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Eoin Morgan’s men return to Wellington’s Westpac stadium for the fixture, scene of a humiliating eight-wicket loss to New Zealand on February 20. That defeat, a day-nighter in which England folded so quickly that ground staff did not need to turn on the floodlights, followed a 111-run drubbing by Australia in their opening match. [caption id=“attachment_2129251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Joe Root became England’s youngest centurion in World Cups. Getty[/caption] A subsequent win over minnows Scotland was greeted with relief rather than jubilation, and opening batsman Moeen Ali said England needed to make a statement against Sri Lanka. Ali said victory against the 1996 champions would restore the battered self-belief of the team, which has been flayed in the British media. “(It’s) a very important game, if we can win that it will give the team a lot more confidence of being a very good one-day side and a major side in the competition.” he said. Sri Lanka made a shaky start to their own campaign, suffering a 98-run loss to New Zealand and a real scare against Afghanistan. But they clicked in a 92-run win over Bangladesh last Thursday which included centuries for Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara. Sri Lanka defeated England 5-2 on home soil late last year in a series that prompted Morgan’s predecessor Alastair Cook to be axed as one-day captain. But paceman Steve Finn said England would not be dwelling on that series as conditions in Wellington would be completely different: “We got beat by Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka so it’s important we go out there and try to stamp our authority in conditions that should favour us,” he said. Finn said England’s poor start meant they were treating all their remaining pool fixtures – against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan – as must wins: “It’s very important for us and these three games are almost each like a quarter-final, but we thrive on that sort of pressure and hopefully it will bring the best out of us.” After three matches, England are placed beneath Bangladesh and Afghanistan on the Pool A table. A loss to Sri Lanka would leave them facing an early exit if the group throws up any upset results. Sunday’s match will be Sri Lanka’s third in eight days, having played Afghanistan last Sunday and Bangladesh on Thursday. Former Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan said the schedule was “not ideal” preparation for a dangerous encounter against an England side keen to prove a point. But he said Sri Lanka’s batting looked “ominous” against Bangladesh and sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga finally appeared to be finding form: “He looked much more like his old self, his bowling had some of that old zip about it and that is a great sign for a team that really needs him to fire,” he said.
World Cup, England vs Sri Lanka as it happened: Thirimanne, Sangakkara tons destroy England
England return to Wellington’s Westpac stadium for the fixture, scene of a humiliating eight-wicket loss to New Zealand on February 20.
 "World Cup, England vs Sri Lanka as it happened: Thirimanne, Sangakkara tons destroy England")
Sri Lanka are the 1st team in WC history to chase down a target of 300+ loss of just 1 wkt & the 2nd after India (v Aus 2013) in ODIs #CWC15
— Cricket Records (@cricinfo_record) March 1, 2015
That’s it! Sri Lanka beat England by 9 wickets
Thirimanne finishes it off in style as he clobbers Woakes over long on. He pumps his fist in the air. SL have won this with 16 balls to spare. What a performance! Root lead the way with a century but then Thirimanne and Sangakkara went one step further to win it comprehensively. Sri Lanka have achieved the highest successful run-chase at Wellington.
If England played Pakistan right now, I'm pretty sure both sides would lose.
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) March 1, 2015
After 46 overs, Sri Lanka 300/1 (Thirimanne (131, Sangakkara 114)
Taylor drops Thirimanne at deep mid-wicket and it rolsl over for a boundary. Thirimanne then upper cuts the next ball for a boundary. This is getting embarrasing for England. 300 up in the 46th over. Sri Lanka need 10 runs from 24 balls. The 200-run stand comes up too.
After 44 overs, Sri Lanka 279/1 (Sangakkara 111, Thirimanne 118)
37 runs off the last five overs. Three fours in that period, two from Sanga and one from Thirimanne. They are just coasting along and milking the England bowling. They need just 31 from 36 balls.
England’s Plan A: Batting collapse, and lose. Plan B: Score 300 and lose. Eagerly awaiting Plan C.
— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) March 1, 2015
CENTURY for Sangakkara!
