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A top edged skier and Buttler just about clings on with the gloves! Baker has England’s first.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 22-0 (Nissanka 11, Udara 10) Archer’s first two balls are cut away on the off side by Udara! Too much width from Jofra and it gets worse for him as a top edged hook from Nissanka does indeed sail away on the breeze for SIX! Decent start from Sri Lanka as the tv camera zooms in on Fleming, McCullum and Southee on the England boundary. What’s the collective noun for Kiwis?
1st over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 5, Udara 1) Nissanka tries a big drive to the first ball and connects only with fresh air. Baker strays down the leg side and is then glanced away nicely wide of slip for four by Nissanka. Sri Lanka’s six hitting has been way behind England’s in this series, nine big ones compared to England’s 22. They might fancy getting a few away on the wind today.
That man Sonny Baker is going to start off with the new ball. Pathum Nissanka and Lahiru Udara will open up for the visitors. Play!
Right then, the players are heading out at Old Trafford, blue skies and a strong breeze blowing across the square. Can Sri Lanka put a decent score on the board to at least challenge England? Let’s find out.
Sky Sports are showing a nice chat between Sonny Baker and Stuart Broad. “Everything about him reminds me of Darren Gough” says Nick Knight afterwards.
Taha met the exuberant 23 year last year.
The cricket regulator is still investigating though…
England 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Aneurin Donald, 3 Harry Brook (c), 4 Jordan Cox, 5 Tom Banton, 6 Will Jacks, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Sonny Baker.
Sri Lanka 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Lahiru Udara, 3 Kamil Mishara (wk), 4 Charith Asalanka (c), 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Tharindu Rathnayake, 9 Eshan Malinga, 10 Dilshan Madushanka, 11 Nuwan Thushara
The pitch looks a belter and Harry Brook is confident of chasing down whatever Sri Lanka set them. He confirms England are unchanged. For Sri Lanka, Dushmantha Chameera is rested and replace by Nuwan Thushara.
Hello and welcome the final T20I in the series between England and Sri Lanka from Old Trafford. Harry Brook’s side are gunning to be the number on side in the world in the shortest format (they currently sit in second place) and will be going all out for a 3-0 series win today.
They will be watched today by Stephen Fleming, the new head honcho of the Test side who is at Old Trafford and has been speaking to the media this morning. He’s already been spied on the outfield with his England sweater on chatting away amiably to predecessor Brendon McCullum and new boy Kevin Pietersen. Decent top three that.
Plenty to get stuck into then as well as the action on the field. The captains are out there to toss up, let’s do this.
Play starts at 2.30pm. Drop us a line here.