England v http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – 3rd ODI – First Innings Report
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 posted a competitive total of 246 runs for the loss of seven wickets on the board in their allotted 50 overs, against Sri Lanka in the third One Day International (ODI) at Lords, on July 3, 2011.
The home team’s captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alastair-Nathan-Cook-c42852 led his team from the front and scored a magnificent hundred under pressure to answer his critics in style.
Cook won the toss for England and decided to bat first in ideal batting conditions at the home of cricket, Lord’s. Both the teams decided to play unchanged squads for this match.
The home team was off to a poor start as they lost http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kevin-Peter-Pietersen-c71169 consolidated the innings for the Poms and avoided a disaster.
Pietersen looked threatening in his little cameo and played some stunning shots. However, he could not convert his start into a http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adam-Griffith-c919 knock and was dismissed by the leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis.
The English captain stayed at the crease while the wickets were tumbling at the other end. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ian-Ronald-Bell-c63974 showed some resistance as he scored 72 runs for the fifth wicket partnership along with his captain.
Cook was run out in the second last over of the innings but not before taking his team out of trouble as he scored 119 runs off 143 balls, in which he struck 13 fours.
Because of their captain’s efforts, England gave a challenging target of 247 runs to Sri Lanka.
Apart from Cook, the only other notable contributors were Pietersen, Bell and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Timothy-Thomas-Bresnan-c94089.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gordon-James-Muchall-c60376 away to the English batsmen in the middle overs.
England would be disappointed that they could not score more than 246 runs as the conditions in Lords were perfect for stroke-play with a quick outfield.
The visitors should not face much of a problem in chasing down this mediocre total. English bowlers will have to raise their game, if they are to give a tough time to the Islanders in the second innings.
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