England’s captain Nat Sciver-Brunt shakes hands with Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu after England’s win in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match between England and Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
| Photo Credit: AP

Josh Hull of England bowls during a nets session at The Kia Oval on September 04, 2024 in London, England.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

England will give rookie seamer Josh Hull his first taste of international cricket after including him in the team for the final test of the summer.

Chasing a rare clean sweep of six wins in a row, England has thrown the left-armer in to face Sri Lanka at The Oval in place of Matthew Potts.

The 20-year-old Hull has taken only 16 first-class wickets in 10 matches. But England has made a habit of gambling on young talent since head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took charge.

“It’s a great week for him to come in, learn a little bit and show off exactly what he can do,” said Ollie Pope, who this week completes a three-game run as stand-in skipper for the injured Stokes.

“Why not get him in? This is a great opportunity for him, you can show exactly what you can do in the international stage.”

England has already clinched the three-match series against Sri Lanka 2-0 after wins in Manchester and at Lord’s.

That backed up a 3-0 victory over the West Indies in July and England is now just one victory away from completing a clean sweep of home test series in a summer for the first time since 2004.

The quest for that victory starts Friday.

England: Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Josh Hull, Shoaib Bashir.

England batsman Joe Root cover drives to the boundary during day one of the 2nd Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s Cricket Ground on August 29, 2024, in London, England.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Joe Root proved to be England’s anchorman yet again as wickets fell around him in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Thursday (August 29, 2024).

England, 42-2 when star batsman Root came in to bat, were 200-5 at tea on the first day.

Former captain Root, fresh from his match-clinching 62 not out in England’s five-wicket win in the first Test at Old Trafford last week, was unbeaten on 81.

Root is closing in on equalling the England record of 33 Test hundreds held by the retired Alastair Cook.

No other batsman on Thursday had yet made more than opener Ben Duckett’s 40.

Earlier, Ollie Pope was out in single figures for his third successive innings as England-stand-in captain, with Sri Lanka, looking to level this three-match series at 1-1, taking three wickets before lunch after winning the toss.

Despite the sunny overhead conditions, Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva decided to field first.

It looked a questionable decision when left-hander Duckett scored three fours in an over off Asitha Fernando.

But makeshift opener Dan Lawrence, again in for the injured Zak Crawley, fell for nine when caught behind pushing away from his body off Lahiru Kumara, recalled in place of Vishwa Fernando.

De Silva said at the toss the prospect of swing had encouraged him to field first, but it had little to do with Sri Lanka’s second wicket.

Pope, twice out for six at Old Trafford in his debut match as England skipper in place of the still-injured Ben Stokes, had made just one when he top-edged a pull off paceman Fernando and De Silva held a well-judged catch as he ran back from square leg.

Not for the first time in his long England career, the 33-year-old Root came in with the innings in the balance.

He was on 11 when rapped on the pad by a full-length Kumara delivery to spark a raucous lbw appeal.

Paul Reiffel ruled not out, with Sri Lanka’s review seeing the decision upheld on umpire’s call.

But no technology was required when left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya struck with just his fourth ball, Duckett top-edging an extravagant reverse-sweep to Kumara on the point boundary as his 47-ball 40 came to a disappointing end.

Brook and Smith depart

England reached lunch in the far from secure position of 97-3.

But a sound stand of 48 between Root and Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook kept Sri Lanka at bay.

Brook, however, fell for a promising 33 featuring 20 runs in boundaries when lbw to Fernando.

Brook reviewed, but the decision was again upheld on umpire’s call, with England now 130-4.

Root, however, went on to complete an 81-ball fifty before late-cutting fast bowler Milan Rathnayake for four and clubbing Jayasuriya for another boundary.

Jamie Smith, who scored his maiden Test century in Manchester, offered good support in a partnership of 62.

But he was out for 21 when he edged Rathnayake with wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka, behind the stumps following Dinesh Chandimal’s finger injury in the first Test, holding a simple catch.

England bowler Mark Wood leaves the field mid-over during day three of the First Test Match between England and Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford
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England’s fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against Sri Lanka after scans confirmed a right thigh muscle strain, team management announced Sunday (August 25, 2024).

Wood, whose career has been blighted by fitness issues, suffered the injury during Friday’s third day of England’s five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first Test at Old Trafford.

