LONDON: England cricket captain Alastair Cook (L) and Sri Lanka one-day squad cricket captain Angelo Mathews pose for photograph with the One-Day Series trophy at the Oval cricket ground here Wednesday ahead of the first One Day International match today
LONDON, May 21 (AP): Sri Lanka weathered a belligerent knock of 66 from Alex Hales to beat England by nine runs Tuesday in its first Twenty20 international since winning the world title last month.
Allrounder Thisara Perera smashed 49 off 20 balls to lift the Sri Lankans to 183-7 after being put into bat in a night match at The Oval.
Just as England was faltering midway through its reply, Hales gave his team hope with a 41-ball salvo that included seven fours and two sixes and revived memories of his brilliant 116 not out against the same opponent at the World Cup in Bangladesh.
However, the big-hitting opener was clean-bowled by fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who then only conceded four runs off Sri Lanka's next-to-last over to finish with match-best figures of 3-28.
That helped Sri Lanka sneak home in the first international match of its tour, with England finishing on 174-7 and Ravi Bopara stranded on 28 not out.
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