MATCH REPORTRain meant the third One-Day International (ODI) between England and Sri Lanka at Bristol on Sunday (July 4) ended in a no-result. The hosts were on course for a 3-0 series clean sweep after dismissing Sri Lanka for just 166, with Tom Curran taking 4 for 35 in an innings where only Dasun Shanaka, with 48 not out, offered much resistance with the bat.
But before the home side could start their reply, a heavy downpour forced the game to be abandoned at 4:15 pm local time (1515 GMT). England next play Pakistan in a three-match ODI series starting at Cardiff on July 8. Sri Lanka have earned five points through this match as and climb to 11th in the ICC Word Cup Super League (WCSL) table, a tournament which will determine who gets an automatic berth in the 2023 World Cup. England, on the other hand, remain on top with 65 points.
Tom Curran followed his brother Sam's return of 5 for 48 during an eight-wicket win at the Oval -- the brothers' Surrey home ground -- on Thursday (July 1) that put the hosts an unassailable 2-0 up in this three-match series.
Tom's wickets represented the right-arm paceman's first for England in six white-ball appearances. He had previously bowled 34 overs in T20s and ODIs without success. Only Shanaka, with an unbeaten 48 that included a fine straight six off leg-spinner Adil Rashid, offered significant resistance with the bat.
Sri Lanka's top order have struggled during the past fortnight, repeatedly losing wickets to the new ball. And it was an all-too familiar story at the County Ground as they suffered another collapse to 63-5 inside 15 overs after losing the toss as Chris Woakes and David Willey made early inroads. Woakes, the only change to the England side, struck in his second over when he had Sri Lanka captain Kusal Perera chopping into his stumps for nine.
Willey took the new ball ahead of Sam Curran, despite his fellow left-arm swing bowler's success at the Oval, and, after conceding 17 runs in his first two overs, had Aviskha Fernando lbw on review.
When Willey had Pathum Nissanka caught behind, Sri Lanka were 33 for 3. Dhananjaya de Silva, who made a fine 91 at the Oval, then fell for just four when a miscued hook off Woakes was caught by Rashid at fine leg -- the latest example of a Sri Lanka batsman falling to the short ball.
Oshada Fernando then chipped Tom Curran, at 26 three years older than Sam, to Woakes at mid-off. Wanindu Hasaranga had made 20 when a pull off Tom Curran lobbed gently to Willey, jogging in from deep square leg to leave Sri Lanka 87 for 6.
There was a brief respite until Chamika Karunaratne was well caught by Bairstow, diving to his right, to give Tom Curran his third wicket. Sri Lanka's running between the wickets has been poor all tour and the innings ended with nearly nine overs to spare when Asitha Fernando was run out after a huge mix-up with Shanaka.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 166 in 41.1 overs (Dasun Shanaka 58*, Wanindu Hasaranga 20; Tom Curran 4 for 35) vs England
Player of the series: David Willey
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