Sangakkara gets to his hundred off just 70 balls. 10 fours & two sixes so far. Back-to-back tons for the legend. He is unstoppable.
They're givin a loose ball 2 Sanga every over.Like those wild animals which agreed 2 send food to the lion for not hunting #ENGvSL #CWC15
— The Furred Umpire (@TheFurredUmpire) March 1, 2015
STAT ALERT: SL 246-1. Since being 51-4 against Afghanistan, SL have scored 763 for 4.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 1, 2015
After 39 overs, Sri Lanka 242.1 (Thirimanne 100, Sangakkara 92)
What a Batting Powerplay for Sri Lanka – 54/0 during that period. Staggeringly, Sangakkara has hit all the boundaries in that over. 6 fours and a six from him. He’s jsut gone berserk and playing a wonderful innings, he’s raced on to 92. He hit three consecutive fours off Woakes in the last over of the Powerplay. Sri Lanka need 68 from 11 overs. They should cruise from here on.
CENTURY for Thirimanne!
Thirimanne gets to to his hundred off 117 balls. 10 fours and a six in his innings so far. He becomes the youngest Sri Lankan to score a World Cup hundred. Top knock so far.
Thirimanne Dropped! Moeen is the culprit!
Thirimanne looks to slash but mistimes it to cover where Moeen is lazy and drops a low catch. Thirimanne moveson to 99.
FIFTY for Sangakkara!
Sangakkara gets to his fifty off 45 balls. 3 fours and one six in his innings so far. SL 196/1 (34.5)
After 34 overs, Sri Lanka 88/1 (Thirimanne 95, Sangakkara 43), SL need 122 more from 16 overs.
This is clever cricket from Sri Lanka. Rotating the strike regularly and putting away the bad balls. Finn is brought back and Sangakkara dances down the track and slaps him over long off for a six. Moeen finishes his spell. 10-0-50-1. There is nothing happening for the England bowlers. Morgan has run short of ideas. Think they are waiting for Sri Lankan batsmen to make mistakes. 22 runs scored off the last 4 overs. Sri Lanka have taken the Batting Powerplay an over early.
After 30 overs, Sri Lanka 166/1 (Thirimanne 88, Sangakkara 28)
Thirimanne has grown from strength to strength and playing some wonderful shots. He upper cuts a Woakes bouncer to third man and then hammers Moeen over deep mid-wicket for a six. He then clobbers Woakes through mid off. Sangakkara joins the part and cuts one powerfully over point for a boundary off Woakes. Woakes not getting his lengths right and has been to short. 34 runs off the last five overs. It’s all too easy for the Sri Lanka batsmen. Morgan needs to do something different. The game is slowly drifting away from them.
After 25 overs, England 131/1 (Thirimanne 69, Sangakkara 13)
Thirimanne and Sangakkara have done well to rotate the strike and hit an odd boundary each. Thirimanne cut it wide of short third man off Root for a boundary and then Sangakkara pulled it through square leg off Moeen for his first four. 26 runs off the last five overs.
After 20 overs, Sri Lanka 105/1 (Thirimanne 54, Sangakkara 2)
England have pulled it back really well. Finn has got his lines right. Moeen choked the batsmen with his discipline and got rewarded with the wicket of Dilshan. Sri Lanka are off to a decent start and Thirimanne and Sangakkara would look to steady them from here on. 21/1 in the last five overs.
OUT! Moeen breaks the opening stand! TM Dilshan c Morgan b Ali 44 (55b 4×4 2×6). After 19 overs, Sri Lanka 100/1 (Thirimanne 51)
It’s a flighted delivery on middle and off, Dilshan at first thinks of sweeping but then changes his mind and the looks to flick butends up getting a leading edge to mid-wicket. A much-needed breakthrough for England.
Kumar Sangakkara is the new batsman.
FIFTY for Thirimanne!
Thirimanne brings up his 13th ODI fifty off 58 balls. Remember – He was dropped on 3 by Root. 100 stand up too. Thirimanne has hit 7 fours in his innings so far.
