And that’s a wrap from Colombo. England end their dismal losing streak away from home, another fifty for Joe Root and a studied, if low voltage, innings from Brook on a tricky pitch. It will be interesting to see if England’s comments on the pitch cause any ructions in Sri Lanka.

Many thanks for all your comments today, join us for the decider on Tuesday – bye!

More harsh words for the surface from England captain Harry Brook. “The pitch is probably the worst pitch I’ve ever played on.”

A win – more relief than joy on the players’s faces to be honest – that levels the series at 1-1. England’s spinners restricted Sri Lanka to a below par score, and then Joe Root, backed up by Ben Duckett and Harry Brook, ensured England wouldn’t slip up.

A handy stat comes to me courtesy of Tim de Lisle – Harry Brook’s score of 42 off 75 balls was his slowest 40 in an ODI, by a long way – a strike rate 56 per 100 balls, when his previous slowest was 87.

46th over: England 217-5 (Buttler 33, Jacks 2 ) P Rathnayake comes on for his first over, with England nearly there. And they’re even closer by the end of it as he’s tonked for 12 – a handful of ones and twos before Buttler frying pans him into, or maybe over, the sightscreen.

45th over: England 205-5 (Buttler 22, Jacks 1 )The tricksy Vandersay’s final over. Lots of oohs, lots of ahhs, a googly into Jacks’ pads, but Buttler gets a four away and England are close.

“Greetings from a rather drab and cloudy Naples.” And greetings to you from an already dusky Manchester.
“Oh dear, from a position of unusual Root-inspired calm, Vandersay has his word and bamboozles Brook. Dare I vandersay it but England are in a spot of bother with two new batters in.
”But hopefully we can make it over the line! At least this time.”

44th over: England 200-5 (Buttler 17, Jacks 1 ) Buttler picks up a crucial boundary early, flicking Asitha over midwicket for four. And another, aerial but safe, flying to the rope. Lovely smooth flow of the bat. He digs out a yorker, Jacks survives the last, and that’s the over. Just 20 needed now..

43rd over: England 191-5 (Buttler 8, Jacks 1 ) Vandersay with a crucial breakthrough, though there were still five runs from the over, which is more than enough. In the dugout, Sri Lankan sub fielders chat, one looks exactly like victorious Stephen from Traitors.

42nd over: England 186-4 (Brook 41, Buttler 4) Wallalage’s last over, neat and tidy, four singles from it – finishes with 0-50 from his ten. He pulls on his hat and walks briskly away. The trumpets and drums continue to play merrily away but we are surely almost home.

41st over: England 182-4 (Brook 38, Buttler 3) Sri Lanka pocket the big wicket, but with only 38 needed, from nine overs, surely too late.

40th over: England 178-3 ( Root 75, Brook 38) Vandersay puts his head in his hands as Brook goes forward but doesn’t quite reach the pitch of the ball and ends up squeezing a leading edge.

Hello there Abhishek Chopra. “A lot of batters these days, especially the new ones on the block, don’t have the rhythm of batting in ODI chases in their bones. Not true for Joseph Edward Root, who is playing a Kohliesque knock here.”

I loved that Kohli was such a big fan of Test cricket, but is it fair to say that his fire burnt brighter in ODI cricket?

39th over: England 172-3 ( Root 72, Brook 35) Frustration for Sri Lanka after that miserly over from Asitha is followed by a leg side wide from Wellalage which rolls away for four.

38th over: England 164-3 ( Root 71, Brook 33) The dog offers me her snout as Asitha bowls three dots which is enough for Brook to try and fail to scoop him for four. He’s unimpressed when a fifth isn’t called wide, gets a single from the sixth.

37th over: England 163-3 ( Root 71, Brook 32) But, ah, Wellalage has safely returned, quickly enough to whistle through an over that goes for four. Root’s calm seems to have manifested itself into Brook – who is batting completely without that frantic urgency that we saw in Australia.

36th over: England 159-3 ( Root 68, Brook 31) During drinks, Wellalage went off the field with some kind of injury – he’s bowled seven overs of his spell. Five from Asalanka’s over as the target drops into the low sixties.

