4/4 ICC Cricket WC England vs Sri Lanka

[Longhorn85]

England face tough Sri Lanka test


England begin a crucial five-day period in their World Cup campaign with a tough Super 8 assignment against Sri Lanka in Antigua on Wednesday.

They expect Andrew Flintoff to be fit to face the confident Sri Lankans.

Flintoff twisted an ankle during the 48-run win over Ireland but has played a full part in practice.

If England need a reminder of how good Sri Lanka are, they only have to think back to last summer when they were whitewashed 5-0 on home soil.

And in paceman Lasith Malinga and spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, they face two of the tournament's leading wicket-takers, with 24 victims between them so far.

It will then fall upon Muralitharan to try and keep England's most dangerous batsmen, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Flintoff, in check.

England can take some comfort from the fact that they have won six of the seven previous World Cup matches against Sri Lanka, the most recent at Lord's in 1999 when Nasser Hussain (88) and Graeme Hick (73 not out) guided them to an eight-wicket victory.

But the current Sri Lanka side are confident they have England's measure if they can repeat the all-round excellence they produced against West Indies last Sunday after a brilliant hundred by Sanath Jayasuriya laid the foundation for a 113-run win.

 

[Subzeero]

missed this one too. bump. there is enough interest right here.

 

[Longhorn85]

Ravi Bopara and Paul Nixon almost batted England to a knife-edge victory, with a brilliant partnership of 87 for the seventh wicket, but excellent bowling from Sri Lanka saw them fall short of their target by just two runs.

England's bowlers made good use of the pitch and conditions first up to restrict Sri Lanka's batsmen to a total of 235 all out and give them hope of their first win against a full member side, but could only manage 233 for eight in response.