England has recorded a formidable score in their 50 overs of 355 for 7; can Sri Lanka chase it down?
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Can a score in a cricket match beat the record books before the end of the game? It certainly proved so at The Oval.
England hammered out a stunning score on the cricket pitch of 355 for 7 in their 50 overs. They made it a batting day to remember and one of the best chases for the batters in recent times. Here’s what went down in the match, in brief.
The Stats
Three batters from England played with sheer fearlessness and power to pile up the runs on the board.
The first to cross the three-figure mark was Tom Banton, who recorded his first-ever century in ODIs with 126 runs. That was a career-best score for him
Next came Harry Brook, who belted out a powerful 77-run knock. Lastly, there was Jordan Cox, who contributed with a rapid 76 runs off 52 balls of sheer fireworks.
These three batters put on a stand of 173 runs together, which not only bettered the team’s total but also made it a near-record chase for Sri Lanka to chase down. In fact, 356 runs is more than what the team has ever scored in an ODI match.
How England Stepped on the Gas
At the halfway stage of the match (25 overs), England had a comfortable-looking total of 108 for 2.
The team was looking to turn it up a notch, and they didn’t have to look far for inspiration.
In the next ten overs, they racked up a staggering 111 runs and set the tone for Sri Lanka’s bowling attack. The 117-ball partnership between Banton and Brook didn’t allow Sri Lanka’s spinners to get into the equation.
They simply hit the spinners all over the park and didn’t let them bowl freely. In fact, the Sri Lankan spin duo of Dunith Wellalage and Sachindu Colombage were taken for granted by the batters.
Sri Lanka’s fielding also didn’t help their cause as they dropped two crucial catches. First, Kusal Mendis dropped Brook on 7, then Janith Liyanage dropped Jamie Overton. In cricket, drops generally pay back in the end, and today was no different.
The Significance of This Match
Here are the reasons why this match makes for interesting reading:
This match provides a glimpse of what is in store for the world of cricket in the near future. A host of young batters are coming of age every now and then to put on frightening displays of power-hitting and shot-making.
This display of grit and determination from batters like Banton and Cox will go a long way in setting the tone for future matches, right through the big leagues.
Banton played a mature knock while Cox hit the ball all over the park, including some of the most spectacular reverse-swept shots one has ever seen.
It showed that the England batting line-up can be trusted time and again to rise to the occasion, regardless of who is playing.
The spinners of Sri Lanka, the mainstay of their bowling attack, had a nightmare time on the field today.
Four of their bowlers gave away more than 7 runs per over. Only Asitha Fernando, who picked up 3 crucial wickets for 64 runs, was able to fight out of the clutch.
Their bowling attack simply failed to rise to the occasion, and that proved to be the difference between a win and a defeat.
The Road Ahead
Chasing down 356 runs will be a record chase for Sri Lanka. It would be interesting to see if they can pull it off in the end.
The match also shows the way forward for a cricket-playing nation like England. It showed an aggressive brand of limited-overs batting that will go a long way.
So what do you think? Can Sri Lanka somehow chase this down? Or is this a huge total that is way too big to chase?
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