, it is the same England team that lost to India at Lord's on Saturday.

Sri Lanka make two changes from the eleven beaten by India at The Oval on Sunday. They strenghten the batting by bringing in Kumar Sangakkara for Charitha Buddhika, while Avishka Gunawardene replaces Naveed Nawaz.

RAIN HOLDS UP ENGLAND AND SRI LANKA
The only activity at Headingley at the scheduled start time of the England v Sri Lanka match in the NatWest Series was the groundstaff scurrying around trying to clear water from the covers.

Heavy rain began at 9 o'clock and, despite the occasional break in the clouds, there was little respite and prospects for play appeared bleak in the immediate future.