De Silva rescues wobbly Sri Lanka in second ODI

LONDON: Dhananjaya de Silva’s run-a-ball 91 rescued Sri Lanka from a top-order collapse as they recovered to make 241-9 in the second One-day International against England at The Oval on Thursday.

Sri Lanka were facing humiliation at 21-4, with paceman Sam Curran wreaking havoc after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss.

But de Silva, in at 6-2, responded with his highest ODI score and added 78 for the sixth wicket with Dasun Shanaka (47) to keep Sri Lanka in the contest.

Curran ended with ODI-best figures of 5-48, with David Willey the only other England bowler to take wickets, in a return of 4-64. Sri Lanka lost four wickets inside the opening seven overs. Curran struck with just his second ball when Sri Lanka captain Kusal Perera was lbw for a duck. Two balls later, Avishka Fernando was lbw to Curran s he shuffled across the crease.

Sri Lankaslumpedto 12-3 when Pathum Nissanka was bowled between bat and pad by Curran on the drive. The collapse continued when Charith Asalanka miscued a pull off Willey to short mid-wicket.

At 21-4, Sri Lanka risked being dismissed for less than their all-time lowest ODI total of 43 all out against South Africa in Paarl in 2012. But de Silva ensured they avoided that embarrassment.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka b S. Curran 5

M.D.K.J. Perera lbw b S. Curran 0

W.I.A. Fernando lbw b S. Curran 2

D.M. de Silva c Root b Willey 91

K.I.C. Asalanka c sub b Willey 3

W. Hasaranga c Billings b S. Curran 26

M.D. Shanaka c S. Curran b Willey 47

C. Karunaratne c Bairstow b S. Curran 21

B. Fernando c Rashid b Willey 17

P.V.D. Chameera not out 14

A.M. Fernando not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-13) 14

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 241

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-6, 3-12, 4-21, 5-86, 6-164, 7-206, 8-217, 9-229.

BOWLING: Willey 10-1-64-4 (6w); S.M. Curran 10-1-48-5 (2w); T.K. Curran 10-0-43-0 (2w); Wood 10-1-35-0 (1w); Adil Rashid 10-0-50-0 (2w).

ENGLAND: J.J. Roy, J.M. Bairstow, J.E. Root, E.J.G. Morgan, S.W. Billings, Moeen Ali, S.M. Curran, T.K. Curran, D.J. Willey, M.A. Wood, Adil Rashid.

UMPIRES: R.A. Kettleborough (England) and R.J. Bailey (England).

TV UMPIRE: M.A. Gough (England).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).