Lanka in convincing T20 victory over England

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE in Bristol, England

Sri Lanka scored 137 for one wicket to win the only T20 International match against England in Bristol.

Sri Lanka who put England into bat restricted them to 136 for 9 in their 20 overs in the one and only Twenty20 game against Sri Lanka, at the Gloustershire Ground here today.

England owe this score to Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan who blasted a quick 83 for the second wicket, hitting fours and sixes with gay abandon. Morgan departed at 95 when Mahela Jayawardena took a good running catch off Malinga for 47 in 32 balls.

Six runs later Sanath Jayasuriya coming on bowled Pietersen with a faster delivery for 41 in 27 balls. This put a brake on the England rate of scoring. Another success came Lanka's way when Samit Patel was run out for 0. Then Jayasuriya bowled Ravi Bopara for 19 and England was struggling at 126 for six.

Sri Lanka and England were both led by new captains. Thilana Kandamby was leading Sri Lanka in the absence of the injured Tillekeratne Dilshan and Stuart Broad was in the saddle for Andrew Strauss who had quit the one-day captaincy. England are the reigning Twenty20 champions.

The ground looked a picture when the two captains walked out to spin the coin and decide who was going to have first go.

Sri Lanka won the toss when new captain Thilana Kandamby called correctly, but decided to field in overcast and chilly conditions and a strong wind. It was a sellout crowd that was present to watch the action unfold.

Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb opened batting with Kieswetter facing Nuwan Kulasekera and the first over produced three runs. In the next over bowled by Suranga Lamal Lumb was out going for a big hit and skying to Lasith Malinga who took a good catch. Lumb made 2. Craig Kiewswetter was the next to go caught by Kandamby off Kulasekera for 4. 12 for 2. Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan joined hands began increasing the rate of scoring with Morgan in particular looking threatening hitting Lakmal for a six and a four. Pietersen too was quick into the action hitting boundaries and a six.

The first 10 overs produced 67 runs with Kevin Pietersen on 31 and Eoin Morgan on 29. In the next over Morgan lofted Thisara Perera for two big sixes. This over produced 24 runs.

	ENGLAND
M. Lumb c Malinga b Lakmal 		 02
C. Kieswetter c Kandamby b Kulasekara 	 04
K. Pietersen b Jayasuriya 		 41
E. Morgan c Jayawardene b Malinga 	 47
R. Bopara b Jayasuriya 			 19
S. Patel run out (Jayawardene) 		 00
L. Wright c Perera b Lakmal 		 09
C. Woakes c Mathews b Malinga 		 07
S. Broad run out (Sangakkara/Malinga) 	 00
G. Swann not out 			 00
Extras (b3, w3, nb1) 			 07
Total (9 wkts, 20 overs) 		136

Bowling: Kulasekara 3-0-15-1; Lakmal 4-0-26-2; Malinga 4-0-15-2; Perera 2-0-35-0 (1nb);
	 Randiv 4-0-24-0 (1w); Jayasuriya 3-0-18-2 (2w).

	SRI LANKA
Mahela Jayawardene not out 		 72
S.T. Jayasuriya c Pietersen b Dernbach 	 08
K.C. Sangakkara not out 		 43
Extras (lb 3, w 11) 			 14
Total (1 wicket; 17.2 overs) 		137
Bowling: C.R. Woakes 3-0-31-0 (2w), J.W. Dernbach 3-0-18-1 (4w), S.C.J. Broad 3.2-0-29-0,
	 S.R. Patel 2-0-18-0, G.P. Swann 4-0-26-0 (3w), R.S. Bopara 2-0-12-0 (1w).