Key events
Match report
James Wallace
Righto, that’s it from us. England seal the series 3-0 and will play three final ODIs against Sri Lanka to cap off the summer. The first is at Chester le Street on Tuesday, do join us for that. Thanks for your company – goodbye!
Harry Brook has just chalked up his 23rd win in 26 completed T20s since taking over the captaincy in 2024. He’s player of the series too – with 170 runs in three matches. His T20 side are back at the top of the world pile now too.
It’s an amazing achievement, again, and one everyone should be very proud of. Everybody stepped up in this series, especially lads who haven’t played as much – Sonny for example. Dawson again, an awesome performer. Jos, again. I could go through the whole team. We are adapting to conditions well.
It all comes down to adapting to conditions. We want to be a side when conditions aren’t in our favour we are able to manufacture a win. It might not be prettiest but we are trending in the right direction.”
I have said plenty times I want to play as much as I can for England, hence why I don’t play franchise cricket apart from the Hundred.”
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka:
It’s a very disappointing series for us. This is an important eye opener, where we stand in T20 cricket compared to one of the best teams in the world. This is the time for us to come together and find solutions to T20 problems.
I’m the acting captain for this series. He is recovering and will come back and join the teams in ODIs. These are the best players right now, we have to find solutions.
As players we have to look back and forget everything and prepare for the ODI series. Next year we have the ODI World Cup, the talent is there and recently we’ve been playing good cricket in ODIs.”
Sonny Baker (2-17) is Player of the Match:
I’m really happy. When things go like that you are always pleased. In the previous two games the new ball was swinging a lot, today there wasn’t much movement at all so we had to adapt to conditions and go from there.
It is something I have worked hard on, being able to swing ball both ways. It buys you extra margin for sure. My biggest commitment going from my first stint, into my Test debut and this, is to just be myself out there.
I am a carry-on merchant! So just be myself. Allowing myself to do that is the biggest commitment I have made.”
Buttler walks off unbeaten on 62, he well and truly has his mojo back. England dominant with bat and ball.
England win by 8 wickets (with 62 balls remaining)
Buttler brings up his fifty off just thirty balls! A thumped six takes him to a half century and then he wins the game with a one handed SIX that sails on the Manchester breeze over the rope.
That’s a thumping win and it takes England back to Number 1 in the world in T20I cricket.
9th over: England 108-2 (Buttler 43, Banton 0) Tom Banton joins Buttler with England needing just 17 runs to win.
WICKET! Harry Brook run out (Hasaranga) 34 (England 107-2)
Smart work from Hasaranga who scurries after a drop and run from Brook and runs him out with a direct hit.
8th over: England 103-1 (Buttler 40, Brook 32) A scruffy over from Madushanka as he spears down a wide and a front foot no ball. He goes short to Brook who top edges… but the ball lands between two fielders who stare at each other accusatorily. Another wide sees the extras count to 13. Gah, five more wides slung down the leg side. Desperate stuff this.
7th over: England 88-1 (Buttler 38, Brook 27) A quieter over as Hasaranga keeps the scoring to singles and a two to deep square.
6th over: England 82-1 (Buttler 34, Brook 25) Malinga introduced and his first ball is slammed back past him at head height for four by Jos Buttler. No chance of catching it, it was a tracer bullet. The over takes an age as Malinga slings four wides down the leg side to try and hide the ball but it is just free runs for England. He straightens up finally and is pinged off the toes by Buttler for four. 16 off the over, England cruising to victory at Old Trafford.
5th over: England 66-1 (Buttler 24, Brook 22) Buttler’s turn to do the damage! Two carves through the off side for four see Ratnayake drop short down the leg side and Buttler doesn’t miss out. A single brings Brook on strike and he finishes the over with a fourth four, in-to-out-easy-as-you-like over cover. Brilliant batting and the visitors have no answer.
4th over: England 46-1 (Buttler 9, Brook 18) 21 runs off the over! Brook flicks off his toes fine for four and cover drives imperiously too. Thushara drops short and is effortlessly clipped off the hip for SIX by Brook. There are five wides sprayed down leg too. We won’t be here long folks.
