and GQEBERHA, South Africa
Sri Lanka on Thursday trumped Harry Brook’s record double century in their ODI clash, while in South Africa earlier in the day, the hosts set up a Test series decider with a comeback innings victory against Australia.
Sri Lanka pulled off the second-highest successful run chase ever in ODI cricket history to hand England a second successive defeat in the Pakistan tri-series.
Photo: AP
Brook’s 116-ball 202 propelled England to 429-4, but Sri Lanka counterpunched with a chase of 430-8 for an extraordinary two-wicket win.
Needing six runs off Josh Tongue’s final two balls, Janith Liyanage lofted the fast bowler over long-off for a winning six to guide Sri Lanka to their most memorable ODI victory since winning the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Sri Lanka’s run-chase was second only to South Africa’s chase of 438-9 in a one-wicket win over Australia at Johannesburg in 2006.
Photo: AP
“Incredible game of cricket, both teams were exceptional,” Brook said. “Sri Lanka just outplayed us. They played exceptional cricket to knock off 400”-plus.
Brook was the first England batter to score 200 in the ODI format. He reached the milestone from 114 deliveries, breaking the previous mark of 116 set just last month by India’s Shubman Gill. He is the first batter to score 200-plus in an innings and finishing on the losing team.
Avishka Fernando, who hit 97 from 83 balls, and Pavan Rathnayake set up the strong chase with a 166-run third-wicket stand after Sri Lanka lost two wickets inside the first five overs of the reply.
Photo: AP
Dasun Shanaka added an electrifying 133 runs with Rathnayake off just 79 balls.
Rathnayake completed his second ODI century, making 130 off 106 balls with 15 fours and three sixes to reduce the target to 107 off 58 balls before holing out to long-on.
Shanaka kept going, smashing the England bowlers for eight sixes and six boundaries as he raced to 97 from 50 deliveries.
Photo: AP
Sam Curran took particular punishment, returning figures of 2-103.
England got back in contention in the 44th over when Shanaka’s dismissal left Sri Lanka needing 67 from six overs, but Liyanage smashed three sixes and seven fours in an unbeaten 61 off 27 balls as England’s attack kept leaking boundaries.
With eight needed of the final over, Tongue bowled Wellalage (8) and Eshan Malinga (0) off successive balls, but Asitha Fernando denied a hat trick and gave the strike back to Liyanage to finish off.
“We chased very well. I enjoyed it as captain,” Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis said. “Everyone believed we can do it.”
At St George’s Park in Gqeberha, South Africa won on day 5 of the second Test, despite a lot of time lost to rain.
The morning session on Thursday was a washout, but the hosts dismissed Australia for 295 in their second innings an hour after the tea interval to complete a win by an innings and 31 runs.
After losing the opener in Durban by 214 runs, South Africa tied the series 1-1 and set up a deciding third Test in Cape Town from Tuesday as they chase World Test Championship points.
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