The 34-year-old express quick left the field just two balls into his 11th over.

He didn’t feature on Saturday (August 24) as England went 1-0 up in the three-match series by winning with more than a day to spare, although there were times, on a slow pitch, when they missed the point of difference provided by Wood’s speed.

Leicestershire’s 20-year-old left-arm paceman Josh Hull has received his first senior call-up to replace Wood in the squad for the remaining two Tests at Lord’s, starting on Thursday, and at The Oval commencing September 6.

The 6ft 7in (2 m) Hull has been a key figure in Leicestershire’s bowling attack of recent seasons and starred in their 2023 One-Day Cup final triumph.

Earlier this month, he made his debut for the second-string England Lions, taking 5-74 in a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

England already have another fast bowler in their squad in Olly Stone, who did not play in Manchester.

Regular captain Ben Stokes was ruled out of the series by a torn hamstring, with batsman Ollie Pope appointed as stand-in skipper.

Sri Lanka’s batters Sadeera Samarawickrama and Pathum Nissanka celebrate after Sri Lanka won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match against England, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, on October 26, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

England’s reign as the 50-over World Cup champion sunk into serious jeopardy as resolute fifties by Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama along with a set of on-the-money bowlers spurred tenacious Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory here on Thursday.

England, opting to bat first, suffered a baffling batting implosion and were bundled out for a paltry 156, courtesy the five wickets shared among themselves by comeback man Angelo Mathews (2/14) and impressive Lahiru Kumara (3/35).

Despite losing a couple of early wickets, Sri Lanka confidently finished their chase as Nissanka (77 off 83 balls) and Samarawickrama (65 off 54 balls) led the process with an unbroken 137-run stand for the third wicket.

With just two points from five matches, England retain a mere theoretical chance to make it to the semifinals, while the Islanders, who now have four points, can eye a few stronger outings in the remaining four matches.

England might have hoped for a miracle when they dismissed opener Kusal Perera and Lankan captain Kusal Mendis through left-arm pacer David Willey to reduce their opponents to 23 for 2.

But Nissanka and Samarawickrama, two of SL’s best ODI batters this year, combined to produce a solid partnership to ease Lanka’s nerves.

The right-handers are capable of elegance but with a victory very much in need the pair traded flair for compactness for a good part of their alliance.

Flashes of their natural batsmanship, though, were there. Samarawickrama delectably drove Wiley through the covers, while Nissanka waltzed down the track and smoked leg-spinner Adil Rashid over long-on for a huge six.

Nissanka brought up his fifty, his fourth in the tournament, with a flowing cover drive off pacer Mark Wood and Samarawickrama reached his second half-century of this edition with a wristy single to mid-wicket off Chris Woakes.

But otherwise, the Lankans batted within themselves and gathered runs in a determined fashion to keep England bowlers at bay.

And England lacked determination on the day. It was just a matter of a couple of batsmen sticking out in the middle for the Three Lions to reach a far better and competitive total.

But none barring Ben Stokes (43) and Dawid Malan (28) did not even remotely attempt to bat with purpose for a team that was playing in a must-win match.

There was a bit of spongy bounce on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium deck and the Lankan bowlers were accurate but the shambolic way in which the England batsmen played could not be shielded.

Opener Dawid Malan who milked 45 runs with his partner Jonny Bairstow, could be excused though.

Mathews, an injury replacement for pacer Matheesha Pathirana, put him in two minds with a delivery that bounced from the length just enough to take an edge off his bat to Mendis behind the stumps.

However, Malan during his 25-ball 28 showed that the pitch is not a hard one to bat on while essaying some gorgeous drives through the off-side.

Unfortunately, several subsequent batters were culpable of playing really poor cricket.

Joe Root got run out while taking off for a non-existing single, captain Jos Buttler made an expansive drive outside the off-stump off Kumara to get caught behind and Bairstow never timed the pull off Kasun Rajitha to find Dhananjaya de Silva at mid-on.

Liam Livingstone played the wrong line off Kumara to get trapped leg-before. Moeen Ali went for a cut off Mathews when there was no width on offer, and Kusal Perera snaffled the simple offering at point.

These were batsmen who were expected to lead England’s batting charge and they failed to respond.

