Tom Curran shines before washout seals England series win

BRISTOL, England, July 4 (Reuters) – Tom Curran picked up four middle-order wickets as England bowled Sri Lanka out for 166 in the third one-day international before the game was abandoned due to rain in Bristol on Sunday.

The washout meant the hosts, who enjoyed a 3-0 series sweep in the Twenty20s, won the 50-over series 2-0.

“We’re delighted with the series win, and more so today with the way we started,” England captain Eoin Morgan said.

“We looked to be aggressive, create pressure and create opportunities. We’re delighted that we continued to be ruthless and disciplined in the nature that we showed.”

Sam Curran captured five wickets to inspire England’s victory at The Oval three days ago and it was his older brother Tom who finished with 4-35 as the tourists were bundled out in the 42nd over.

Sri Lanka again failed to make a solid start with the bat as captain Kusal Perera and fellow opener Avishka Fernando were removed by the new-ball attack of Chris Woakes and David Willey in the opening six overs.

Pathum Nissanka’s stint at the crease was also short-lived as he was caught behind off Willey, while Dhananjaya de Silva clipped a Woakes bouncer straight to deep fine-leg.

The touring side were tottering at 50-4 when Tom Curran was brought into the attack and he soon removed Oshada Fernando for his first ODI wicket since March.

Wanindu Hasaranga was next to play a rash shot, holing out to a short ball for the third time in the series to give Curran his second wicket.

All-rounder Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne adopted a cautious approach to add 29 runs for the seventh wicket, before Curran returned in overcast conditions.

The Surrey bowler used a scrambled seam to force an edge from Karunaratne’s bat, which was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow diving to his right.

Curran then removed Binura Fernando to cap off a finebowling display.

Shanaka was unbeaten on 48 but ran out of partners as Asitha Fernando was run out by Sam Billings before the rain came down.

“It is disappointing. We sort of knew there was a bit of rain, but I didn’t quite think it was going to come down that hard, that quickly, but it was nice to contribute with a few wickets,” Tom Curran said.

England face Pakistan on Thursday in the first of three ODIs. A three-match T20 series follows.

Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Ed Osmond

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