England v Sri Lanka 4th ODI: Hosts can claim low-scoring series win
Published:
Sam Barnard, Assistant Sports Editor | June 27, 2016
England v Sri Lanka
- Fourth One Day International of five
- Wednesday, June 29th
- Play starts: 13:00 BST
- The Oval, Kennington, London (Surrey CCC)
- Live on Sky Sports 2
Hosts to seal series
England have the chance to put Sri Lanka to the sword and wrap up the five-match ODI series with one match to spare, after just the Edgbaston encounter has counted so far.
A draw and an abandoned fixture last time out means that the hosts hold a 1-0 lead from the opening three, and Eoin Morgan’s men are heavily odds-on at 2/7 with Coral for a second victory.
While England were only able to face four overs in the third ODI before rain settled in, Liam Plunkett starred with the ball by taking the wickets of opener Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis and Seekkuge Prasanna.
The Yorkshire paceman, who hit a match-drawing six in the opening One Day game, certainly looks in confident mood and is a tasty 7/2 to be best bowler for the hosts at The Oval.
Plunkett was backed up by Chris Woakes, who continues to impress in all forms of the game, in the attack. The Warwickshire all-rounder also claimed three wickets in Bristol, and is 10/3 in the same market.
Yorkshire bowlers aplenty in England attack
Others hoping to impress include Plunkett’s Yorkshire teammates David Willey and Adil Rashid (both 10/3 too), as well as death-bowling specialist Chris Jordan (4/1).
Alex Hales will have been disappointed being dismissed for a golden duck last time out, especially after his simply brilliant century knock at Edgbaston. The opener is 7/2 to make amends and be best England batsman.
His opening partner and fellow hundred hitter in the second ODI Jason Roy, meanwhile, is next in the market at 4/1.
Joe Root is yet to really fire this summer in any form of the game, though hasn’t been given much of an opportunity in the past two One Day matches. Yorkshire’s finest tops the hosts’ batting betting at 3/1.
The likes of captain Morgan, Jonny Bairstow (both 11/2) and Jos Butler (6/1) also provide a strong line-up for Trevor Bayliss’ boys.
Lions looking to level series
As for Sri Lanka, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews remain key for their team, after both hitting fifties in the third ODI. Both have now managed half-centuries this series, and can be both backed at 7/2 to be best batsmen for the visitors.
If you fancy Chandimal, aiming for his third straight 50 at least, in an enhanced wincast then take tasty odds of 16/1.
Prasanna and Upul Tharanga have also managed decent knock this series, and are 14/1 and 8/1 respectively in the same market.
With the ball, only Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep (both 3/1 to be best Lions bowler) and Mathews (5/1) can really hold their heads reasonably high so far.
This will be the six encounter between the two teams on this pitch in ODIs, with England just ahead 3-2. However, the hosts have won alternatively and, having triumphed here last time out in 2014, Sri Lanka are 5/2 to level the series and set up a decider at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on July 2nd.
Related
Coral’s top tip: In-form Liam Plunkett is an enticing 7/2 to be top England bowler.
