Kumar Sangakkara’s first century at Lord’s laid the platform for Sri Lanka’s nail-biting and series-levelling win against England in the fourth one-day international on Saturday.
Just days after being shot out for 67 in a 10-wicket defeat at Old Trafford, Sri Lanka made 9-300 after losing the toss.
Sangakkara’s 112, his first hundred at Lord’s in any format, was the centrepiece of the innings, the classy left-hander joining with Tillakaratne Dilshan (71) to put on 172 for the second wicket. In contrast, the pair managed just 15 runs between them in Manchester.
England needed what would have been their joint second-highest total to win but Lasith Malinga reduced the hosts to 2-10, removing captain Alastair Cook and Ian Bell cheaply.
But Jos Buttler, who came to the crease with England in dire straits at 5-111, brought the hosts back into the match with a brilliant maiden ODI hundred, the fastest ever scored at Lord’s.
Together with Ravi Bopara (51), the man-of-the-match shared a sixth-wicket stand of 133 that left England eyeing a remarkable win…
South Africa Today – Sport Cricket