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England lose to Sri Lanka in first ODI despite Moeen Ali century England lose to Sri Lanka in first ODI despite 72-ball Moeen Ali century
(35 minutes later)
Moeen Ali’s maiden one-day international hundred, the third-fastest in England’s history, was in vain in a 25-run defeat against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium. It must now be official. England have resolved one of their World Cup conundrums, the identity of one of their opening batsmen in one-day cricket. Moeen Ali struck 119 from 87 balls in England’s unavailing pursuit of 318. He surely has to stay at the top of the order.
Moeen (119) got England off to a brilliant start in pursuit of their highest successful run chase in this format, after Tillakaratne Dilshan (88) had underpinned the hosts’ 317 for six in the first match of seven. This was the third-fastest ODI century by an Englishman – it took Moeen 72 balls to reach that landmark – and like the two faster ones by Kevin Pietersen against South Africa in 2005 (69 balls) and Jos Buttler against Sri Lanka at Lord’s last summer (61 balls) his heroics ended in defeat. However, at least this stunning innings meant a defeat with honour. At 11.20pm local time Sri Lanka prevailed by 25 runs.
But after hitting 11 fours and five sixes, the opener was sixth out with the score on 203 in the 31st over of this day-night fixture – and despite a fine hand by Ravi Bopara (65) in a near run-a-ball half-century, the equation proved beyond him. Moeen hit five sixes, all effortless strokes over midwicket, which just kept going as if he was batting in the thin air of Johannesburg rather than the cloying dampness of Colombo-by-the-sea. Such was the carefree audacity of Moeen’s batting that England were nearly always up with the rate required. But none of Moeen’s peers could match his brilliance and the wickets fell too rapidly despite a plucky innings from Ravi Bopara at the end.
Bopara was last out, caught in the leg-side deep with 2.5 overs unused, and England therefore began their World Cup winter with an honourable near miss. If Moeen evoked memories of Brian Lara at the crease, some of his colleagues had more in common with Brian Blessed.
The captain Alastair Cook twice escaped on nought thanks to DRS, to his opposite number Angelo Mathews’ third and fourth ball of the innings, after the local umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge gave him out lbw both times. Certainly Alastair Cook was blessed in the opening over of England’s response. Cook was given lbw to his third ball from Angelo Mathews who was confident that he had his man. As was umpire Palliyaguruge who had raised his finger. After some hesitation Cook asked for a review. The ball was deemed to be bouncing over the stumps. Exactly the same happened after the next delivery, a bizarre record of sorts.
Cook was to fall lbw nonetheless, for 10, pushing forward to the first delivery from Dilshan - and has now scored just one half-century in his last 17 ODI innings. But Cook could not benefit from the review system. Tillekeratne Dilshan’s first ball struck Cook’s front pad and this time – correctly – the England captain did not seek another review. However, with Ian Bell bedding down swiftly alongside the magnificent Moeen the chase was on. But from the giddy heights of 107 for one at the start of the 16th over England soon subsided to 124 for four with Joe Root and Eoin Morgan out of kilter in their determination to be positive.
But Moeen had already powered England past 50 in only five overs - beginning as in last week’s win over Sri Lanka A in his first attempt as Cook’s new opening partner with a four from the first ball he faced, and then adding seven more in successive overs. Buttler flickered while Bopara, one of the veterans in the England side, was outwardly calm alongside the tail. Bopara, like Moeen before him though without so many fireworks, demonstrated why England surely require him to be in their best team. Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes looked understandably rusty and were easily rumbled by the wily left-arm spin of Rangana Herath. Bopara, last out, struck a cool 65 in what proved to be a remarkably high-scoring game given the dank weather in Colombo since England’s arrival. The English pace bowlers were unable to exploit those favourable conditions at the start.
The left-hander kept swinging, and reached England’s second-fastest ODI 50 from 25 balls. Their attack did not contain Steven Finn who understandably was not risked. The slippery outfield was not ideal for a man nursing a dodgy groin. At the toss Cook suggested his most experienced available paceman would be ready to play by the weekend.
