Key events
4th over: England 23-1 (Salt 14, Bethell 2) It’s not a huge surprise that Buttler finds himself back in the pavilion, he looked out of sorts and out of touch. Bethell immediately seems more comfortable, pulling Wellalage hard for a single. Salt flambes him through the offside for four to finish the over.
WICKET! Buttler lbw Wellalage 7 (England 16-1)
Buttler hacks an unbalanced reverse sweep, misses and the ball clocks him on the thigh. He considers a review but Salt, I think, sends him on his way.
3rd over: England 13-0 (Salt 9, Buttler 4) Madushanka again. Buttler swipes and misses; swipes and misses again, feet fixed in concrete boots. The next ball beats him on the inside edge. He strains for a single from the last ball, by inelegantly fishing way outside off stump.
2nd over: England 13-0 (Salt 9, Buttler 4) Now Dunith Wellelage, all youthful slicked back hair and tucked in shirt. To the rhythmic drumming of the crowd, he wanders to the crease, left arm orthodox. Salt slams him over deep mid off for six, but Wellelage gets something from the over as his last ball rips and sticks. Apparently they had to bring the boundary in a little before play as the outfield was so soggy.
1st over: England 4-0 (Salt 2, Buttler 2) Dilshan Madushanka starts things off, long run up, left arm over. Salt pockets a single first ball, then Buttler plays out a couple of dot balls, gimlet eyes through his helmet, before getting off the mark behind square.
Salt and Buttler stride out, they look confident, but Buttler in particular is very short of his usual haul of runs.
In the battle of the anthems, a crushing win by Sri Lanka’s jaunty tune. The crowd, with parasol, flag and face paint, sing along enthusiastically.
More news from Simon, who has become something of a banana expert on his trip.
“Sri Lanka has the most incredible range of bananas. Not the single variety we have to put up with in the UK. Stubby, stocky ones like a trucker’s thumb. Thin, slender ones like a princess’s ring finger. Small, cute ones like your child’s hand on the first day of primary school. Red ones, green ones, yellow ones.
“Basic shops might have six or eight varieties. I went to one the other day and asked for their best banana. I got a 20-minute tutored tasting and then bought an enormous bunch of slender ring-finger bananas – hugely intense flavour, a sledgehammer of a banana – for about 40p.”
Sky have roped in Moeen Ali as commentator and he’s quite charming – and somehow looks unruffled in a long sleeved grey polo shirt in the high humidity of Pallekele.
England team
England are unchanged:
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid
Sri Lanka team
Sri Lanka make two changes, with Dushmantha Chameera and Kamil Mishara coming in.
Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Dunith Wellelage, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera.
Sri Lanka won the toss and will bowl!
“We’ve been chasing well so, I’m very happy,” says Dasun Shanaka, “and very confident.”
Birthday boy Harry Brook would have fielded too, but he looks happy enough. “We’ve got to be brave and take them on.”
He also has news of England’s best player – Sam Curran. “Curran has warmed up with strapping on his right leg. Wasn’t stopping him bowling. He was wearing it the other day also, probably no big deal”
Our man on the ground, Simon Burnton, has been in touch with the most important report of all – the weather. He reports:
“Sunshine! Last night Kandy was on the receiving end of an extraordinary 10-hour thunderstorm, and the chances of this game being played felt very slim. Yet here we are. It’s a glorious, unpredictable world.”
Yesterday, the opening Super Eight match between New Zealand and Pakistan at Colombo was washed out without a ball bowled, with both sides taking one point.
Good morning! After skirting around the edges of the tournament for a few weeks, here, at last, be monsters.
England find themselves in Super Eights Group runners up, which also includes New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with previous points pocketed no longer counting for anything.
Today, they play Sri Lanka at the familiar Pallekele Cricket Stadium. England have the numbers on their side, easily beating Sri Lanka here three times in the pre-tournament muscle-flexing, and have won the last 11 T20s between the two sides. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have the advantage of an enthused home crowd and the perky pill of having taken down Australia here a week ago – thanks to their hand of spinners and the dangerous Pathum Nissanka.
Neither side covered themselves in glory during the group stages, Sri Lanka losing to Zimbabwe; and England limping over the line against Italy and Nepal. Now, though, they say they’re primed, or, in the words of Jacob Bethell: “ready to go out there and give it the full shebang”.
Shebang or shemozzle, play is due to start at 9.30am GMT, do join us.