By Matt Somerford
Moeen Ali was in a hurry as England made an entertaining start to their pursuit of a record run chase against Sri Lanka in the first one-day international in Colombo.
Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 88 inspired Sri Lanka to a healthy 317 for six after Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to bowl.
That represented more than England have ever successfully chased down in an ODI – beating the 304 for nine they hauled in against Pakistan in 2000 – but Moeen took charge of the chase with the second-fastest half-century by an England batsman.
His fifty arrived from just 25 balls, and including 10 boundaries, but after half-century stands with Cook and Ian Bell England suffered a wobble losing three for 17 in 22 balls to leave the pressure on Moeen’s shoulders.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-ball commentary
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England Innings
From @AWSStats - Alastair Cook overturning successive dismissals on review is a first for any batsman. #bbccricket
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) November 26, 2014
3.56pm - Thisara over-pitches and Buttler is all over it. He rips his hands through the ball and it sails for a big six over a wide mid-off. If he picks his balls like that then Moeen need not feel it is all on his shoulders at the moment.
3.52pm - Jos Buttler has made a calm start to his innings as he looks to provide the support that Moeen needs. England need to score at 6.34 runs an over to win from here - that is a task that remains achievable despite those three quick wickets.
3.43pm - WICKET! Morgan b Ajantha 1; 124/4 - Sri Lanka strike again. Morgan reaches for the ball and is only able to drag it back onto his stumps. The last 15 minutes are perhaps an indication of how hard this wicket is for the new batsmen.
3.42pm - REVIEW! - Sri Lanka waste their review on an lbw call against Eoin Morgan that bounces a long way outside leg stump. I think Morgan hit it too.
3.39pm – DROPPED! - Moeen given a life on 72. He hits Ajantha Mendis powerfully to deep midwicket but Jeevan Mendis spills the chance. It was hit hard although it was straight at him.
3.35pm - WICKET! Root c Sangakkara b Thisara 2; 121/3 - Root drives and gets a thin edge to Kumar Sangakkara after playing out four dots to start the over. A second wicket for Thisara.
3.31pm - Back-to-back sixes for Moeen. Did I say he was starting to milk the bowling? Rangana Herath flights a delivery and sees it disappear over midwicket. The next ball gets the same treatment. That will allow new man Joe Root the time to settle in.
3.32pm - WICKET! Bell c Jayawardene b Thisara 35; 107/2 - A bowling change works for Mathews again. This time he returns to the pace of Thisara Perera and he finds Bell's edge with his first ball. Mahela Jayawardene holds onto the catch at a comfortable height at first slip.
3.16pm - England reach 100 from 13.5 overs. They remain well ahead of the rate. Moeen has looked to milk the bowling a bit more recently while Bell has operated at around a run-a-ball from the moment he walked out.
3.02pm - England have taken 81 from the opening 10-over powerplay. It is an excellent start to what could be a memorable night should Moeen continue on this way.
2.58pm - FIFTY! Moeen (25b 10x4 0x6) - Moeen sweeps away his 10th boundary and he reaches the second-fastest half-century ever by an England player in ODIs. Ian Bell follows with a signature style lofted off drive for four. Breath-taking stuff.
2.45pm - WICKET! Cook lbw Dilshan 10; Eng 51/1 - No review this time. Sri Lanka strike with the first ball of spin they deliver. Cook plays around Tillakarante Dilshan as he angles the ball into his pads from around the wicket.
2.44pm - Four boundaries in a row from Moeen and England have raced to 50 in six overs. Moeen has 40 from 20 balls with eight boundaries. Half of those came in the last over from Dhammika Prasad, the pick the first as Moeen drove gloriously through the covers.
2.35pm - Cook and Moeen both time shots that they might have expected to go to the boundary, but it appears the outfield has slowed this evening. Moeen responds by lofting Mathews for a one-bounce four. That will take the outfield out of the equation.
2.29pm - England's curious start continues. Moeen has survived despite the ball hitting his stumps. He pulls Mathews into his pad and the ball bounces into the base of middle stump. The bails were, crucially, unmoved.
2.26pm - Moeen Ali picks up where he left off from the warm-up game - by hitting his first ball to the rope. Confirmation too that this would be England's largest ever successful chase in one-day internationals. Their best at the moment came when hauling down Pakistan's 304 for nine in Karachi in 2000.
