Published: Jul 02, 2016, 01:27 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 02, 2016, 01:27 PM (IST)
The fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) between England and Sri Lanka will take place at Cardiff. The game is a dead-rubber, considering the hosts have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with the other two games producing no result. The visitors though, wont be saddened, considering their displays in the 50-over games have been better than in Tests. The first ODI ended in a tie, but could easily have been won by Sri Lanka. Since that fixture, England have been on top, winning the second ODI by a record 10 wickets, and chasing down 306 in less than 42 overs in the fourth ODI. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: England vs Sri Lanka 2016, 5th ODI at Cardiff
The last fixture produced brilliant all-round cricket. After Sri Lanka had posted a mammoth 305 in 42 overs, it seemed as if a win was on the cards for the visitors. Disappointment continued for the Lankans as Jason Roy’s masterclass won the game for the hosts. The opener scored an unbelievable 162 of just 118 deliveries before he was removed by Nuwan Pradeep. And the duo will again clash as they lead the key battles for this game.
1. Jason Roy vs Nuwan Pradeep: Both the players are growing in their roles for their teams. Roy in this series has silenced his critics by letting his bat do all the talking. A player with loads of talent, Roy has already amassed 282 runs this series, including two centuries. On the other side, Pradeep was the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka in the Test series with 10 wickets. While he is yet to touch the same heights in ODI series, talent is definitely there. A good contest between two of the best players in their side awaits.
2. Kusal Mendis vs Liam Plunkett: At the Sri Lankan top order, Mendis has shown positive signs, despite not going on to make a big score. With the openers having mixed run of form, Mendis has done decently to amass 137 runs in the 4 matches. Up against him will be a player who is having a bright series. Despite going for runs in the fourth ODI, Plunkett has been the best bowler by far, with 7 wickets in the series. Again another good contest between bat and ball maybe witnessed by the viewers.
3. Dinesh Chandimal vs Adil Rashid: Chandimal along with Angelo Mathews have been the star with the bat for Sri Lanka. While his skipper has been a notch better, Chandimal has shown responsibility in this series. His 214 runs is the third highest for any batsman, and he will look to continue on. He will be expected to face Rashid a lot, who is making his mark as the spinner in the English side. Despite the conditions favoring the seam bowlers, Rashid has managed to grab 4 wickets, and that too at a mere 4.79 runs per over.
4. Danushka Gunathilaka vs David Willey: Despite not having the best of the series, Gunathilaka did well to score a half-century in the previous game. With his opening partner Kusal Perera having a horrible time, Gunathilaka must do well to get his side off to a flying start. Willey, on the other hand, has been quite good with the new ball. He is only second to Plunkett in terms of wickets and has more often than not got wickets with the new ball.
5. Joe Root vs Farveez Maharoof: Root shot back into form with a 54-ball 63 in the fourth ODI, providing a good hand to Roy. Having been mediocre in the Test series as well as ODIs before this, the half-century may be the kickstart he needed to return back to form. On the other side, Maharoof’s return to ODIs has not gone exactly according to plans. With just 1 wicket in 4 matches, he has flattered to deceive. Still, he is by far the most experienced bowler in the side, and Sri Lanka will look upto him for breakthroughs.
(R Narayan is a reporter with CricketCountry, and is an ardent cricket and football enthusiast (big Manchester United fan). Having followed cricket since 2003, he likes high scoring matches as well as good fast bowling. His Twitter handle is @RNarayan24nov)
