Key events
23rd over: England 158-0 (Banton 71, Duckett 84) The strains of Despacito float over Lahore as some new gloves are brought out. And that is gorgeous, Banton gallops down and lofts Wellalage over long off for six, which is appreciated by the spectators who are scattered like confetti the day after a wedding.
22nd over: England 148-0 (Banton 63, Duckett 82) A kite flies across the pitch as Asitha bustles in. A super bit of fielding by Rathnayake at short mid wicket cuts off a brutal Duckett boundary.
21st over: England 144-0 (Banton 62, Duckett 79) A great save on the rope to prevent a Banton boundary is probably the highlight of Sri Lanka’s afternoon.
Hello there Tom vd Gucht. “Morning, Ive managed to watch some of this series (for the first time since the last Ashes…) and have been wondering where it leaves England as an ODI unit. Is Rashid injured at the moment? I read something about him hurting his hand. Anyhow, with Archer, Buttler, Bethell and Rashid back in the fold (not to mention what might have happened in the two equally nail-biting and exhilarating losses had they been there to finish off the job) what would McCullum”s A-team look like? Is Curran too much of a luxury if the batting doesn’t hold up coming in so down the order, or do his left arm variations bring too much to the table (even if he’s not had a series to remember). What would the bowling look like? Who would make the cut out of Buttler, Banton, Cox and Bethell or even Root or Duckett…”
Rashid is fit and raring to go, England just aren’t picking him which is peculiar. Feels a long time since he wasn’t first name on the team sheet. But yes, lots of joshing for position over the next 12 months…
20th over: England 140-0 (Banton 59, Duckett 78) Eshan Malinga, with a hop and a skip. Three dots in a row but two boundaries either side spoil things.
19th over: England 132-0 (Banton 51, Duckett 78) Liyanage gets belted twice for four by Duckett on this lovely batting pitch.
Fifty for Tom Banton!
18th over: England 122-0 (Banton 50, Duckett 69) A single to deep third brings Banton his fifty, he salutes the empty ground with a quick raise of the bat. Four more to Duckett off his belt.
17th over: England 111-0 (Banton 49, Duckett 64) Liyanage is thrown the ball and instructed to stop the steam train. And he does, kind of, no boundaries, though five from it. A straight drive from Duckett which is stopped by the non-striker’s stumps, deserves riches.
Hello Brian Withington! “I’ve really enjoyed this tri-series despite England’s losses – some exceptional performances and entertaining games, with Sri Lanka and Pakistan turning the tables magnificently against WinViz and all other expectations.
”Particularly interested to see whether Tom Banton can turn another good start into a major contribution. (I hesitate to say match winning given how Sri Lanka responded to Harry Brook’s stupendous double century previously …)“
Too true! And Banton certainly looks the part, so tall and elegant.
Fifty for Ben Duckett!
16th over: England 111-0 (Banton 47, Duckett 61) Duckett picks up a third fifty of the series with a pull, and four more follow through midwicket as Malinga “slingy action, skiddy pitch” delivers Duckett just what he fancies. A third four is whipped through mid-off. They take DRINKS with England well on top.
15th over: England 99-0 (Banton 47, Duckett 49) Banton, for the second time in a few balls, only just clears mid off , inside out off Arachchinge for four. Now that’s the business, six pancaked over long on as England hit cruise control.
14th over: England 85-0 (Banton 35, Duckett 47) A handful of singles.
13th over: England 81-0 (Banton 33, Duckett 45) Arachchige replaces Madushanka, four singles from it.
Over in Cape Town, for the crucial third Test between South Africa and Australia, Josh Inglis is on the brink of a century. Australia have a lead of 20 with six wickets still in hand. Let Martin Pegan be your guide.
12th over: England 77-0 (Banton 31, Duckett 43) Duckett’s eyes light up, he tangoes and reverse sweeps Wellalage for four with style. Beautiful shot.
11th over: England 68-0 (Banton 27, Duckett 38) The cameras have found a few faces in the crowd, grains of sand in an empty sandpit. But they look happy enough. Madushanka starts with a wide again, stops England from scoring a boundary, but there is still six from the over.
10th over: England 62-0 (Banton 26, Duckett 34) Wellalage whisks through his over, England massage him for four runs.
9th over: England 58-0 (Banton 25, Duckett 31) Madushanka starts with a wide, but is neat and tidy until Banton, balanced like a gymnast, threads him through extra cover for four from the last ball.