35th over: England 154-3 ( Root 66, Brook 28) Jayasuriya and Lasitha Malinga, now in coaching roles, look on from the sidelines, unimpressed. They take DRINKS with England looking favourites to stroll to victory.

34th over: England 150-3 ( Root 64, Brook 26) Root is frustrated after missing a reverse sweep – these are not conditions where you want to waste any energy. Each Yorkshireman’s face is shiny with sweat. A couple of singles off Asalanka’s seventh over

33rd over: England 148-3 ( Root 63, Brook 25) A cracking bit of fielding denies Brook a boundary from a reverse sweep off the excellent Vandersay.

32nd over: England 146-3 ( Root 62, Brook 24) That’s what we were waiting for! Brook gambols up the pitch, feet perfectly to the pitch and, with wristy abandon, drives the ball through extra-cover to the rope. In the commentary box, David Gower purrs.

31st over: England 141-3 ( Root 62, Brook 19) Yet suddenly, there’s some fizz as Vandersay gets one to rip off the pitch and past Brook’s outside edge.

30th over: England 140-3 ( Root 62, Brook 17) There’s not huge energy out there in the middle – England quietly weeding the garden, while Sri Lanka bowl around them . England need 80 off 120 balls to win.

29th over: England 135-3 ( Root 60, Brook 15) Four more runs in the bag without too much exertion needed.

28th over: England 131-3 ( Root 59, Brook 13) England should cruise this, the target is very gettable, Root is in gorgeous touch, the others just need to stick around. The conditions are tough though, Root is breathing heavily.

27th over: England 124-3 ( Root 53, Brook 11) A stat flashes up on the television – Root has the highest average of non-Asian batters in Sri Lanka (69.44) – followed by Brian Lara. I presume that’s just in ODIs but I’ll try and check when I have a moment. Tip, tap, a trio of singles from Asalanka.

25th over: England 114-3 ( Root 49, Brook 5) A single from the last ball of the previous over leaves Brook to face once more. Manages a single from the third ball, but just two from Asalanka’s over. Luckily England have money in the run-bank.

24th over: England 112-3 ( Root 48, Brook 4) Brook isn’t finding this easy. Lovely bowling by Wellalage with his young man’s shadow moustache, Brook almost chops on, saved, I think, by his boot.

23rd over: England 111-3 ( Root 48, Brook 3) Root reverse sweeps, with no risk, for four. Vandersay wheels in off four paces, swinging arms from his follow through. His last ball is a ripper that beats the forward defending Root.

22nd over: England 104-3 ( Root 42, Brook 2) Root’s face is shiny with sweat, he’s wearing thick navy blue wrist bands on both wrists. Just a couple off the returning Wellalage’s over.

21st over: England 102-3 ( Root 41, Brook 1) Vandersay keeps it tight.

“Re your framing of the Baz decision,” taps Gary Naylor, “I fear you’re selling Brutus when the crowd have already bought Mark Antony.”

20th over: England 101-3 ( Root 40, Brook 1) A familiar middle-innings wobble settles into place. Root, though, looks in perky form – pockets three from a sweep that brushes all along the ground.

19th over: England 96-2 ( Root 37, Bethell 4) A gentle shuffle of the strike ticking over.

18th over: England 90-2 ( Root 34, Bethell 2) Master and apprentice at the crease. Bethell is watchful through a Dhananjaya over.

17th over: England 89-2 ( Root 34, Bethell 1) A beaut of a legbreak for Vandersay; Duckett never looked totally at ease but kept at it.

16th over: England 81-1 (Duckett 37, Root 29) England continued in an unhurried way to the accompaniment of a call to prayer.

15th over: England 79-1 (Duckett 36, Root 28) Wellalage whizizng through these overs. Duckett ramps three, England otherwise very happy to pick up singles. Coach Jayasuriya looks unimpressed.

14th over: England 73-1 (Duckett 32, Root 26) More tip and run, this time off Asalanka.

13th over: England 69-1 (Duckett 27, Root 21) The slight figure of Wellalage is tapped for a single a ball.