After 15 overs, Sri Lanka 84/0 (Thirimanne 44, Dilshan 35)
Thirimanne playing some lovely shots. He thumps one through mid off off Finn in his first over and then cracks one through covers. He then crunches another cover drive off Woakes for another four. Finn then gifts Dilshan one on his pads and the latter obliges with a flick for four. Finn not getting his lines right. England need to break this stand. Moeen comes into the attack and Dilshan cuts it late past short third man for a boundary. 29 runs off the last 5 overs.
After 10 overs, Sri Lanka 55/0 (Thirimanne 28, Dilshan 23)
After a couple of quiet overs, Dilshan gets going as he hammers Broad for a couple of sixes. He at first pulls him over deep square leg and then swats one over the sae region. Thirimanne then gets into the act and plays a couple of lovely cover drives off Anderson. 30 runs off the last five overs.
Thirimanne Dropped! Root is the culprit!
Lovely delivery from Broad. On the good length area and nips away sharply. Thirimanne pushes away from the body and gets an outside edge. Buttler looks to go for it but then pulls out at the last moment. It’s going straight into the hands of Root but he is distracted by Buttler’s movement. He fluffs it.
After 5 overs, Sri Lanka 25/0 (Dilshan 6, Thirimanne 15)
Sri Lanka have got off to a cautious start. But Thirimanne is lucky to be still out there in the middle after Root dropped him at first slip. Just the two boundaries hit so far. Both streaky. Dilshan tried to slash at one off Broad and it flew over the slip cordon. The second four went off the drop. Anderson and Broad bowling in good channel and getting a hint of movement.
Thirimanne Dropped! Root is the culprit!
Lovely delivery from Broad. On the good length area and nips away sharply. Thirimanne pushes away from the body and gets an outside edge. Buttler looks to go for it but then pulls out at the last moment. It’s going straight into the hands of Root but he is distracted by Buttler’s movement. He fluffs it.
SL had to use 4 bowlers to complete the last 2 overs. #EngvSL
— Declaration Game (@chrisps01) March 1, 2015
England post 309/6!
Amidst the wickets of Buttler and Taylor, Buttler has kept the scoreboard ticking. His placement was perfect as he cracked a couple of boundaries off Malinga’s full deliveries through point and cover. He smashed one straight back and Herath DROPPED it! He was down on the ground holding his had and then went off the field. Woakes then slicedone over point off Perera for a boundary. He then clubs Lakmal for a couple of fours and a six. Lakmal is then given his marching orders as he bowls a couple of waist height beamers. The remaining 2 balls are bowled by Dilshan, Buttler hits a four off the last ball as England hit 22 runs in the last over. Buttler remained not out on 39 off 19 balls iwht six fours and one six.
OUT! Root’s outstanding innings comes to an end. JE Root lbw b Herath 121 (108b 14×4 2×6). After 46.3 overs, England 265/6 (Woakes 0)
It’s full outside off from Herath, going straight on. Root goes for a reverse sweep but misses. They all go up in a huge appeal and the umpire lifts his finger. Root has a word with Buttler and decides to review it. Replays show it was clipping leg, umpire’s call and Root has to depart. A magnificent innings ends.
Chris Woakes is the new batsman.
OUT! Taylor departs! J Taylor c Dilshan b Malinga 25 (26b 1×4 1×6)/ After 46 overs, England 264/5 (Root 121, Buttler 5)
An innocuous delivery. It’s full and wide outside off, Taylor chases is but ends up slicing it straight to point. A hand innings comes to an end.
Jos Buttler is the new batsman.
After 45 overs, England 257/4 ( Root 120, Taylor 24)
Root has just gone berserk. He’s playing some audacious shots. Seven fours and two sixes in the last five overs. He’s reverse paddling, pulling, driving and playing every kind of strokes. He hit Perera for 25 in one over with three three 4s and 2 sixes. England have scored 54 from the last five overs. Terrific acceleration. Taylor too hit a thumping six off Perera.
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