Rampant Roy blasts England to series triumph
Jason Roy’s magnificent 162 off 118 balls, with 13 fours and three sixes, helped England canter to a six-wicket win on the Duckworth-Lewis method in the fourth One-Day International at The Oval against Sri Lanka and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series on Wednesday (June 29).
The opener batted like a man possessed as he hammered the second highest individual one-day score by an England batsman. The match was reduced to 42-overs-per-side due to rain, but the gloom of the South London skies was lifted by Roy’s strokeplay.
His second hundred in three ODIs helped England hunt down the revised victory target of 308 in just 40.1 overs. It was the home side’s second highest successful one-day run chase. Sri Lanka had earlier posted 305 for 5 in 42 overs on the back of four half-centuries after being put in by Eoin Morgan.
Roy was bowled by Nuwan Pradeep with England in touching distance of victory, falling just five runs short of surpassing the highest score by an England batsman. The record remains with Robin Smith for his 167 not out against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993.
Although Roy was the star of the day, he was well supported by Joe Root, who returned to form with a brisk 65 after having gone six games with just one score over 11.
A back injury to Alex Hales during Sri Lanka’s innings meant Moeen Ali came out to open with Roy, but the makeshift opener was dismissed as early as the fourth over. Needing more than seven an over with the skies still dark and threatening to rain again, Roy ensured England was always up with the required rate.
He and Root put on a 149-run second wicket partnership to keep the bowlers at bay for quite a while, but the latter’s top-edged sweep saw him caught by Nuwan Pradeep off Danushka Gunathilaka. Morgan then fell, superbly caught by the diving Gunathilaka, for 22 off Suranga Lakmal with England on 221 for 3 in the 27th over.
Roy departed soon after bringing up his 150, but Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler remained unbeaten to take England across the line with 11 balls to spare.
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s batting came good with four of its players hitting half-centuries, despite losing Kusal Perera in the second over.
Morgan chose to field first and may have wondered whether he made the right call as Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis put on 128 for the second wicket off just 111 balls. Mendis struck 13 boundaries in his 77 while Gunathilaka was also aggressive with seven fours in his 62.
But, with Sri Lanka on 127 for 1 from 18.1 overs, steady rain forced the players off the field for a two and a half-hour delay.
England clawed its way back with Adil Rashid grabbing the wickets of Mendis (77) and Gunathilaka (62), but the in-form Dinesh Chandimal (63) and Angelo Matthews (67 not out), the captain, rallied and helped Sri Lanka put up 305 for 5 from 42 overs.
England’s target was revised up by just three runs, but with Roy in a punishing mood, the home side coasted to an easy victory.
The teams will meet in the fifth and final ODI in Cardiff on Saturday.
(Courtesy: International Cricket Council)
