Key events
WICKET Shanak lbw Rashid 1 (Sri Lanka 131-4)
A googly for the ages, Shanka reviews but more in hope than expectation. Rashid is weaving again.
13th over: Sri Lanka 130-3 (Rathnayake 15, Shanaka 1) Dawson keeps it tight. And the data- analysts at TNT report that there is less spin today than on Friday – 1.8 compared with 3.8 degrees, which could explain why Sri Lanka are finding things easier.
WICKET! Mendis c Rashid b Dawson 32 (Sri Lanka 128-3)
Hurried through his shot and held by a trotting Rashid at backward square. The end of an exhilarating innings, shame he couldn’t have gone on.
12th over: Sri Lanka 127-2 (K Mendis 32, Rathnayake 13) Overton’s triumph is short lived as he’s tonked by Sri Lanka all over the park – a six for each batter, a deep midwicket four for Rathnayake, and then to put the tin-lid on it Bethell leaps, gets both hands to the ball but can’t hold on to Rathnayake at short third. The umpire gets a passing pickle-flavoured mouthful as Overton collects his cap.
WICKET! Mishara c J Overton b Jacks (Sri Lanka 106-2)
Mishara lofts long onwards, but doesn’t get enough trajectory to clear a leaping Jamie Overton five metres in from the rope.
11th over: Sri Lanka 106-2 (K Mendis 25) Jacks goes again, to the rhythm of pounding drums. Keeps things tight and a frustrated Mishara can’t resist the lure of a boundary.
10th over: Sri Lanka 102-1 (K Mendis 23, Mishara 34) Time for a regroup for England as everyone pauses for drinks. Rashid’s second over is pelted for ten, including an England lbw review against Mishara – pitched outside leg – and another boundary for Mendis, through long on. Sri Lanka are playing England’s spinners with far more aplomb today.
9th over: Sri Lanka 92-1 (K Mendis 18, Mishara 32) Perhaps the answer is the heavy pace of Jamie Overton, three-day stubble and high arm. But Mishara tucks in, with a hearty swipe for four through backward point. Nine from the over.
An email lands. “What do you think is a good total here? Looked a good surface before and with Sri Lanka’s start, surely it’s over 200 now? Cue all out for 100…” Hello John Ryan, the commentators out there have’nt yet given us their expert opinion, but Sri Lanka are making the pitch look as good as Russell Arnold said it was at the start. I agree, 200 plus will be what they are aiming for.
8th over: Sri Lanka 83-1 (K Mendis 17, Mishara 24) The television flashes up the stats – only Zimbabwe are worse than Sri Lanka at playing spin at home – but Mishara and Mendis seem pretty happy against Liam Dawson. Mishara heave-hoes him over midwicket for six, then Mendis ushers him behind to the fine leg boundary.
7th over: Sri Lanka 68-1 (K Mendis 10, Mishara 16) Cue the magic man. Adil Rashid hitches up his sleeves. Mendis slog-sweeps with rubber wrists to the rope, and another! A meeting is called of the brains-trust: Dawson, Brook, Buttler
6th over: Sri Lanka 58-1 (K Mendis 1, Mishara 15) Nissanka is furious for himself for losing concentration and playing a stone-booted wild hack. Archer feels he deserved that. A tricky over fro Sri Lanka as he varies his pace from 70 to 90mph. And that’s the end of the power play.
WICKET! Nissanka b Archer 34 (Sri Lanka 56-1)
Clay feet, wild slash, bails fly.
5th over: Sri Lanka 54-0 (Nissanka 33, Mishara 14) Another six, this time slog-swept by Nissanka, which Jacks follows up with a wide down legside. A perfect moon peeks out from behind a night-time cloud on Navam Full Moon Poya.
4th over: Sri Lanka 45-0 (Nissanka 26, Mishara 13) Both seamers have now been sent out to pasture, as Dawson replaces Archer. He’s on the money immediately, though a full toss is punished by Mishara, sent flashing through point with twinkling toes.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 39-0 (Nissanka 25, Mishara 8) Will Jacks is brought on on to slow things up, which he does immediately. There’s even an umpire review for a run out, as Jacks fires the ball back on the advancing Nissanka. He saves himself with a outstretched bat and a dive.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 35-0 (Nissanka 22, Mishara 7)Archer doesn’t fare much better- two sixes, one for each batter, swinging the bat sweetly and freely, and four wides fly past the diving gloves of Jos Buttler.
The players are out! Sri Lanka to bat first.
1st over: Sri Lanka 14-0 (Nissanka 13, Mishara 0) Sri Lanka haven’t beaten England in a T20 since May 2015. England will be determined to keep it that way. Sam Curran with the first over of the day. His first ball is immaculately defended by Nissanka, who sends the next three to the boundary – through the empty slips, swept for four and uppercut just short of the rope. Fourteen from the over – which is one less than from Curran’s opening over on Friday.
I’ve just realised my email address is wrong – so apologies if it bounced back. Will change it but in the meantime the correct address is tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com.
Russell Arnold with the pitch report and the shiniest brown shoes of the day. “There are drier conditions today and it is very pleasant, the pitch has an even covering of grass. The spinners were more successful in the last match when they pitched outside the line of the stumps.”
Roshan Abeysinghe and Steve Harmison are out in the middle. It’s dark in Pallekele and the floodlights turn the grass neon. They rave about Adil Rashid.
“He’s the only spin bowler to get bot the length right and also the pace,” says Harmy, resplendent in a purple linen shirt.
Sri Lanka XI
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Eshan Malinga, Matheesha Pathirana.
England XI
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.
Ben Duckett has a finger injury.
England have won the toss and will bowl
Harry Brook fancies a repeat of the first game. Dasun Shanaka seems pleased too: “Happy to bat first as it’s a used wicket,” he says.
England are unchanged, Sri Lanka swap in Pavan Rathnayake and Dunith Wellalage for Dhanajaya de Silva and Maheesh Theekshana.
Reflections from our man in Sri Lanka
Taha Hashim
“No sign of rain at the Pallekele tonight. It’s a gorgeous sight at present: setting sun poking out the clouds, the grass banks filling up, Jofra Archer bowling leggies on the practice wicket.
That being said, I ventured out to the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy this afternoon, which used to host international cricket in these parts and is owned by a school, and that was picturesquely tucked up on a hill. There was a school game going on, with one of the kids bowling some fizzy left-arm spin; Rangana Herath would’ve rated it. Worth a visit if you’re ever here. “
But hope for the future – a lovely interview with Australia U19 star Ollie Peake, the boy who used to sleep in his pads.
Australia, whose record in T20 World Cups doesn’t match their 50-over exploits, have had a dire preparation in Pakistan.
Preamble
Hello! Welcome back to Sri Lanka, where we’ve reached the business end of the tour – T20 preparation for the World Cup. England won the first one, a damp and drawn out affair -perked up by three wickets for Adil Rashid and a hat-trick for Sam Curran at the end.
Since then we’ve had another mea culpa from Harry Brook – this time admitting he had teammates out with the him the night of his altercation with a bouncer. Why they didn’t just get it all out in the open at the same time, beats me.
Anyway, we’re back in Pallekele, where play – rain permitting – is due to start at 1.30pm GMT. Sri Lanka will be keen for more wickets from a fit Matheesha Pathirana, and a better showing against spin from the batters. England are keen to clinch the series. Do join us to see how things pan out.
