ENG vs SL 2nd T20I Commentary - Cardiff (24 June 2021)

SIX! Curran finishes it off in style! He skips down the track, gets to the pitch of it and lofts it over the long on fence for a biggie. ENGLAND WIN THE GAME BY 5 WICKETS AND THE SERIES 2-0! 

FOUR! Cracked away! Just a big hit needed now! This is short and wide outside off, it is slapped through covers for a boundary. 

Full and on the pads, Curran works it through square leg for one. 

Two is the call but Sam says no! Livingstone comes down the track and works it with soft hands on the leg side. He takes one quickly but there is only one in it. 

Doing it in singles now! Just three needed as the 100 comes up! On middle, this is pushed down to long on for one. 

Another one! Liam guides it down to third man and gets to the other end. 

SCORES LEVEL! A short one on middle, Curran pulls and it goes through square leg. He retains strike and has the chance to hit the winning run. 

OH DEAR! Wanindu Hasaranga can't believe it. Loopy ball, outside off. Sam Billings gets low looking for the sweep but misses as the ball zips past the off pole. That was close.

FOUR LEG BYES! A loopy ball, full and on the pads. Billings looks to sweep again but misses as the ball clips the pads and rolls towards the fence at fine leg. Leg bye given.

OUT! TIMBER! Wanindu Hasaranga kept  bowling at the stumps and finally gets his man. An important breakthorugh for the Islanders as this partnership was growing. Tossed up, on off, Billings stays back and looks to cut it away, but misses and the ball goes onto disturb the stumps. Wanindu Hasaranga is delighted.

On off, kept out.

Floated on off, Curran flicks it through mid-wicket for a couple.

Tossed up, around middle, Curran nudges it to mid-wicket for a single. 10 needed from 18.

A length ball, on middle Liam Livingstone flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! BANG! Back of a length ball, outside off, Billings stays in his crease and slashes it through the cover region for a boundary.

On off, kept out.

A touch short on off, Billings pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.

SIX! This is huge. What a shot. A full length ball, around middle, Livingstone moves across and flicks it huge, flicks it all the way into the stands at fine leg for a maximum.

A length ball,  on off, Livingstone pushes it to cover.

 Loopy ball, on off, Livingstone pushes it to long on for a single. 

Floated on off, Billings drives it to cover.

Floated, on off, Sam Billings pushes it to the on side for another single.

Flatter on off, Liam Livingstone drives it to cover for another single.

Floated on off, Sam Billings drives it to cover for a couple.

On off, Billings keeps it out solidly. 29 from 30 balls. 

Back of a length, outside off, Liam Livingstone taps it to point.

A full length ball, on middle, Liam Livingstone clips it thorugh fine leg for a couple.

2 runs. Back of a length ball, on off, Liam Livingstone clips it through mid-wicket for another couple.

Full and on off, Livinstone pushes it to mid off for a single.

Good length ball, on off, Billings pushes it through point for another single.

Length ball,, on the pads, Liam Livingstone flicks it to deep mid-wicket and gets a single. And now the umpires decide to stop the play as the rain increases.

Floated on off, Livingstone goes after the new bowler straightaway. He sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Loopy ball, on off, Billings comes down the track and flicks it through mid-wicket for a couple.

On off, Billings pulls it to mid-wicket for a single.

Tossed up, on off, Livingstone stays back and punches it to the offside for a single. Oh no, there is a little drizzle over the ground now.

Floated full and on off, Billings comes down and flicks it to the leg side for another single.

On off, Liam Livingstone pushes it to cover for another single. The rain has increased. The umpires have a talk and decide to go on with the game. 

On the body, Billings looks to pull but gets hit on the body. 

Another dot! Short and outside off, Billings looks to pull but misses. 

Brilliant from the bowler! On middle, this is worked on the leg side with soft hands. Fernando hares after it and keeps it down to one. 

WIDE! Short and down the leg side. Liam leaves it alone. Wided. 

Just a single again as Liam works it towards mid-wicket. 

Another easy run! On middle, this is worked around the corner for one. 

On the body, this is flicked towards square leg for one more. 

On off, this is pushed down to long off for one. 

On middle, this too is pushed down to long on for one. 

Shorter and on off, this is pushed to covers. 

Almost drags it on! Shorter and on off, this one stays a touch low. Liam looks to flick but this one stays low. It goes off the inside edge and just goes past the off pole and hits the pad of the keeper. 

Three! Short and outside off, Liam cuts it through point for three. 

Fifty up for England! On middle, this is worked through mid-wicket for one. 

Solid again! On off, Liam blocks it out. 

Liam comes down the track and this is bowled short and on the body, this is worked down to fine leg for one. 

FOUR! Welcome boundary for England! Not good from Udana. He bowls it a little short, this is pulled througyh mid-wicket and it races away to the fence. 

Goes back to bowling length and on off, this is pushed to covers. 

Short again, this is pulled again but not off the middle through square leg for one. 

Another single as this is guided down to third man. 

