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England tour of Sri Lanka 2014: Stats overview of past encounters

England have played ODIs in and against Sri Lanka a mere 14 times since 1982.

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England vs Sri Lanka is one off the rivalries which draws a good crowd and most of the cricketing fans love it © Getty Images (File Photo)
England vs Sri Lanka is one off the rivalries which draws a good crowd and most of the cricketing fans love it © Getty Images (File Photo)

England begin their seven-match One-Day International (ODI) series in Sri Lanka with the first game being played at Colombo on Wednesday. Shiamak Unwalla gives a statistical overview of England’s past ODI record in the Emerald Isle.

When one thinks of famous cricketing rivalries, “England vs Sri Lanka” will most certainly not be among the first that comes to mind. The two nations have hardly any history with each other — certainly nothing remotely as near as Australia vs England or India vs Pakistan — and play each other rarely. In fact, it is wholly unusual that the two teams meet each other again after Sri Lanka’s tour of England earlier in 2014.

England have played ODIs in and against Sri Lanka a mere 14 times since 1982. As a frame of reference, India have played Sri Lanka at home 56 times since 1985. Below is England and Sri Lanka’s ODI record in Sri Lanka:

Team Period M W L T NR
England 1982-2011 14 4 10 0 0
Sri Lanka 1982-2011 14 10 4 0 0

As seen above, Sri Lanka enjoy a clear advantage at home. However, given the small sample size, it would be unwise to read too much into this record.

Given that Sri Lanka is a difficult country for visiting batsmen to navigate, it is hardly surprising that only seven English players have scored over 100 runs in Sri Lanka, while no England cricketer has scored a century.

Name Period M Runs HS Ave SR 100 50
Alastair Cook 2007-2007 5 155 80 31 57.62 0 1
Graham Gooch 1982-1982 2 138 74 69 71.87 0 2
Graeme Hick 1993-2001 5 126 46 25.2 52.5 0 0
Owais Shah 2007-2007 5 121 82 24.2 66.85 0 1
Paul Collingwood 2003-2007 6 116 42 19.33 48.33 0 0
Kevin Pietersen 2007-2007 5 112 63* 28 71.33 0 1
Alec Stewart 1993-2001 5 109 55 21.8 57.06 0 1
  • The only batsman whose figures are not disgraceful is Graham Gooch. The former opener played just two ODIs and scored fifties in both matches to end with a healthy average of 69 and a strike rate of just 71.87, which might not be great by modern standards but was more than acceptable in that era.
  • Ironically, despite the presence of four players in the list who played in a far more modern era, his strike rate remains the highest.
  • Jonathan Trott‘s 86 in the ICC World Cup 2011 is the highest score by an English batsman in Sri Lanka. Since he played a solitary ODI, his average of 86 is also the highest. Of all batsmen with 100 runs or more, Gooch’s strike rate of 71.87 is the best.

As for their bowling, in 14 ODIs only 25 Englishmen have taken any wickets, while just two of them managed more than 10.

Name Period M Wickets BBI Ave Econ SR
Ryan Sidebottom 2007-2007 5 12 Mar-19 13.83 3.44 24
Stuart Broad 2007-2007 5 11 Mar-36 19.27 4.64 24.9
Graeme Swann 2007-2011 5 7 Apr-34 31 4.42 42
Paul Collingwood 2003-2007 6 5 Feb-31 28.2 4.54 37.2
James Anderson 2003-2007 6 4 Feb-33 54.5 4.63 70.5
Ian Botham 1982-1982 2 4 Feb-29 18.5 4.11 27
Andy Caddick 2001-2001 2 3 Feb-42 26.33 4.38 36
Alan Mullally 2001-2001 3 3 Feb-37 37 4.26 52
Derek Underwood 1982-1982 2 3 Feb-34 23.66 4.43 32
  • Graeme Swann‘s four for 34 is the best bowling performance by an English bowler in ODIs in Sri Lanka.
  • Ryan Sidebottom is the leading wicket-taker, and also has remarkable figures in Sri Lanka with an average of merely 13.83 and a strike rate of 24.

The highest score managed by England in Sri Lanka is a paltry 234 for eight, which they managed in 2007 after Owais Shah scored 82 batting at No. 6 in a match England managed to win. Sri Lanka’s highest score has been 269 for seven in this same period.

The statistics are not pretty for England. Considering how rarely they have played in and against Sri Lanka, they could find the going quite tough. England will be playing half as many matches in the Island nation in this series alone as they have since 1982. One feels that it might not be the ideal preparation before meeting Australia and India in the tri-series in Australia early next year. A respectable performance will go a long way in galvanising an England limited-overs side that looks dangerously off-boil.

(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek and cricket fanatic. You can follow him on Twitter @ShiamakUnwalla)

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