Top

Jason Roy, Alex Hales break Tendulkar-Ganguly record

The duo went past Indian pair's record of 252-run opening stand as England defeated Sri Lanka.

Birmingham: Blistering hundreds by Jason Roy and Alex Hales hauled England to a crushing 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international at Edgbaston on Friday.

England, set a modest 255 for victory, finished on 256 without loss as they won with more than 15 overs to spare to go 1-0 up in the five-match series following Tuesday's tied opener at Trent Bridge.

Roy, named man-of-the-match after also completing two run-outs, was unbeaten on 112 at the finish, with Hales 133 not out as both batsmen recorded their highest scores at this level.

Their unbroken opening stand surpassed England's record ODI partnership of 250 set by Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott for the second wicket against Bangladesh at Edgbaston in 2010.

England's total was the highest scored by any side winning an ODI by 10 wickets, topping the 236 scored by New Zealand against Zimbabwe at Harare last year.

The English duo also scored most number of runs for the opening wicket against Sri Lanka. Roy and Haels, who stitched 256-run partnership, went past Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar’s 252-run opening stand. The Indian pair had achieved the feat in Colombo in 1998.

The victory on Friday also saw England win the inaugural multi-format Super Series, with Sri Lanka now unable to surpass their 13-3 points lead in the remaining three ODIs and lone Twenty20.

'Absolutely remarkable':

Friday's match was a day/night fixture but by the time Roy drove the winning four off Seekkugge Prasanna there was no need for the floodlights to be switched on.

"The chase was absolutely remarkable," said England captain Eoin Morgan.

"I've never experienced anything like that where we were so in control without being reckless."

Successive fours by Hales off leg-spinner Prasanna saw the Nottinghamshire opener to a 91-ball century.

It was the start of a thrilling sequence in which Hales scored 26 runs in five balls off Prasanna -- two fours followed by three sixes.

Hales was dropped on 126 but by then it hardly mattered.

Roy, a ball after surviving an lbw appeal on 99, drove Prasanna down the ground for six to go to a 92-ball century including six fours and four sixes.

"I am so stoked for the win," Roy told BBC Radio's Test Match Special.

England had collapsed to 82 for six on Tuesday but there was never any danger of a repeat at Edgbaston.

"Tuesday was a kick up the backside for the top order," said Hales.

"It (Friday) was one of those days where everything clicked for both of us."

Prasanna's 8.1 overs cost 78 runs, with Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews -- who suffered a hamstring injury at Trent Bridge -- not bowling.

"I'm disappointed I couldn't contribute with the ball," said Mathews.

"Our bowling was not penetrative enough on this wicket.

"Jason and Alex batted brilliantly. Getting 250 runs without losing a wicket was a fantastic achievement.

"We just need to forget about this as soon as possible," the all-rounder added.

Rashid on form -

Earlier, Adil Rashid took two quickfire wickets as England held Sri Lanka to 254 for seven after Mathews won the toss.

Leg-spinner Rashid, unlucky to go wicketless in a return of none for 36 in 10 overs at Trent Bridge, took two for 34.

Dinesh Chandimal (52), restricted by a hamstring injury during his innings, and Mathews (44), shared a fourth-wicket stand of 82 in front of a capacity crowd of just over 23,000 at a sunny Edgbaston.

But Rashid rocked Sri Lanka with two wickets for no runs in three balls.

Mathews fell when he top-edged a sweep to Liam Plunkett at short fine leg.

Then the big-hitting Prasanna, who made a rapid 59 on Tuesday, exited for just two when he skyed Rashid and David Willey, running round from mid-on, took a fine catch.

The hampered Chandimal compiled an 80-ball fifty but was run out in search of a non-existent single.

Chandimal's injury prevented him from keeping wicket.

Kusal Perera, one of several glovemen in Sri Lanka's squad, took over behind the stumps but missed a tough early chance to catch Hales.

The series continues in Bristol on Sunday.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )
Next Story