On middle, this is worked through mid-wicket for one. 

FOUR! Innovation comes out and it is nailed! The reverse sweep is out and it is hit powerfully through point for a boundary. 

OUT! TAKEN! Roy goes now! Not sure if this shot is actually needed and once again the new bowler strikes moments after coming on. Roy looks to go after the leggie. He comes down the track and looks to go over mid on. He does not time it and it is taken by the fielder there. England in a spot of bother now. 

On middle, this is worked to mid-wicket. 

A single as this is pushed down to long on. 

On middle, defended. A superb over to begin with by Hasaranga.

A little bit of confusion but a single! On middle, this is worked towards mid-wicket. The two batters hesitate at first but then go for the run and complete it. 

OUT! TAKEN! Morgan is now a goner and Udana strikes as soon as he comes into the attack! This is Morgan's strength but seen him be dismissed quite a few times like this. Short and outside off, Morgan cuts but straight to point who takes a sharp catch. Sri Lanka still in this one. 

Outside off, left alone. 

Good length again and on off, Billings looks to defend but gets an inside edge, it goes on the leg side. 

Back of a length and on off, blocked.

A single to end then! Sri Lanka still in the game after the first 6. England are 31 for 3. On off, this is guided through point for one. 

FOUR! SMOKED! A touch short, on off, Roy skips down the track and cuts it through the cover region for a boundary.

A length ball, on off, Roy stays back and punches it through point for a couple.

Full length ball, on off, Roy drives it to the left of mid on. Kusal Perera dives to his left to make an excellent stop and saves a few runs for his side. Single taken.

On off, kept out.

WIDE! A full length delivery, down the leg side, Morgan looks to flick it but misses. But, wait a minute. Niroshan Dickwella collects the ball and throws it in the air, he thought there was a nick. The umpire, on the other hand, signals a wide, leaving Dickwella confused. He his insisting to his team-mates that he heard some noise, but not enough to go for the review. The replays show that the ball clips the pad on it's way.

FOUR! Punched away! A nice comeback by Morgan. A good length ball, on off, Morgan slashes it through cover for a boundary.

On off, pushed to cover.

A length ball, on off, Roy defends it solidly.

On off, Roy is solid in his defense.

Back of a length ball, around middle, Roy skips down the track and pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.

Good length ball, outside off, Morgan has no interest in chasing it.

A length delivery, on the fourth stump line. Morgan punches it through cover for a couple. 

FOUR! Well played. This time he gets the connection he was looking for. Serves a full length ball, outside off, Morgan leans in and drives it through cover for a boundary.

BEATEN! A  good length ball, outside off, the ball takes off after hitting the deck. Roy swings his blade but misses. The ball bounces over the blade and a good take by Niroshan Dickwella behind the stumps.

A length ball, on middle, Roy tucks it to square leg for a single.

WIDE! A length ball, down the leg. Malan looks to flick but misses. Wide given.

OUT! LBW! THREE REDS AND MALAN IS A GONER! A wise decision by Kusal Perera to go for the review and it pays off. And this time Chameera gets himself on the wicket sheet. Fires in a full length delivery, on the pads. the balls stays low. Malan looks to flicks it but misses and gets rapped on the pads. There is a huge appeal for LBW but the umpire says no. Maybe, it is going down leg. The skipper takes the review with one second on the timer. The Ultra Edge shows that there is no bat involved. The Ball Tracker though shows three red and Malan has to depart. Two wickets in quick succession for Sri Lanka.

A length ball, on off, Morgan drives it to cover for a single.

A length ball, outside off, Roy reaches out and pushes it to cover for another single.

Outside off, left alone. 

A good length ball, around the hips. Roy nudges it to the leg side and takes a single.

OUT! TIMBER! A dream start for Sri Lanka, as Jonny Bairstow departs on a duck. Fernando finds the breakthrough on his second ball. An inswinger does the trick.Serves a length ball on off, coming back in, Bairstow looks to heave it away but misses. The ball finds the gap and goes through to disturb the stumps. The pitch is tricky out here and the bowlers can capitalise on it.

A length ball, outside off, left alone.

A length ball, outside off, this one stays low after pitching. Malan looks to push it out but misses.

FOUR! Malan gets off the mark with a boundary. A touch short, way outside off, Malan moves across and cuts it through cover-point for a boundary.

A length ball, on off, Malan looks to defend and gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Starts with a beauty! On a length, outside off, nips away. Jason Roy looks to defend but misses as the ball beats the outside edge.

A full length ball, on off, Roy defends it off the toe end to cover.

Play and a miss! An outswinger, outside off, Roy comes forward as he looks to play at it but misses. Whereas, the ball moves away.

Full length ball, on leg, Roy follows the line of the delivery and flicks it through mid-wicekt for a single.

A length ball, outside off, Bairstow looks to defend but misses.

BEAUTY! A good length ball, outside off, Jonny Bairstow is beaten again, as he misses his defense. A great positive start for Dushmantha Chameera and the Lankans.