SOUTHAMPTON: England cricket team clean-swept the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka after the Eoin Morgan-led team won the third T20I at the Rose Bowl in Southampton by 89 runs on Saturday. After being asked to bat first by Sri Lanka captain Kusal Perera, England saw a sensational batting performance from openers Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan who scored 105 runs for the first wicket. While Bairstow smashed 51 runs in 43 balls, Malan hammered 76 runs in 48 balls to help England’s total to 180-6. In reply, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals as David Willey picked up three wickets while left-arm seamer Sam Curran registered figures of 14-2 in his four overs. In the end, the target proved too much for Sri Lanka to chase down and they could were bundled out for 91 in 18.5 overs. “We know it was always going to be tough but the batting has not been upto the mark. We are not used to the pace and bounce and the execution was not great and we need to have good back-up plans facing a team like this. We have to take responsibility and play to our strengths and that’s the best way to approach these kinds of situations,” Perera said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Always nice to score runs and when you get a start like that, just keep it going. To get that partnership set us up nicely towards the end and we always thought 180 was a good score. Opening is the place, breaking into this team is tough enough and I’m just happy to fill in the spot. We know how we want to play as a team and it is something that we talk about and there’s obviously criticism sometimes but Morgs (Morgan) backs us to play the way we do. When I do get criticism I do like to go out and show what I’ve got to people who got opinions. If people think I’m good enough (to play Test cricket) and be selected I’d be glad to do it,” Malan, who was named as the man of the match, added. The two teams will play three ODIs following this, the first of which will be played at Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on June 29th.