Sri Lanka looking for first victory on England tour as action turns to ODIs
England v Sri Lanka | 1st ODI | Tuesday 22nd September | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street | 01:30pm
Tuesday’s game is the first match of a three-game ODI series between England and Sri Lanka.
The sides head into the ODI series off the back a three-game T20I series which was won in very convincing fashion by England. They won 3-0.
England may be the world’s top ranked T20I side, but their ODI form is much less compelling. They are currently the ICC’s seventh ranked ODI side while Sri Lanka are one spot above them in sixth.
Sri Lanka and England have faced each other just four times in ODIs over the last five years.
At seventh in the world rankings, England’s Joe Root is the highest ranked batsman set to play in the series. Sri Lanka boasts the next three batsmen on the rankings with Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka at nine, 11 and 13 respectively.
England’s Jofra Archer is the world’s third ranked ODI bowler while Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana is fifth.
Sri Lanka tend to struggle at T20I cricket due to their lack of a power game, but they are far better suited to ODI’s where there more traditional style and ability to rotate strike is more suited to the format.
Venue: Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
Tuesday’s game will be the 23rd ODI to be played at the Riverside Ground.
Sri Lanka have played five previous times at the Riverside Ground, winning three and losing two.
England have lost just five of the 17 games they have played at the venue. They have been involved in two No Results and lost on five occasions.
Two of the 22 ODI’s played at Chester-le-Street have ended as No Results.
This is a venue where teams prefer to field first if they win the toss. On 16 occasions the captain who won the toss opted to field while six times they have opted to bat first.
The average first innings score at the venue is 240.
Sri Lanka hold the record for the highest score made at the venue after they posted 338/6 from 50 overs against the West Indies during the World Cup in 2019.
The highest score successfully chased at the ground was England’s 314/4 in 44.4 overs scored against Australia in 2018.
Weather:
Tuesday’s weather is set to be pleasant and dry for the duration of the game. The afternoon features mostly sunny intervals with temperatures reaching a peak of 22 degrees. Cloud cover will then steadily increase, becoming mostly cloudy by late afternoon, though it remains mild around 21°C. By evening, temperatures gently dip to 17°C with light southwest breezes. There should be no interruptions to the cricket.
Form (most recent game first):
England: W, W, L, W, W.
Sri Lanka: A, NR, W, L, L.
Last five games head-to-head: Eng, Eng, Sri, Sri, NR.
Key player:
England, Joe Root: Root is England’s anchor, entering the series in sensational form. While not a T20I player he dominates ODI cricket, holding the record for the most runs at Chester-le-Street (220 runs, averaging 44.00) and boasts a superb record against Sri Lanka, including a century in their previous series. With an overall ODI average over 51 and 20 centuries to his credit, Root’s superior skill set allows him to safely manipulate pace and navigate spin, making him a key wicket for the visitors.
Sri Lanka, Charith Asalanka: Asalanka is Sri Lanka’s top ranked batsman and a key member of the team’s middle-order resistance. Though it is his first ODI at Chester-le-Street, his general ODI stats speak volumes, averaging an impressive 42.11 with five hundreds. Asalanka has a proven history of fighting through tough situations against England. His aggressive left-handed skill set balances the lineup, and his handy off-spin bowling adds a crucial dimension.
Verdict: England
Sri Lanka may be ahead of England in the ICC’s ODI rankings, but that will count for little on Tuesday when they face up to each other at the Riverside Ground. The T20I series will have had an impact on the confidence levels and while Sri Lanka are appropriately ranked at sixth, England have the potential to be far higher. With Brendon McCullum now solely focussed on the team’s white-ball objectives they will be looking to drive themselves back up the rankings.
