England will play Sri Lanka in a crucial World Cup 2015 game at the Westpac in Wellington and you can follow the live blog of this Group A game from 9:00am hours AEDT on Sunday.
When England were pummelled by Australia and New Zealand in their first two games of the tournament, questions were raised about their chances of making the quarter-finals. Some even doubted their ability to defeat Scotland in their third game.
England bought themselves some breathing space with their performance against Scotland.
It wasn’t the most confident and there were chinks that still remained in the English armour, but they will be glad to take the two points out of that game and get themselves on board.
In the end, it was not only the fact they won the game but the fact they beat Scotland by a comfortable 119-run margin that will please the management. However, they could have done a lot better.
For instance, their opening wicket stand was worth 172 from 30 overs. Most teams would have gotten themselves to around 330 from that situation if not more, especially with all their wickets intact.
Instead they were reduced to 303 for eight by a bowling line-up that cannot be ranked one of the best in the world. Any other opposition would have taken advantage of this obvious shift of momentum and probably even made them pay. Scotland just did not have the batting fire-power.
What makes this a vital game for England is that a defeat here will mean they will be left with no option but to overcome Bangladesh and Afghanistan in their final two matches. The Bangladesh match, in particular, could become an even more crucial one if they defeat Scotland, given the extra point they got from the Australia game, which was abandoned in Brisbane.
Sri Lanka almost made a mess of a straightforward chase against Afghanistan after having lost their opening game to New Zealand easily. It was the batting of Mahela Jayawardene and the finishing of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera that saved the day for them in that game.
They roared back strongly against Bangladesh though.
Egged on by centuries from T Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka compiled 332 for one in their 50 overs and bowled Bangladesh out for 240, registering an easy victory.
Not that they can afford too many losses either, given they have one game against Australia and another against Scotland after this. A win against Scotland can be assumed but what they will also want is to avoid finishing fourth in the table – they could end up playing India or South Africa in that case.
What could work in England’s favour are the conditions in Wellington with the ball expected to hoop around a bit. The match is an 11 am start which should help retain some of the early morning moisture. The team fielding first could have an advantage if they know how to use those conditions and could go on to win the game.
You can follow the live scores & blog of this England v Sri Lanka World Cup 2015 encounter from 0900 hours AEDT on Sunday and post your comments in the section below.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
Credit to pakistani seamers on that regard, against zimbabwe.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
I saw england seamers' true energy even in a comfortable new zealand weather.broad was struggling for breath in the later overs.
Jason Cave
Guest
We cn say this with confidence: there is no way in the world England would make it into the quarter finals after a performance like that. And as far as the Ashes series later this yar in England is concerned, looks like it will be a 5-0 Ashes triumph...for the Australians for the first time since 2001 in England.
Renegade
Guest
Well i was wrong on this one.... The poms are struggling, bowling was very ordinary or perhaps Sri Lanka are starting to hit form. Sangakarra with two centuries in the space of 4 days.
Samith
Guest
My congratulations The lion's .. ♥
Targa
Guest
Yeah but Mahela and Angelo make up the best top 6 in the comp.If Malinga can get back in form they could either beat Aus in pool play or Saf in the 1/4s
Sandy
Guest
"But full credit ..."
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks Suneer, Pakistan are slowly recovering... What a win by Sri Lanka.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
As I was saying earlier, England need to win both their remaining games to make the quarter-finals. They lose one, Bangladesh will only need to beat Scotland to make it in their place. Sri Lanka are all but through to the last-eight and with a game against Scotland still to be played, they should add at least one more win to their list. This game might be over, but action still continues at The Roar with the match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe on elsewhere on the site. I will be off for now but will return with the live blog of the game between Australia and Afghanistan on Wednesday. The live action from the other games can still be followed here! Ciao!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
This has been a comprehensive batting performance from Sri Lanka. Flat pitch or not, it has been a good one. Chasing 300 plus is never easy for most teams but the way Sri Lanka batted, it looked like child's play. England looked impotent with the ball. Barring Moeen Ali, who conceded 50 from his 10, everyone else went for at least six an over. Woakes was the worst at 7.71. Sangakkara has been awarded the man of the match. He is in sweat and still has his gloves on. But boy, is he smiling from ear to ear!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Game, set & match! Ends the game with a six, does Thirimanne, hoicking it over wide long-on. Remains unbeaten on 139. Woakes has gone for aplenty, 72 from his 9.2. 1/312 in 47.2. Sri Lanka win by nine wickets.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A much better over from Steven Finn but it's come so late in the day... ...four singles from it, and that takes Finn to 54 conceded from his eight overs. 1/304 in 47, 6 needed from 18.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Don't know why England are persisting with the three non-Anderson quicks ahead of Jordan or even Treadwell, none of them offer any point of difference and they've bowled mostly garbage. Jordan is at least a bit quicker and hits the deck a bit harder.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Sri Lanka have gotten to 1/300 in 46. This follows their score of 1/332 against Bangladesh. Simple strategy for the opposition bowlers then. Break their second wicket stand.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That is what England have had to endure. A dropped catch. Again. Thirimanne should have holed out. Smacks it in the air, Taylor runs from square-leg towards mid-wicket and then spills it. Four runs. And then upper cuts it over the keeper for a four. Last second decision to do that. 11 needed from 27
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Things continue to go awry for England. Five runs had come off the first four balls of the Broad over and then... ...and then Thirimanne swung and missed and so did the keeper, Buttler. Four byes. Followed by a mistimed pull for a couple of runs. 1/290 in 45. 20 needed from 30.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A better over from Woakes in which the timing seemed to have gone awry for the two batsmen. Some tired shots were played too. 31 needed from 36.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Thanks Sandy. I wonder if Russell Arnold will interview me too at the end of the game and allow me to say: "I thought the boys played well."
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
In terms of what happens if England lose this one, nothing much as far as their chances in the tournament are concerned. They need win their remaining two games and against Afghanistan and Bangladesh they will be expected to do that. That will take them to six points, and unless Bangladesh are able to defeat both, Scotland and a Test-playing nation, England will be safely through to the quarter-finals. Some might argue, it won't be easy for England to beat Bangladesh and Afghanistan the way they have gone in this tournament and I wouldn't have too many theories to use to be able to debate that.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Incidentally, this Sangakkara century was his fastest ever in ODI cricket. Took 70 balls. Almost did not look like he was playing that quickly! Eight from the Broad over, gives him figures of 0/60 from nine overs. And Sri Lanka need just 37 from 42 balls.