Rain has final say as Hales goes from hero to zero

Monday, 27 June 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Untitled-1 A match official walks across a covered pitch as rain forces the match to be called off in the third one day international (ODI) cricket match between England and Sri Lanka at Bristol cricket ground in Bristol, south-west England - AFP

Bristol (AFP): England were left 1-0 up with two to play after rain meant the third one-day international in their five-match series against Sri Lanka ended in a no result at Bristol on Sunday.

Chasing a target of 249 for victory, England were 16 for one off four overs when rain stopped play.

A minimum of 20 overs needed to be bowled in the second innings for a result to be declared under the Duckworth/Lewis method for rain-affected matches.

But the players were still off the field when the umpires abandoned the match at 5:30pm local time (1630 GMT).

On Friday, Sri Lanka had 34.1 overs in the field without any success as England won the second ODI at Edgbaston by 10 wickets to go 1-0 up in the five-match series after Tuesday’s tie at Trent Bridge.

At Edgbaston, England openers Jason Roy (112 not out) and Alex Hales (133 not out) both posted their ODI best scores in an unbroken stand of 256.

It was a very different story for Hales at the County Ground on Sunday when he fell for nought off the first ball he faced when caught behind chasing a wide delivery from Suranga Lakmal.

Earlier, Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett both took three wickets apiece as Sri Lanka were held to 248 for nine after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss.

All-rounder Woakes had fine figures of three for 34 in his maximum 10 overs, including two wickets with his last two balls, after fast bowler Plunkett made early inroads on his way to three for 46.

Three Sri Lanka batsmen - Dinesh Chandimal (62), captain Angelo Mathews (56) and Kusal Mendis (53) - all made fifties.

But the trio all fell going for big legside shots, with Sri Lanka’s total looking well below par.

England had a wicket just five balls into Sunday’s match when Danushka Gunathilaka played on to left-arm quick David Willey when trying to leave the ball.

Kusal Perera fell for nine when he got a top edge off Plunkett and wicket-keeper Jos Buttler held a skyer.

First-change Plunkett had now taken a wicket with his second ball on Sunday after striking with this third delivery on Friday.

Mendis pulled all-rounder Chris Jordan, recalled in place of off-spinner Moeen Ali, for four and six off successive deliveries.

But Mendis was out for his ODI best score when he holed out off Plunkett to Hales at deep mid-wicket.

Mathews, like Chandimal troubled by a hamstring problem, drove Plunkett down the ground for six.

Chandimal completed a 65-ball fifty but then, trying to hit Woakes legside, got a thick edge straight to Jordan at third man.

That was the end of a fourth-wicket stand of 80 with Mathews, who later skyed a pull off Jordan to Buttler.

Woakes ended his spell by having Farveez Maharoof caught in the deep and next ball bowling Upul Tharanga (40) middle stump.

The series continues with a day/night match at The Oval in south London on Wednesday.