Cook looks a goner very next ball - and is given again - but DRS shows this one is going over too! How's your luck? pic.twitter.com/bMPDabN83R
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 26, 2014
2.18pm - REVIEW! - Here we go again. From the very next ball Cook has been given out again. Again he reviews. And again he wins the review! What drama. Angelo Mathews can't believe it. In the end he has to contend himself with a double-review maiden. Is that a thing?
2.15pm - REVIEW! - Alastair Cook has been given out lbw to the third ball he faced. He sends it upstairs to the TV umpire and the replays show the ball is climbing above the bails. A very good review. One that he pondered over.
Sri Lanka Innings
#SLvENG England were given some tap late on as Sri Lanka posted a record and set their visitors a target of 318. pic.twitter.com/Cw46b5BfYN
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 26, 2014
1.43pm - END OF INNINGS! - Sri Lanka 317/6; Jeevan 30, Thirimanne 27 - Sri Lanka have posted their highest ODI total at home to England with that late partnership between Jeevan and Thirimanne worth 64 in 32 balls.
1.39pm - Jeevan Mendis picks two Woakes slower balls and both disappear over the ropes as Sri Lanka take 21 from the penultimate over.
1.33pm - Gurney blemishes an otherwise good over with a leg-side full-toss from the final ball which is whipped away for four. Nine from the over.
1.28pm - Moeen concedes nine from his last over to finish with figures of 1-66. Three overs left and Sri Lanka are 279 for six. Gurney returns.
Smart catch from the skipper for the 6th wicket. He was practicing that just last night - http://t.co/DAfVuqdzpo#SLvENG
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 26, 2014
1.20pm - WICKET! Thisara c Cook b Woakes 4; 263/6 - England are hauling this back. Cook takes a great catch running back from cover after Woakes crowds Thisara Perera with a short ball he tried to thrash over the off side.
1.19pm – Moeen replaces Tredwell and he concedes seven runs from that, the 45th over. The first five balls cost only three until Lahiru Thirimanne felt the need to play the big shot, and got enough on his heave over midwicket for four.
1.08pm - WICKET! Jayawardene c Buttler b Tredwell 55; 253/5 - Two wickets in two balls and Tredwell finishes with figures of 2-52 - a deserved return after his initial economy. They could be two very important wickets as Jayawardene has to go after thinning the ball down the leg side. Buttler moved expertly to take the catch. Could England keep Sri Lanka below 300?
1.06pm - WICKET! Mathews c Stokes b Tredwell 33; 253/4 - One shot too many from the Sri Lanka skipper, although you could hardly blame him in the circumstances. After launching Tredwell for back-to-back sixes he is caught on the long-on rope by Stokes. It's a very good catch. That ball went high into the Colombo night.
12.54pm - FIFTY! Jayawardene (53b 5x4 0x6) - Just the 75th ODI half-century for Jayawardene! He sweeps Tredwell to the square-leg rope and, after coming in at the fall of those two quick wickets, he has produced yet another important innings for his country.
12.48pm - The battng powerplay is over with Sri Lanka 210 for three. England therefore restricted them to 31 for one during that five-over spell.
Tillakatatne Dilshan hangs his head after clipping into bowler Woakes' hands but his 88 has been crucial. pic.twitter.com/Xb2wx8FoZZ
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 26, 2014
12.41pm - WICKET! - Dilshan c&b Woakes 88; 204/3 - Clever bowling, and fielding, from Woakes denies Dilshan his 18th ODI century. The Warwickshire man ran his fingers across the ball and that was enough to draw Dilshan into a premature stroke that he checked back down the wicket. Woakes still had to make good ground to his right to collect the catch one handed.
12.39pm - After England had managed to apply the brakes, Jayawardene gets inside a Gurney delivery and helps it behind square for Sri Lanka's first boundary in 25 balls. He follows it up with another straight four down the ground to end the over.
12.32pm – Woakes and Gurney have allowed just seven runs from the first two powerplay overs. Good stuff so far.
12.19pm -Sri Lanka have called for the batting powerplay after 33 overs and with the score 179 for two. Moeen was going to bowl the over but that piece of news has prompted Woakes' return.