He and Ian Bell took the total to three figures but a rush of three wickets for 17 runs undermined England. Given the toothless nature of his peers England will want Finn back in their side as quickly as possible. Under a slate-grey sky after a morning of Mancunian mizzle there was the suggestion that the new balls would jag around a little for disciplined, aggressive pace bowlers. Yet Sri Lanka were able to add 120 without loss inside 23 overs. Even then England’s first wicket was the consequence of a schoolboy run-out when Dilshan and Kusal Perera ended up at the same end. The junior man, Perera, after hitting a puckish 59, had to go.
Moeen did not let up - twice hitting Rangana Herath over midwicket for six in the same over - despite the loss of Bell, caught at slip off the impressive Thisara Perera. Until then none of a callow pace attack could pose enough problems. Woakes, whose figures were badly dented by a last over which cost 21 runs, looked the most dependable, Stokes, at times staring in exasperation at the footholds, was the most vulnerable. In the end Stokes could be permitted only four overs in the entire innings. Harry Gurney, preferred to Chris Jordan, bowled better at the end than at the beginning.
The medium-pacer also had Joe Root edging behind cheaply, and Eoin Morgan continued his disappointing recent ODI form when he edged Ajantha Mendis on to his stumps. Despite the dampness and the constant cloud cover Cook had to turn to his spinners sooner than expected and by the end of the 21st over he had tried seven bowlers. Moeen snapped up Kumar Sangakkara cheaply – despite the Sri Lankan’s review – with a fine delivery, which pitched on leg stump and would have hit off.
England were stuttering when Jos Buttler failed to cash in on a promising start, edging on off Dhammika Prasad. Eoin Morgan might have caught Mahela Jayawardene at midwicket off James Tredwell. Instead this venerable pair added 76 together whereupon Dilshan was caught and bowled by Woakes.
Moeen’s hundred arrived in just 72 balls. But having been badly dropped in the deep by Jeevan Mendis on 72 off his namesake Ajantha, he eventually poked a simple return catch back to the leg-spinner. Tredwell’s final over was eventful; it included two sixes from Mathews and two wickets. Then 54 runs from the last five overs of the innings, courtesy of Jeevan Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne, tipped the balance Sri Lanka’s way even though Moeen during his 31 overs at the crease had the home side scratching their heads.
England’s bowlers earlier had to withstand an initial barrage from Dilshan and Kusal Perera (59), after Cook won the toss.
Dilshan hit 10 fours from 98 balls in a total which also featured a half-century from evergreen Mahela Jayawardene (55).
In the absence of the front-line seamers Stuart Broad and James Anderson – missing this tour with knee injuries – and Steven Finn, who is recovering here from a groin niggle, England struggled to contain an opening stand of 122.
But after Perera was run out in a mix-up over a second run, the tourists made a precious double breakthrough when Moeen turned one sharply from round the wicket to have veteran left-hander Kumar Sangakkara lbw - confirmed via DRS.
Dilshan ensured Sri Lanka were still perfectly placed when they took a slightly early powerplay on 179 for two, Jayawardene having survived a half-chance on seven off James Tredwell when Morgan could not quite hang on to what would have been a spectacular catch diving to his left at midwicket.
Chris Woakes and Harry Gurney had found life tough with the new ball, but acquitted themselves well in the powerplay.
Woakes’ reward was the wicket of Dilshan to a return catch from a leading edge.
Tredwell had bowled nine canny overs for just 37 runs, before his highly eventful 10th.
The second delivery brought what seemed a costly slip by Ben Stokes at long-on, his fumble allowing Mathews to get back on strike for a two – and he then hit the next two balls for six.
But the Sri Lanka captain’s bid for a hat-trick of maximums foundered when Stokes held his nerve under a high ball at long on.
Tredwell then strangled Jayawardene caught-behind down the leg-side, and it was he instead on a hat-trick – a curiosity feat he must try to complete in England’s next match.
For the second time in the innings, England had taken two wickets in quick succession - an effective stalling mechanism, until late hitting from Jeevan Mendis helped to plunder an ultimately telling 54 in the last five overs.