Cook blitzed his way to an entertaining 71
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Essex opener Alastair Cook and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes both scored spectacular half-centuries to help Essex stun Sri Lanka by 22 runs in a rain-affected showdown in Chelmsford.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews decided to bowl first, but after just two overs, the heavens parted and the match was reduced to 21 overs a side due a lengthy delay.
When play resumed, Sri Lanka drew first blood as Essex skipper Mark Pettini was caught by Thisara Perera off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal for just eight runs.
Greg Smith only made one run before he was clean bowled by Lakmal.
Ravi Bopara failed to trouble the scorers as he was given out lbw off the bowling of Dhammika Prasad for a duck.
Cook and Foakes stabilised the innings with an 82-run partnership, during which Foakes brought up his half-century, before he was caught by Ashan Priyanjan off the bowling of Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Foakes’ brilliant knock of 51 came off 31 balls and included four boundaries and two sixes.
Foakes hammered four boundaries and two sixes during his knock of 51
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Cook ended up scoring 71 off 49 deliveries, which included four boundaries and two sixes, before he was caught by Lakmal off the bowling of Prasad.
Thanks to Cook and Foakes, Essex finished on 161/5 off their 21 overs.
Lakmal and Prasad took two wickets apiece, while Dilshan chipped in with one.
Chasing 169 to win via the Duckworth-Lewis method, Sri Lanka got off to a horrible start as opening batsman Kusal Perera was given out lbw off the bowling of Oliver Newby for four runs.
Mahela Jayawardene only made six runs before he was caught behind off the bowling of Newby.
Dilshan managed to make 22 runs before he was clean bowled by Monty Panesar.
Lahiru Thirimanne scored five runs before he was cleaned up by Smith.
Mathews amassed 19 runs before he was caught by Cook off the bowling of Smith.
Thisara Perera fared no better as he was caught behind off the bowling of Reece Topley for 13.
Dinesh Chandimal was the top-scorer as he smashed a quickfire 31 before he was caught by Panesar to become Newby’s third victim of the match.
Priyanjan only made 10 runs before he was given out lbw off the bowling of Panesar.
Prasad mustered one run before he was caught by Bopara off the bowling of debutant Matt Salisbury.
Sri Lanka eventually finished on 146/9 off their 21 overs, leaving them 22 runs short of their target.
Newby was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Smith and Panesar snapped up two wickets apiece and Topley and Salisbury claimed one wicket each.