England A succumb to Sri Lanka

A Team Triangular Series, Colombo:
Sri Lanka A 225 beat England A 166 by 59 runs

Match scorecard

TRIANGULAR SERIES TABLE Pakistan A P3 W3 L0 Pts 17 RR 1.53 Sri Lanka A P4 W1 L3 Pts 8 RR -0.19 England A P3 W1 L2 Pts 5 RR -1.14

A weak batting performance from England A saw them crash to a 59-run defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka A at Colombo's Colts Cricket Club ground.

The defeat relegates them to last place in the table and needing to topple unbeaten Pakistan on Sunday to deprive Sri Lanka A of a berth in the final.

David Harrison took 4-36 as the hosts were dismissed for 225.

But only Owais Shah (55) made any impact with the bat as England's chase was snuffed out in the 41st over.

Disappointed England A captain Ian Bell said: "There were no excuses - it was a fantastic wicket to bat on.

"We should have knocked off the runs pretty easily but we gave our wickets away.

"We have let ourselves down rather than Sri Lanka beating us.

"The individuals have to look at their own performances because there are selectors out here looking out for people to play this summer or in the World Cup.

"There are opportunities for people who do well."

Sri Lanka A won the toss and were indebted to good scores from Saman Jayantha (45) and Russel Arnold (42) after opener Michael Vandort was caught behind off Harrison for three.

Contributions from Prasanna Jayawardene (28) and Malintha Gajanayake (35) in the middle-order ensured the score ticked along.

At 206-5 with five overs remaining, a score of at least 240 was on the cards but Harrison and his seam-bowling colleagues had a good finale.

Jon Lewis finished with 1-27 off 10 overs while Sajid Mahmood took 2-24 to dismiss the Sri Lankans with two balls remaining.

When England A batted, Vikram Solanki and Matt Prior both fell with the score on 23 before Shah and Bell added 40 in 12 overs.

Malinga Bandara then struck to have Bell caught behind for 17 - unbelievably the second-best score in the England innings.

Bandara had two further wickets as too many batsmen got a start and then immediately got out.

And off-spinner Suraj Mohamed (3-40) helped see off the middle-to-lower order to play his part in Sri Lanka A's first win of the tournament.

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Sri Lanka A: M G Vandort, W S Jayantha, W M G Ramyakumara, J Mubarak, R P Arnold, P N Ranjith, H A P W Jayawardene, C M Bandara, M K Gajanayake, M M M Suraj, C R D Fernando.

England A: V S Solanki, M J Prior, I R Bell, O A Shah, R Clarke, A N Cook, A P R Gidman, G P Swann, D S Harrison, S I Mahmood, J Lewis.