Published: Dec 06, 2014, 04:28 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 06, 2014, 04:28 PM (IST)
Sri Lanka will clash with England in the fourth of the seven-match One-Day International (ODI) series at Colombo on Sunday. The hosts lead the series 2-1, but with England coming back strongly in the third game, the distance between the two sides will be markedly less.
A single win has upset the apple cart. Sri Lanka, one of the most successful sides of 2014, were expected to steamroll their opponents easily. But to England’s credit, they ran the Lankans close in the opening encounter thanks to a fantastic ton from Moeen Ali before finally pulling off a win in the third match.
What England’s victory will have done is boost their confidence and cause Sri Lanka to pull up their socks. Mahela Jayawardene’s absence — due to personal reasons — was conspicuous as the Lankan batsmen failed to make good on their starts. Whether he will feature in the fourth match remains to be seen.
For England, captain Alastair Cook’s one-match ban due to overrate might just be a blessing in disguise. Cook’s form in both ODIs and Tests has been far from ideal in the last couple of years, and the likes of Ian Botham and Kevin Pietersen have been calling for his head. With him sitting out, a more attacking batsman could take his place, and if all goes well for England, Cook will feel the heat. In his absence Eoin Morgan will lead the visitors.