"This partnership's off and running," says @BumbleCricket - and pretty quickly too. #SLvENG SL 179-2 off 33 overs pic.twitter.com/BLJKnMzaCu
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 26, 2014
12.16pm - Stokes begins with back-to-back wides and then Jayawardene helps another ball down the leg side away to the rope to bring up the 50-run stand from 58 balls.
12.11pm - Sri Lanka are milking the runs now as they prepare themselves for the batting powerplay and then the final 10-over thrash. Stokes is brought back to try and change the pace.
12.05pm - England have started creating those chances with the pace off the older ball. Tredwell hasn't taken a wicket but has been economical with his six overs costing 22. Bopara has also been able to drag the rate back a bit after the wickets too.
11.56am - DROPPED! - Eoin Morgan almost pulls off a ripper at midwicket. Jayawardene swiped at the returning Tredwell and it almost proved his undoing as Morgan dived away full length to his left. He managed to get two hands on it, somehow, but the ball bursts through while he was horizontal to the turf. Jayawardene gets a life on seven.
11.50am - Gurney returns after those two wickets but three wides in the first over was not what Cook ordered. Dilshan then plants Moeen back over his head for a boundary as Sri Lanka look to stay on the attack.
11.42am - England almost get another as Mahela Jayawardene squirts the ball just in front of the leg-slip that Cook employed after his arrival. The skipper is looking to apply the pressure while the batsmen are new.
11.39am - WICKET! Sangakkara lbw Moeen 2; 128/2 - The TV umpire confirms the on-field official's decision. The ball pitched on leg and spun enough as Sangakkara played towards leg to beat the batsman. A big wicket for England and not the first time Moeen has removed Sangakkara.
11.38am - REVIEW! - Moeen has won an lbw appeal against new man Kumar Sangakkara. The Sri Lanka man reviews, but it looks a good shout.
England have the breakthrough; Perera (59 off 74) was never going to recover from this position! #SLvENG SL 120-1 pic.twitter.com/nTegqB6eiy
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 26, 2014
11.31am - WICKET! Kusal run out (Root/Bopara) 59; 120/1 - It took a calamitous mix-up but England have struck. Dilshan wanted no part of an extra run despite Kusal setting off at pace. Both batsmen ended up at the non-striker's end and after Root's throw from the deep Bopara had the simple task of lobbing the ball to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to remove the bails.
11.26am - DROPPED! - It is only a half-chance but England will feel like they need something out of the ordinary to go their way. Tredwell does well to get fingertips on the ball jumping up at midwicket as Kusal lofts Ravi Bopara. The opener was on 56.
11.25am – FIFTY! Dilshan (55b 6x4 0x6) – Dilshan gets another inside-edge but again it falls to safety and he follows Kusal to 50.
11.14am – FIFTY! Kusal (62b 4x4 1x6) - The left-hander cuts Root away for a single to reach his fourth ODI half-century. He sweeps away Root for another boundary later in the over as the 100-run stand arrives from 18.5 overs.
11.10am - It is drinks and a chance for England to draw breath and talks things over. Sri Lanka are 91 without loss after 17 overs. Kusal is 48 and Dilshan 40.
11.06am – Moeen is trying to vary his pace, firing in a couple of quicker balls to keep the batsmen in their crease, while Tredwell has found a bit of turn. Still no breakthrough yet though. Joe Root is getting a chance now replacing Tredwell after his four overs cost just 10 runs.
10.57am – With the score 74 for none after 13 overs Moeen Ali has been brought into the attack. We’re going to have spin at both ends.
10.54am – Stokes loses his line at the start of his second over and Kusal makes him pay with a hat-trick of boundaries. The little opener has raced past Dilshan and is in sight of a run-a-ball fifty.
Pretty good start for #LankanLions, SL reach 57/0 off 10 overs. Dilshan on 25, Kusal on 30. CRR 5.70 #SLvENG#GOLIONSpic.twitter.com/LCe2p1uouq
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) November 26, 2014
10.47am - Kusal is starting to fire up now as he effortlessly lifts Stokes over midwicket for six and Sri Lanka have their first 50-run opening stand for nine ODIs.
10.43am – Tredwell turns his second delivery past Kusal’s defence to vindicate Cook’s decision to bring him on so early. As ever, this pitch is going to take spin. It's a double change with Ben Stokes now replacing Gurney.