Stokes did try on his own. He had the assistance of fortune as well when Samarawickrama floored a tough chance at point off Kumara when the all-rounder was on 12. England were 86 for 5 then.

The left-hander played some archetypal power-packed shots through either side of the wicket, but the day was not made for a one-man show.

His dismissal, caught by substitute Dushan Hemantha, at deep of Kumara, effectively ended England’s chances of posting a challenging total.

Rashid’s comical run out while backing up too far could be taken as a symbol of England’s drudges with the bat on the day.

But the inept batting display of England should not rob the Lankan bowlers of the just credit.

Kumara has the tendency to be all over the place but when he hits his lengths correctly, the right-arm pacer is a different beast who can hustle the batters.

And hustled England were indeed on the day by a vastly superior Lankan side.

Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews, during a practice session ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between Sri Lanka and England, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (KSCA), in Bengaluru on October 25, 2023.
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

Some cricketers never fade away. Fifteen years after his ODI debut, and with just three matches under his belt in the last two-and-a-half years, Angelo Mathews and his unwavering temperament are back.

The 36-year-old is in as an injury replacement for speedster Matheesha Pathirana and the 2023 edition of the World Cup will be his fourth for Sri Lanka. In a charming twist, the current skipper Kusal Mendis (standing-in for Dasun Shanaka) made his debut under Mathews in 2016.

Transformed man

“He’s evolved so much over the last five, six years,” Mathews said of Mendis, ahead of the encounter against England. “Now he’s showing his maturity [by] playing fearless cricket. I’ve played under so many different captains and they’ve also played under me. It’s a cycle. So playing under Kusal gives me pleasure.”

If Mathews makes the playing XI, his batting prowess and Mendis’ free-spiritedness will be crucial against England.

“It’s always a contest with the English. We know the brand of cricket they play and you got to be positive. If you take a backward step, they are going to jump on to you. You have to fight fire with fire.”

Not fading away

England’s Moeen Ali, on his part, hoped that the reigning ODI and T20 world champions’ competitive fire hadn’t been doused. “There are still a lot of players that can play for a long time,” the 36-year-old said when asked if this England side was on its last legs.

“There’s obviously a few of us who are a bit older, more than likely won’t make the next World Cup, but I don’t think it’s the end of anything. It could potentially be the start of something else.

“We’re still in the competition. We’ve got to win every game. But we know that we can do it.

“We’re obviously disappointed from the result [vs. South Africa]. Not just the result, but the way we played. But you’ve got to move on. Everything is a must-win and we’ve been in this position before, probably not to this degree. We have to get our confidence [back] and perform.”

England’s Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali, during a practice session ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between Sri Lanka and England, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (KSCA), in Bengaluru on October 25, 2023.
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

In the football World Cup, there are rungs of respectability for teams exiting the competition. You can suffer the ignominy of going out in the group-stage, the round-of-32, the round-of-16; or you can have the tags of an honourable quarterfinalist, a worthy semifinalist or a deserved finalist attached to your name.

Cricket World Cup, in contrast, is a boom or bust tournament. The difference between teams finishing fourth and fifth is a semifinal place and a group-stage ouster. On Thursday, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Sri Lanka and England will clash with the singular aim keeping alive their hopes of the former.

Unaffordable

Both Sri Lanka and England have lost three of their four matches thus far and sit seventh and eighth respectively in a 10-team World Cup. Keeping in mind the fact that they are yet to face table-topper India, neither can afford a loss.

England has to recover from a 229-run shellacking at the hands of South Africa. Its batting hasn’t clicked, skipper Jos Buttler has totalled less than 100 runs in four games and the bowling has been mauled by South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan alike. The feeling may well be that England can only go up from here, but it cannot take Sri Lanka lightly.

Proud record

The Island Nation hasn’t lost to England in any of the four World Cup games since the turn of the millennium. Last week’s five-wicket victory over the Netherlands may not be ideal preparation for Sri Lanka, but it would have certainly banished the bad memories from three chastening defeats.

The last time England visited the Chinnaswamy for ODIs back in 2011, it lost a match after scoring 327 (Ireland) and tied a match by scoring 338 (India). This World Cup, Sri Lanka has conceded 428 and 345-run totals. Another run fest looks likely and England would finally want to finish on the right side of it.