England’s semi-final spot got here all the way down to 12 off 12 balls. England had Ben Stokes. Sri Lanka’s pitch was uninteresting. Every quick bowler was biting the ball, each spinner had already pressured England from 0 in 7 overs to 129 for six in 18 from 75. Stokes tapped round, so did Chris Woakes – he was doing it in singles, just like the final wicket pair of Wilfred Rhodes in that well-known 1902 Ashes Test and George Hurst’s ‘we’ll get it in singles’ slogan – ‘Jesops match’ as ​​it’s known as in cricketing lore. Tap, faucet, faucet and now 5 have been wanted within the final over.
First ball from Lahiru Kumara, one more sluggish cutter, however with exterior width, Stokes cuts for two runs. A bouncer is tapped to 3rd man for a single. More chatting and gardening down the monitor by the batsmen. A swing from Woakes as a sluggish bouncer and a miss went to the ‘keeper’. But attempting to redo the ball, Kumara provided the width and Woakes introduced an enormous smile to Stokes’ face with a fierce square-cut boundary. Game over – Sri Lanka and Australia.
Aggressive Pathum Nissenka, at 71 for 1 in 8 overs, created a mighty scare ought to England fear in regards to the potential goal they have been going to set. The “Do it for the kangaroos” banner hoisted on the SCG stands for apparent causes: If Sri Lanka wins, Australia must undergo.
Enter the title of Sam, son of the late Zimbabwean participant Kevin Curran. The pitch was proper up his road. While pacers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes bled runs, England made their sluggish cutters cry. On his second ball, at a sluggish tempo, he dismissed Dhananjay Silva.
It did not take lengthy for Butler to discover a approach ahead on a barely slower monitor. Ben Stokes got here up along with his personal mixture of cutter and bouncer. Liam Livingston along with his distinctive combine: legspin for the appropriate arm, off break from the left, and Adil Rashid and Mood Ali doing their stuff. Run charge began falling, wickets began going. On air, the primary to really feel the change in tempo was Eoin Morgan, England’s best white-ball captain.
Here’s the place England’s bowling variety helped: Around 7 bowlers prolonged their hand.
But right here is the place Sri Lanka additionally had hope regardless of being crushed to a draw. They have spinners to take advantage of and it was clear that the sport could be determined by them.
But earlier than they might be dismissed, England openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler have been all out for conceding 75 runs in 7 overs towards the brand new ball when Buttler fell. Courtesy of a pointy dipping ball from Wanindu Hasaranga and an equally sharp effort at deep midwicket from Chamika Karunaratne, who took a diving low catch. Hasranga proved why he’s the best wicket-taker of the match with one other sluggish dipper and Hales was very fast along with his sweep and toe-toe to a full dolly for the smiling bowler.
Dhananjay de Silva choked it additional along with his off brake, which was beginning to come into the maintain. And England will attain 111 for five in 14.3 overs for the lack of 4 wickets. In the final 33 balls, solely 29 runs have been scored on these 4 wickets. Lion flags began roaring within the stands. Kangaroo Doll swam to the highest when Mueen Ali jumped into the drive, however was crushed slowly and gently shoveled the duvet fielder.
But Ben Stokes, who had a heavy pressure on his left leg earlier than the sport, was discovering himself within the recreation. In addition to 2 boundaries, a canopy drive and a lofted further cowl drive, he labored largely in push and punch. Tuk, tuk… the runs began coming.
He was accompanied by the person Kuren, who tapped the ball round to rotate the strike. If they did not lose their heads, it was their place to take a spot within the semi-finals.
With 13 wanted from 13, Curran went for a hook however was pouched at fantastic leg and within the dressing room, Liam Livingstone would bang on the chair in desperation.
But Stokes made positive that there could be no extra drama.
The man who raised hopes for Sri Lanka was Nisanka. On the second ball of the sport, he swung Ben Stokes to a backward squareleg boundary. Then on the final ball of the third over, when World Cup quick bowler Mark Wood hit a boundary within the brief out-off, Nissanka was stirred. Both his legs have been within the air, whilst he leaned again overhead and minimize it over the third man boundary. Nissenka then hits Chris Woakes over Harry Brooke for a six at deep sq. leg. The shot appeared like a delicate flat flick that Brooke had fled, however to her shock it saved flying.
Jos Buttler tries a spin to cease him. No luck. On the final ball of the seventh over at long-on, he went to dismiss Liam Livingstone on his knee. But instantly wickets began falling and he began slowing down a contact to see if he may lead a revival. In the sixteenth over, he was dismissed by Adil Rashid however couldn’t clear lengthy on. In some methods, it was the start of the top for Sri Lanka, though their spinners tried, the goal of 142 was not sufficient particularly after Buttler and Hales began, and after Stokes confirmed that he was not within the temper. Yes, it was sealed. throw it away.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