3rd over: England 25-1 (Buttler 8, Brook 3) A huge cheer greets Harry Brook and he is off the mark with a clip to mid on, it was a tight single and could have been a close run thing but Shanaka fluffed his fielding and they end up pinching a second. Sloppy from the visitors with not a lot to play with.
Here comes Harry Brook…
WICKET! Aneurin Donald st Mishara b Ratnayake 13 (England 22-1)
The ambidextrous spin of Tharindu Ratnayake is carved for four by Donald but the bowler has the last laugh – Donald charges down, misses and is easily stumped.
2nd over: England 17-0 (Buttler 7, Donald 9) Madushanka is slapped down the ground by Donald, barely any foot movement but a gimlet eye and gun crack middle. More of the same! Donald hits the next ball over wide mid on for four more. Good opportunity here to get himself a match winning red inker.
1st over: England 8-0 (Buttler 6, Donald 1) Thushara starts off with the new white ball, he slings his first ball into the blockhole and Buttler does well to jam his bat down on it. There’s swing through the air and Sri Lanka need a flurry of early wickets. Gah, Buttler gets an outside edge to a length ball and England pick up their first boundary. Thushara then tries a bit of skullduggery by bowling from about 24 yards instead of the regular 22. Any club cricketer worth their sodium chloride knows that trick.
Not even time to boil the kettle as Buttler and Donald are out in the middle already. Buckle up, this could be brutal.
“A poor effort” says Stuart Broad of Sri Lanka’s batting on the Sky coverage. Two avoidable run outs didn’t help and England’s bowlers were frugal and accurate, particularly Jamie Overton and Sonny Baker.
Sri Lanka bowled out for 124
Goodnight Viennetta! Baker gets his second wicket of the afternoon as Madushanka skies an easy catch into the safe hands of Harry Brook. That’s a weak showing from Sri Lanka, I have a feeling England are going to haul this target down without breaking into a sweat.
18th over: Sri Lanka 124-9 (Madushanka 0, Thusara 0) Archer nearly finishes things off by beating the edge of Thusara’s bat and the off stump by a whisker. The last two batters for Sri Lanka don’t look like they will be out there long…
WICKET! Wanindu Hasaranga hit wicket b Archer 7 (Sri Lanka 124-9)
The lesser spotted hit wicket! Hasaranga heaves mightily to an Archer slower ball and doesn’t connect, he gave it so much gusto that the bat swings behind him and nudges off the bail!
WICKET! Eshan Malinga run out (Dawson) Sri Lanka 120-8)
The ambidextrous Liam Dawson swoops at cover to run out Malinga! Sri Lanka are going down meakly here.
WICKET! Tharindu Ratnayake b Overton 3 (Sri Lanka 119-7)
Chopped on! Overton is all over Sri Lanka – he finishes with 1-15 off his four overs.
17th over: Sri Lanka 119-7 (Hasaranga 2)
16th over: Sri Lanka 117-6 (Hasaranga 2, Ratnayake 1) Just three runs and the wicket off Archer’s second. The projected score for the visitors is 146… that ain’t going to cut it.
WICKET! Kamindu Mendis c Jacks b Archer 35 (Sri Lanka 114-6)
Archer returns and pockets Mendis with his first ball. A flay into the leg side is caught safely by Jacks.
15th over: Sri Lanka 114-5 (Mendis 35, Hasaranga 0) Mendis is playing something of a lone hand at the moment, he clatters Overton for SIX over midwicket but there is only a solitary single off the other five balls.
14th over: Sri Lanka 107-5 (Mendis 28, Hasaranga 0) England bossing it in Old Trafford at the moment, Overton is going to continue.
WICKET! Dasun Shanaka c Buttler b Dawson 12 (Sri Lanka 107-5)
Sri Lanka have to put pedal to the metal now to have a hope in this game. Liam Dawson goes for a yorker but offers up a juicy full toss that is hungrily despatched by Shanaka. He’s out the very next ball though, a tickle off the toe is well caught by Buttler up to the stumps.
13th over: Sri Lanka 99-4 (Mendis 28, Shanaka 4) Jamie Overton does frugal business once again, pace on and pace off, just three runs off the over.
