Lanka crush England by nine wickets
June 25, 2011 10:09 pm
The start of England’s new Twenty20 era was beset by familiar problems against Sri Lanka in Bristol. Sri Lanka (137/1) beat England (136/9) by 9 wickets in the T20 match with Mahela Jayawardena scoring an unbeaten 72.
England made a disappointing 136 for nine after Stuart Broad lost his first toss as an international captain, but the dismissals of Kevin Pietersen and the recalled Samit Patel were worryingly predictable.
Pietersen (41) was bowled by the first legitimate ball of left-arm spin he faced, while Patel - making his long-awaited comeback following concerns over his weight and work-rate - was lazily run-out at the striker’s end for a duck.
Sri Lanka wasted little time in ripping into the English seam attack and Mahela Jayawardene scored 72 off just 57 balls as they eased to a nine-wicket victory.
England made a disappointing 136 for nine after Stuart Broad lost his first toss as an international captain, but the dismissals of Kevin Pietersen and the recalled Samit Patel were worryingly predictable.
Pietersen (41) was bowled by the first legitimate ball of left-arm spin he faced, while Patel - making his long-awaited comeback following concerns over his weight and work-rate - was lazily run-out at the striker’s end for a duck.
Sri Lanka wasted little time in ripping into the English seam attack and Mahela Jayawardene scored 72 off just 57 balls as they eased to a nine-wicket victory.
