ENGLAND vs SRI LANKA 2nd ODI PREVIEW : BOTH TEAMS WILL PLAY FOR UPPER HAND IN THE 2nd ODI
After a memorable opening match of the series, both teams will be looking forward to take lead in the series by winning the second ODI. Both teams had ups and downs in the first match of the series but somehow they managed to avoid defeat. But England would be more euphoric as how the managed to tie the match after Liam Plunkett’s massive six in the last ball of the inning. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will take mixed feelings from the first match.
Sri Lanka’s batting effort was not so impressive in the first ODI. Although they managed to put a respectable total of 286/9 in 50 overs thanks to the fighting efforts from Angelo Mathews (73 off 109) and Seekkuge Prasanna (59 off 28 balls). In the bowling department, Sri Lanka were outstanding till 18th over as England were 82/6. On that time, Sri Lanka had almost won the match but Chris Woakes (95* off 92 balls) and Jos Buttler (93 off 99 balls) put 138 runs stand for the 7th wicket and took the game away from Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan bowlers lost the momentum and bowled some loose delivery by virtue of which both the batsman played their shots freely.
On the other hand, England batting performance was also not up to the mark. Apart from Woakes and Buttler, no other batsman did manage to counter the Sri Lanka’s pace attack as they were on backfoot after loosing 6 wickets in just 82 runs in 18 overs. After the great partnership of 138 runs between Woakes and Buttler for seventh wicket, England came back strongly in the game and after that Liam Plunkett’s handy knock of 22* off 11 balls with 2 fours and a historic six in the last ball of the inning turned the result into tie, England’s camp will be the happier one considering that they were down and out at one stage, on the other hand Sri Lanka would not want to repeat all those mistakes in the second ODI which they had committed in the first ODI after such a brilliant start.