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| Chris Jordan inspires England to record victory against Sri Lanka | Chris Jordan inspires England to record victory against Sri Lanka |
| (3 months later) | |
| It is a decade since Iain Dowie first came up with the term bouncebackability, before Peter Moores had been appointed England’s coach for the first time, and a quality he personified in five years at Lancashire to earn his second crack at the job. Statistically, this was the most spectacular bounceback in the history of one-day international cricket, as three days after capitulating for their sixth-lowest total, England skittled Sri Lanka for 32 fewer to take a 2-1 lead in a series as up-and-down as the Big One at the Pleasure Beach in Blackpool. | It is a decade since Iain Dowie first came up with the term bouncebackability, before Peter Moores had been appointed England’s coach for the first time, and a quality he personified in five years at Lancashire to earn his second crack at the job. Statistically, this was the most spectacular bounceback in the history of one-day international cricket, as three days after capitulating for their sixth-lowest total, England skittled Sri Lanka for 32 fewer to take a 2-1 lead in a series as up-and-down as the Big One at the Pleasure Beach in Blackpool. |
| Only twice have Sri Lanka done worse and England became the first team to respond to a total of less than 100 by dismissing their opponents for a double-figure score in their next fixture. Having missed the Durham debacle with a groin strain, Alastair Cook retains his 100% record for the summer, even if it will take some time after the Australian misadventure for him to be known as a captain with a Midas touch. | |
| Cook admitted on winning the toss that he was choosing to field with reservations, as he and the rest of the England batsmen very much liked the look of a brown, hard Manchester pitch. | Cook admitted on winning the toss that he was choosing to field with reservations, as he and the rest of the England batsmen very much liked the look of a brown, hard Manchester pitch. |
| That surface maintained the impressive record of Matt Merchant and the rest of his groundstaff since the redeveloped Old Trafford made a triumphant return to the international stage in last summer’s Ashes series, and they deserved further praise for having the ground playable for a 2.20pm start, after steady rain had fallen for most of the morning. | That surface maintained the impressive record of Matt Merchant and the rest of his groundstaff since the redeveloped Old Trafford made a triumphant return to the international stage in last summer’s Ashes series, and they deserved further praise for having the ground playable for a 2.20pm start, after steady rain had fallen for most of the morning. |
| But the suspicion that Sri Lanka were not so keen on the conditions, as they were noticeably less enthusiastic than England to emerge into the cold to warm up, was reinforced by their peculiar performance. | But the suspicion that Sri Lanka were not so keen on the conditions, as they were noticeably less enthusiastic than England to emerge into the cold to warm up, was reinforced by their peculiar performance. |
| Jimmy Anderson, who has struggled at his home ground for county as well as country since the square was turned 90 degrees four winters ago, set the tone with a masterful new-ball spell of 7‑2‑10‑2 that the Lancastrian after whom the Statham End was named would have very much enjoyed. | Jimmy Anderson, who has struggled at his home ground for county as well as country since the square was turned 90 degrees four winters ago, set the tone with a masterful new-ball spell of 7‑2‑10‑2 that the Lancastrian after whom the Statham End was named would have very much enjoyed. |
| Anderson dismissed Sri Lanka’s openers in consecutive overs, both caught behind by his new county team-mate Jos Buttler, in the case of Lahiru Thirimanne flailing desperately to raise further questions about his place for the remaining two matches of the series. | Anderson dismissed Sri Lanka’s openers in consecutive overs, both caught behind by his new county team-mate Jos Buttler, in the case of Lahiru Thirimanne flailing desperately to raise further questions about his place for the remaining two matches of the series. |
| By the time Anderson was withdrawn Sri Lanka were 39 for three off 14, Chris Jordan having taken over from Harry Gurney at the Pavilion end and claimed the key wicket of Kumar Sangakkara, driving at a full swinging delivery immediately after slapping a short loose one for four. | By the time Anderson was withdrawn Sri Lanka were 39 for three off 14, Chris Jordan having taken over from Harry Gurney at the Pavilion end and claimed the key wicket of Kumar Sangakkara, driving at a full swinging delivery immediately after slapping a short loose one for four. |
| Jordan then had Dinesh Chandimal smartly caught by Ian Bell at cover but it was after the introduction of James Tredwell in the 19th over that the steady trickle of wickets turned into a deluge. Tredwell surprised Mahela Jayawardene, of all people, by turning his first ball to win a plumb lbw decision, and ended with figures of 3-1-2-2 on a ground where he has tended to perform well. | Jordan then had Dinesh Chandimal smartly caught by Ian Bell at cover but it was after the introduction of James Tredwell in the 19th over that the steady trickle of wickets turned into a deluge. Tredwell surprised Mahela Jayawardene, of all people, by turning his first ball to win a plumb lbw decision, and ended with figures of 3-1-2-2 on a ground where he has tended to perform well. |
| But the bulk of the damage was done by Jordan, whose figures of five for 29 were the best by an England bowler in one-day cricket since Chris Woakes took six for 45 in Brisbane in early 2011. He became the 21st man to take five in an innings for England in this form of the game, with plenty of time to join the elite of four to have done so twice – two Lancastrians (Anderson and Andrew Flintoff), Mark Ealham and Vic Marks. | But the bulk of the damage was done by Jordan, whose figures of five for 29 were the best by an England bowler in one-day cricket since Chris Woakes took six for 45 in Brisbane in early 2011. He became the 21st man to take five in an innings for England in this form of the game, with plenty of time to join the elite of four to have done so twice – two Lancastrians (Anderson and Andrew Flintoff), Mark Ealham and Vic Marks. |
| The innings lasted exactly 24 overs, as the last six wickets tumbled for nine runs in 36 balls, meaning England launched their reply little more than two hours after the start of the game. The threat of rain remained, so Cook and Bell were never going to hang around in their pursuit of such a facile target and they were helped by Sri Lankan fielding that maintained the standards set by their batting, as Cook was dropped at square-leg and a Lasith Malinga misfield conceded the boundary that brought the scores level. | The innings lasted exactly 24 overs, as the last six wickets tumbled for nine runs in 36 balls, meaning England launched their reply little more than two hours after the start of the game. The threat of rain remained, so Cook and Bell were never going to hang around in their pursuit of such a facile target and they were helped by Sri Lankan fielding that maintained the standards set by their batting, as Cook was dropped at square-leg and a Lasith Malinga misfield conceded the boundary that brought the scores level. |
| Bell completed the 10-wicket win by launching the first ball of the 13th over into the members’ seats in front of the pavilion, previously known as the Pit of Hate by Lancashire players although not any longer as dismissed batsmen return to the smart new dressing rooms at the other end of the ground. England still had 227 balls remaining, another one-day record for them. | Bell completed the 10-wicket win by launching the first ball of the 13th over into the members’ seats in front of the pavilion, previously known as the Pit of Hate by Lancashire players although not any longer as dismissed batsmen return to the smart new dressing rooms at the other end of the ground. England still had 227 balls remaining, another one-day record for them. |
| The conditions may have been ideal to catch Sri Lanka cold but England are now on course for a series victory that would mark a positive start to the much-mocked new era. | The conditions may have been ideal to catch Sri Lanka cold but England are now on course for a series victory that would mark a positive start to the much-mocked new era. |