Kandy crushed: England go two-up in ODI series as Morgan leads his side to simple win over Sri Lanka

SAM MORSHEAD: With the exception of the first five overs of what turned out to be a 21-overs-per-side game in Kandy, the tourists were in total control of this match and deservedly went 2-0 up with two matches of the series remaining

Pallekele: Sri Lanka 150-9 (21 overs), England 153-3 - England won by seven wickets

England made light work of another rainy day in Sri Lanka.

With the exception of the first five overs of what turned out to be a 21-overs-per-side game in Kandy, the tourists were in total control of this match and deservedly went 2-0 up with two matches of the series remaining.

Sri Lanka had the platform from which to post a daunting total after Niroshan Dickwella and Sadeera Samarawickrama put together a half-century stand at the front of the innings but fine white-ball bowling from Tom Curran, Adil Rashid and Ben Stokes ensured that the innings never lived up to its potential.

Rashid impressed in particular, bowling wrist spin with a wet ball and rarely losing either accuracy or incision, as the home team somewhat hobbled to 150 for nine.

In reponse, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root went cheaply but their meagre returns were well and truly compensated for by a bullish Jason Roy and another masterful knock from Eoin Morgan.

^{Tom Curran was superb with the ball}

Roy’s 41 set the tone, ensuring England were never likely to need their full allocation to chase the target down, while Morgan’s approach bordered on the casual as he chopped Sri Lanka’s attack routinely through wide mid-off on his way to an unbeaten 58.

And in the end it was something of a breeze for the tourists. Hardly satisfying for those trumpeting fans who stayed out another afternoon watching groundstaff play hokey-cokey with the covers.

Sri Lanka made a furious start to their innings, led from the front by Dickwella.

Olly Stone lasted just a single over, which went for 17, as the hosts piled on 45 without loss in the four-over powerplay.

They reached 50 inside five overs and had set a fine foundation for the innings by the time Dickwella chipped a catch to the backtracking Chris Woakes at mid-off off the bowling of Curran, in the side in place of the injured Liam Dawson.

Kusal Mendis followed first ball, bowled through the gate attempting to drive an Rashid wrong’un, for his third consecutive duck in ODI cricket, but Dinesh Chandimal helped stabilise the innings alongside Samarawickrama.

^{Adil Rashid bowls Kusal Mendis}

Although the scoring rate dropped substantially, mainly down to the tremendous control displayed with a wet ball by Rashid, the home side retained their composure.

That was until Rashid bowled his worst delivery of the day, a rank full toss which slipped out the back of his hand and presented Sadeera with a gimme six over midwicket.

Instead, the Sri Lankan batsman contrived to scoop a catch to Woakes, inside the ring at square leg. This wasn’t just a gift wicket, this was wrapped up in a frilly bow and presented by a tuneful Singagram.

The very next delivery, Thisara Perera came over in a hot flush and tried to cart Rashid down the ground, only to send the ball into orbit. Jason Roy claimed a terrific catch, running across from long-on.

Now, it was England who were in charge. The run rate dropped, Sri Lanka’s impetus all-but died out and once Rashid was bowled out (3-22 in four overs), Stokes and Curran took over with intelligent death bowling.

Dhananjaya de Silva never settled and dollied a catch to Roy in the covers off Curran, and the hosts found it increasingly difficult to breach their guests’ field. Between the 10th over 18th overs, they managed just three boundaries.

Sri Lanka were grateful, therefore, for the late injection of energy made by Dasun Shanaka, whose 21 in 10 balls featured sixes off Stokes and Rashid.

^{Jason Roy was good at the top of England's order}

That ultimately took the home side to 150 from their allocation of overs but it quite quickly became clear just how ineffective that score would be.

Roy made an immediate statement at the start of England’s chase, lifting Malinga over midwicket for six third ball, while the tourists’ opening pair had already rung up 17 by the time Sri Lanka’s frost-tipped slinger was plodding back to fine leg.

Amila Aponso was brought into the attack early in an effort to get rid of Roy but ended up dismissing his partner, with Bairstow chipping a simple catch to mid-off on four.

The slow left-armer struck again not long after, bowling Root off his front pad as England’s Test skipper attempted to drive down the ground, and with spin at both ends the visitors began to look contained. It was a false dawn.

Roy and Morgan made the most of the respite provided by the return of Malinga, taking the seamer’s second over for 12, before Akila Dhanajaya was clubbed for six down the ground by Roy and a gorgeous in-to-out four over extra cover by the England captain.

Sri Lanka did manage to get rid of Roy, lbw to Akila for 41, an excellent review to overturn umpire Aleem Dar’s initial not out decision, but Stokes took up the mantle.

Having got off the mark with a pushed four down the ground off the back foot with the kind of timing which would earn the allrounder a scholarship at Quartz, Stokes was quickly into his stride and played an able foil role for his captain.

It was pretty clear from some way out that there was only one winner, all that was up for debate was the margin of victory and the number of balls to spare.

Stokes's straight six, at 11.30pm, ended the contest for good. And so, once again, a game on this tour ended in anti-climax.