10.40am – Gurney drifts down the leg side on a couple of occasions to the left-handed Kusal and is swished over the short fine-leg fielder for a boundary. Cook has decided on his first change, an interesting one, with spinner James Tredwell to bowl the ninth over.
10.36am – Dilshan is all over anything short so far, pulling Gurney away for his third boundary. In the next over he gets another inside-edge though when Woakes pitches the ball up. The lights are on at the R Premadasa Stadium.
10.26am – Woakes beats Dilshan between bat and off stump with a full ball that seams back in. Next ball he drags back his length and is pulled to the rope. Dilshan is doing the majority of the scoring. He has 20 of Sri Lanka's 26 without loss after five overs.
10.18am - The physio has been out for Dilshan. He ran into Woakes after admiring a clip to the square-leg rope. He's fine even though it was a solid collision that left him holding his neck. England continue to bowl full to try and find some movement.
Check out this guy! Who is he supporting?! #SLvENGpic.twitter.com/YkW0KmyNib
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 26, 2014
10.12am – Dilshan punishes Gurney for a half-volley by punching him through the covers for four. The left-armer then finds his edge, but it falls short of second slip and they scamper a single. England might give up a few early runs with Alastair Cook employing an attacking field to try and get an early breakthrough while the pitch is offering some assistance.
10.06am - Woakes' first over costs him seven, although four of those came from a Dilshan inside-edge that flew away to the rope. A bit of movement for the Warwickshire man after the rain should enthuse.
10.01am - Chris Woakes is marking his run-up to take the first over. Harry Gurney will share the new-ball duties. Sri Lanka's openers are the ever-dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kusal Perera.
Pre-Play News
9.55am - The national anthems are being played and we're five minutes from a start.
9.45am - Sri Lanka will be looking to bounce back after they were beaten 5-0 by world champions India in their recent series. The hosts have a good record at the Premadasa and the last time England ventured to the ground for a 50-over contest they were beaten by 10 wickets in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final.
England have beaten Sri Lanka just once at this ground in ODI cricket - back in 2007 when Cook made 80.
SL XI: Dilshan, Kusal, Sangakkara(w), Jayawardene, Mathews(c), Thirimanne, Dilruwan , Jeevan , Prasad, Herath, Ajantha Mendis #SLvENG
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) November 26, 2014
9.37am - So we have confirmation that Finn has not overcome that groin injury that he picked up in a training session after Sunday's warm-up match was washed out. It looks like Harry Gurney and Chris Woakes will share the new ball.
Eng v SL: Cook, Ali, Bell, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Bopara, Stokes, Woakes, Tredwell, Gurney #SLvENG
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 26, 2014
9.30am - Cook has won the toss and, with this weather around, will have a bowl. Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews confirms that he would have given his bowlers first use of this "fresh" pitch as well.
Stats on #SLvENG at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. 4 matches here in this ODI series http://t.co/faTDsgfbfV
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 26, 2014
9.16am - The toss is 10 minutes away with a start time set for 10am. There is no reduction in overs at this point.
9.10am - More good signs from the middle. The players are warming up.
The covers are coming off! #SLvENGpic.twitter.com/NZmdKGOavh
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 26, 2014
8.55am - Skipper Alastair Cook suggested yesterday that England would have to be flexible with their team selection because of the rain that we are likely to encounter at times over the next seven games. Steven Finn was rated as a doubt for this game, with a groin injury, so it remains to be seen whether he would be risked if we do get a start time. The rain has stopped falling though.
8.40am - The latest start time for a match to take place is 2.47pm GMT. That would allow a Twenty20 contest. The word is that the covers would take at least an hour-and-a-half to remove so we're going to have to sit tight initially at least.
8.30am - Welcome to the start of England's World Cup winter campaign. It begins where the previous World Cup campaign ended - the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo - where England exited to Sri Lanka at the quarter-final stage three years ago.
The bad news is, however, that the rain has been falling during the day to leave this match in some jeopardy. There have been a few breaks in the weather so there is definitely hope of getting on. Let's hope it's sooner rather than later. The full covers are on at the minute so it's a case of fingers crossed.
Not what we wanted to see on arriving at the R Premadasa Stadium. Will keep you updated... #SLvENGpic.twitter.com/1Vkz4HEOql
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 26, 2014