12th over: Sri Lanka 96-4 (Mendis 27, Shanaka 2) Rashid into his second over, Kamindu Mendis plays an outrageous reverse scoop for four and then should have been caught at long off by Tom Banton but he slips over and spills it over the boundary for four.
11th over: Sri Lanka 86-4 (Mendis 16, Shanaka 1) Dasun Shanaka arrives and is off the mark with a clip off his pads. Jacks finishes with 2-31 off his four overs. Bowled.
WICKET! Charith Asalanka run out (Rashid/Jacks) 13 (Sri Lanka 83-4)
After drinks, Jacks begins his last over and his first ball is wiped for SIX over midwicket by Asalanka! Four wides off the next ball puts the pressure on Jacks but the batters make a total horlicks of a quick single off the next ball and Asalanka is run out. Gah, not good criggit.
10th over: Sri Lanka 74-3 (Asalanka 7, Mendis 16) Brilliant over from JOverton, he beats Mendis with an absolute beauty that nips away late off the pitch. He concedes just three runs off the over, Sri Lanka destined for only about 155/160 at this rate, they need to step on it in the second ten.
9th over: Sri Lanka 71-3 (Asalanka 5, Mendis 15) Jacks whistles through a quick over for seven runs including a Mendis pull for four. Here comes Jamie Overton to bowl his middle overs splice crunchers.
8th over: Sri Lanka 64-3 (Asalanka 3, Mendis 10) Rashid sends down a mixture of googlies, skidders and flighted leggies. His over is ruined off the last ball as Mendis dances down and launches over long on for SIX. Eleven off it.
7th over: Sri Lanka 53-3 (Asalanka 2, Mendis 1) Kamindu Mendis joins his captain with work to do. England’s white ball wizard Adil Rashid is coming on to bowl. Good luck.
WICKET! Pathum Nissanka c Brook b Jacks 36 (Sri Lanka 52-3)
Jacks continues, Nissaka plays a lovely in-to-out lofted cover drive for four to bring up Sri Lanka’s fifty.
GONE! Great catch by Harry Brook at short midwicket as dives to snare a powerfully hit pull shot, Nissanka is gutted, it was there to be clattered but he hit it too close to the lightning reflexed Brook. That’s a big wicket.
6th over: Sri Lanka 47-2 (Nissanka 32, Asalanka 1) Shot! Nissanka slog sweeps Baker and nails it for SIX! Shades of Mal Loye v Brett Lee in that one. Baker responds with a dot and some sharp work by Brook at mid off saves a certain boundary next ball. That’s the end of the PowerPlay, it’s been a decent start from both teams.
5th over: Sri Lanka 39-2 (Nissanka 22, Asalanka 0) Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka joins Nissanka, Sonny Baker is going to change ends for his third over.
WICKET! Kamil Mishara c Overton b Jacks 2 (Sri Lanka 39-2)
Brook sticks with spin and introduces Will Jacks. The outfield at Old Trafford is pretty slow after heavy morning rain. Jamie Overton and Nye Donald pull off diving saves in the deep to save a couple of runs to powerfully hit shots that would have usually gone for four…
GONE! Mishara dances down and tries to launch a six over long on but he can’t bet the hulking frame of Jamie Overton who doesn’t have to move to take the catch.
4th over: Sri Lanka 33-1 (Nissanka 22, Mishara 2) Harry Brook turns to Liam Dawson for some early spin… BOSH! Nissanka slog sweeps his first ball into the stands for SIX! Nissanka is a dangerous player, if he gets in and going then he is one of the few in Sri Lanka’s line up that could really hurt England. Dawson responds well though, just three singles off the rest of the over.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 24-1 (Nissanka 12, Mishara 1) Mishara is the new batter. Sonny Baker is on the money and Broad is full of praise for him on the comms. I like Baker’s little hop at the start of his run up, apparently it comes from bowling indoors where there wasn’t enough room for his full run. Just two singles off the over and the wicket.
WICKET! Lahiru Udara c Buttler b Baker 10 (Sri Lanka 22-1)
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 booming 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…
Teams:
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
England win the toss and will “chase”
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.
Preamble
James Wallace
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.