Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Sri Lanka opener Lahiru Thirimanne and wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara both scored centuries to help their side manhandle England and win by nine wickets in Wellington.

However, England batsman Joe Root deserves a lot of credit for his career-best knock of 121.

England captain Eoin Morgan would have been pleased with his decision to bat first after Moeen Ali and Ian Bell amassed a 62-run partnership before Ali was caught by Suranga Lakmal at mid-off off the bowling of Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews for 15.

Gary Ballance only made six runs before he was caught and bowled by Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Bell ended up falling one agonising run short of his half-century as he was clean bowled by Lakmal.

Morgan and Root stabilised the innings with a 60-run partnership, during which Root brought up his half-century, before Morgan was caught by Dilshan at point off the bowling of Thisara Perera for 27.

Root and James Taylor kept the runs flowing with a 98-run partnership, during which Root registered his fourth ODI century, before Taylor was caught by Dilshan at point off the bowling of Lasith Malinga for 25.

Root went on to score a career-best 121, which came off 108 balls and included 14 boundaries and two sixes, before he was given out lbw off the bowling of Rangana Herath.

Root reviewed the decision straight away, but replays showed that the ball was pitching in line and going on to clip leg stump. This led to the third umpire upholding the original decision.

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Thanks to Jos Buttler’s quickfire 39, England finished on 309/6 off their 50 overs.

Malinga, Perera, Dilshan, Mathews, Herath and Lakmal picked up one wicket apiece.

Chasing 310 to win, Sri Lanka got off to a magnificent start as Dilshan and Thirimanne put together a 100-run partnership, during which Thirimanne registered his half-century, before Dilshan was caught by Morgan at short midwicket off the bowling of Ali for 44.

Thirimanne and Sangakkara finished things off with an unbeaten 212-run partnership, during which Sangakkara recorded his 23rd ODI century and Thirimanne his fourth, to lead Sri Lanka to victory.

Thirimanne ended up making a career-best 139, which came off 143 balls and included 13 boundaries and two sixes, while Sangakkara remained undefeated on 117 off 86 deliveries, which included 11 boundaries and two sixes.

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Ali was the only bowler to take a wicket.

Morgan was disappointed with his side’s performance, and said: “We certainly lost it with the ball. We had a par score on the board. Joe Root batted beautifully. I was happy at half time. Sri Lanka had seven or eight overs where they bowled really well, but we ended well. We were happy with the score. We were flexible in our batting order, but we thought it was right to send James when he went in. Today we bowled a bad ball every over, which you get punished for. We have got variations, two tall bowlers, two swing bowlers. When we are bowling well, it is a good attack. You can pick it apart when they are not. Today they didn’t.”

Mathews was pleased to have won, and said: “Brilliant performance. 310 was a bit too much but brilliant batting by Sangakkara and Thirimanne. Two of the greatest knocks I have seen. If the bowlers fail, the batters need to step up. That’s what we want. Two of the areas we need to improve on is the fielding and bowling at the death.”

Sangakkara was named Man of the Match, and said: “Pretty good. Credit should go to the openers. They had a great start. Thiri batted out of his skin. We were getting 5.5-6 an over throughout. It was just a case of batting long. It is always imposing when someone scores 300. Joe Root batted beautifully, but then again there are days like this. Getting old. Quite quickly. Still enjoying the game [About retiring after the Cup]. Thiri has batted from No. 1 to No. 9 for us. To watch him get that hundred was quite special.”