8th over: England 52-0 (Banton 21, Duckett 30) Slow left arm from Wellalage, England are watchful for the first five balls but Banton reverse sweeps four over point to finish the over.
7th over: England 46-0 (Banton 16, Duckett 29) Asitha’s fourth starts with three dots, then Duckett licks his lips as a pie lands in his sweet spot wide of off stump and is forked through backward point for four. Worse, it is a no ball. Duckett can’t get a bat on the free hit but he drives the next, a half volley, through mid off for four more. Nine from the over, England are in fine fettle.
6th over: England 37-0 (Banton 16, Duckett 21) Malinga into the attack. Banton turns on the charm, legs together, perfect timing to another backfoot punch through mid off, then wristy gloriousness through midwicket for another four.
5th over: England 27-0 (Banton 7, Duckett 20) Duckett looking in fine touch after his hundred against Pakistan.
4th over: England 21-0 (Banton 6, Duckett 15) Oooh la la, stylish from Duckett, shimmied through point for four. Beautiful blue sky, hazy like an early morning dream.
3rd over: England 14-0 (Banton 6, Duckett 8) Banton bends his knees and glances around the ground like a wise old owl. He picks up two from a back foot punch off Asitha but is greedy for more, and there it comes from the last ball of the over, a boundary with another smart back-foot jab.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Banton 0, Duckett 8) Madushanka from the other end, a five-fer against Pakistan in his back pocket, long legs. Runs at last as Duckett tonks him off his pads for four. Then top edges a hook for four more.
1st over: England 0-0 (Banton 0, Duckett 0) Banton almost edges Asitha’s very first ball to slip, but it falls short. The ground is full only with empty green seats, as the call to prayer rings out. A maiden to start.
The sun is out, Asitha Fernando has the ball, the drums are rolling.
England’s record in this tri-series is played three, won none. A consolation win would pad the flight home.
Sri Lanka XI
Sri Lanka XI: Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (c/wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
England XI
England XI: Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jordan Cox (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Henry Crocombe.
Henry Crocombe is chatting to Mark Butcher in a carpet shop: “It has been a very exciting year, my life has changed quite a bit. IT has been a bit of a roller-coaster for me the last few months, couldn’t be happier to make my debut and my family have loved it as well so it has been very exciting.
“A lot of my success this year has been through red-ball cricket so when I got my initial call up for the home series I was a bit surprised but at the end of the day it is cricket. I’m very happy to be here in the white-ball squads.
“I was pretty nervous on Sunday, but it is a good group of lads and they made it easy for me. Once you step on the pitch, the big crowd was very loud, I was bowlingon autopilot a little, and I was very happy. I’m usually quite a quiet celebrator but I couldn’t help it with my first wicket.
“We seemed fairly confident of a win, it seemed pretty comfortable but sometimes someone has a day out – that was some knock and you have to applaud him for it.
“It is my first time properly being away and I’m enjoying the experience, I like to think I’ve got a decent chance of getting some red ball stuff hopefully, if I don’t get it now, there are plenty of opportunities.”
There are 17 ODIs till the next World Cup but some of those clash with the IPL so for some players that will come down for 12, or less. Enough time? We shall see…
Nasser and Mark Wood are in the Sky studio in their autumnal quarter zips. “If you look at conditions in Pakistan they are very different to home series,” says Wood, “when people are in and out it is hard to get that consistency.”
“Adil Rashid would be very useful in the middle overs and at the end, he would probably have got through Haris Rauf last week,” says Nasser. “They obviously think these are one spinner pitches. I think the main issue is the allrounder, they have a spin bowling allrounder in Will Jacks, but not a seam bowling allrounder in these conditions. There is no pace – no Archer, no Wood – and Sam Curran is being smashed about – in those middle over they’re not getting wickets.”
Sri Lanka win the toss and will bowl first
Kusal Mendis calls correctly. “We hope to play a genuine match and will play 100 per cent to prepare for the final.” No changes for Sri Lanka.
Harry Brook in shades, “We hope to adapt to conditions as quickly as we can, we’ve had a lot of learnings, hoping to finish on a high.” Sonny Baker comes in for Jamie Overton, who has a quad strain.
Preamble
Good morning! The rubber is dead, but plenty of things to chew over here in Lahore. They’re about to toss the coin, so let’s whizz to the middle….
