[Lord Snooty]

Bloody marvellous! We make a good start then it pisses it down.

SL 6-1 (2)

[Lord Snooty]

Coming back now. Match reduced to 35 overs.

[Lord Snooty]

242-8 (35)

Gettable if we get a good start and keep up with the rate.

---

D/L adjusted target is 236.

---

Good start.

76-0 (10)

[themaclad]

Always rated Moeen as Cook departs

---

Surely we have enough batsmen not to cock this one up

[Lord Snooty]

Bloody Hell! We've won.

Sri Lanka 242-8 (35)
England 236-5 (33.4) (target 236)
England won by 5 wickets (D/L method)

[themaclad]

Keep gobshite Pieterson quiet

[Lord Snooty]

Sri Lanka v England

The 4th ODI match
Sunday December 7th
at Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
starting at 10:00 local time, 04:30 GMT.

England will be led in this match by Eoin Morgan after captain Alistair Cook was given a one match ban for the team's slow over rate in the 3rd ODI on Wednesday. Bit harsh, but he was on a final warning and can have no excuses really. England will probably recall Ian Bell to the side to cover for Cook's absence, although this could mean a first match of the tour for James Taylor.

Sri Lanka have made changes to their squad for his match. Out go Thilina Kandamby and Shaminda Eranga and in come left-arm chinaman bowler Lakshan Sandakan, middle-order batsman Ashan Priyanjan and seamer Suranga Lakmal.

Doubt that I will see a ball bowled in this match as we're away for the weekend and Lenny Henry hasn't got Sky Sports yet in his hotel chain.


England squad: Alastair Cook ©, Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler (w), Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.

Sri Lanka squad: Angelo Mathews ©, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara (w), Mahela Jayawardena, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Dhammika Prasad, Thisara Perera, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Ashan Priyanjan, Suranga Lakmal.

Scorecard

[Lord Snooty]

England all out for 265 but at least managed to use up the full 50 overs.
James Taylor top scored with 90. And no, Lenny Henry still hasn't got Sky Sports in his hotel.

[Lord Snooty]

Sri Lanka have won by six wickets with two ball's remaining. Sounds close but I bet it wasn't.

[Lord Snooty]

Sri Lanka v England

The 5th ODI match
Wednesday December 10th
at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy.
starting at 14:30 local time, 09:00 GMT.

Three matches left in the series and England need to win them all to win it. One more Sri Lankan win will secure the series for them as they lead 3-1.
The home side have Sachitra Senanayake available again after he had his ban for a suspect action lifted. He replaces the injured Rangana Herath in the squad.

James Taylor is unlikely to be dropped after his 90 in replacing skipper Alistair Cook in the last match. So Cook's return could mean that Alex Hales is once again sidelined. Ben Stokes hasn't performed well at all but with the World Cup being in Australia, the scene of his only triumphs in an England shirt, the selectors may stick with him. On the other hand, they may have seen enough and go back to the spin of James Tredwell.


England squad: Alastair Cook ©, Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler (w), Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.

Sri Lanka squad: Angelo Mathews ©, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara (w), Mahela Jayawardena, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Dhammika Prasad, Thisara Perera, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Ashan Priyanjan, Suranga Lakmal, Sachitra Senanayake.

Scorecard