Darryl Accone “Further to Andrew Benton (13.07) and John Starbuck (13.32) on “Coach Baz”: All other cricket-playing nations will be hoping that the myopia and parsimony of the ECB ensure that McCullum keeps his job as England coach in all three formats. Nothing like knowing you’re up against a sure-fire loser.”

Whether or not McCullum “deserves” to lose his job after the Ashes is a different thing to whether he can still make England a better team – in the way that we saw improvement over the first couple of years. That’s the big question that the ECB have to work out. Is he a one-trick pony?

12th over: England 63-1 (Duckett 27, Root 21) Asalanka hurries through his first over. At the same stage, Sri Lanka were 45-1. Root and Duckett in control was very much the story of the first ODI – and then things went wrong.

11th over: England 60-1 (Duckett 26, Root 19) Sri Lanka bring on Wellalage at the end of the power play and Duckett’s eyes light up. His first ball is crunched to the rope, his third clubbed over extra cover for four more. England are now ahead of the rate.

10th over: England 52-1 (Duckett 18, Root 19) Duckett plays a reverse sweep, with front leg balletically stretched in front of him, and picks up a couple; finishes the over in the same way but only for a half-brushed single.

9th over: England 47-1 (Duckett 14, Root 18) Sri Lanka think they’ve got Root lbw. The umpire says no, but Pramod is very keen, and they go for the review – missing the top of off stump by the width of a January yawn. The stadium seems to have filled out a bit now, certainly plenty of music, and now something for the England fans to feast on as Root turns Pramod off his laces and behind square for four.

8th over: England 39-1 (Duckett 13, Root 12) Duckett re-overtakes Root with a backfoot cudgel over wide long-on for six off Dhananjaya’s last ball.

7th over: England 31-1 (Duckett 6, Root 11) Asitha stays on for his fourth over, Root sends him trilling away for another boundary, through midwicket with style. Picks up another couple but is beaten late in the over.

John Starbuck, hello! “Tanya, I agree. The T20 World Cup is the last chance saloon for bazball. If it’s going to have any future England need to at least reach the semi-finals and even that is being generous. Mind you, there’s still plenty of time for players to get injured, throwing umpteen spanners in.”

I don’t actually know what happens in the scenario that England have a shocking WC, as McCullum has only just been made white-ball coach. I read a piece somewhere – apologies, I can’t remember where – saying that perhaps England will get rid of him via nudge tactics, bringing in a curfew, more coaches etc, in the hope that he throws in the towel.

6th over: England 25-1 (Duckett 6, Root 5) And here is our first sight of spin, in the tall figure of Dhananjaya, right arm, slightly slingy – and here’s the breakthrough! Rehan shuffles off, scolding his gloves; Root comes in and picks up four first ball, on-driving past the clumpy fielder.

5th over: England 18-0 (Rehan 12, Duckett 5) A throw from extra cover ricochets off the stumps meaning that England have four handy overthrows early in Asitha’s over. Four dots in the over, England aren’t hurrying into this run chase, and we haven’t even had any spin yet.

4th over: England 13-0 (Rehan 7, Duckett 5) Pramod again. Rehan looks composed, a couple here, a single there. Duckett shimmies a couple off his boots. Pramod finishing with a swinging yorker that Duckett closes the door on.

3rd over: England 8-0 (Rehan 4, Duckett 3) Asitha bustles in. Duckett shimmies sideways and tries to flick him behind but misses – Asitha saw him coming. But Duckett picks up runs next ball with a hearty-sounding square thrash.

Good afternoon Andrew Benton! “I hope England lose this one, and the series, then we’ll see the back of McCullum. His remaining in place so far already says that failure is acceptable to the ECB. You’d hope he has a clause in his agreement allowing them to fire him if performances are not up to scratch. I do despair...”

I think McCullum’s fate will probably lie with the World Cup performances - this series is a bit of a place holder.

Thanks Jim! A very entertaining read of a slow-burn first innings. Now we see how England deal with Sri Lanka’s big hand of spinners. I’m excited to see how Rehan Ahmed does at the top of the innings – he played so well for Leicestershire last year, and seasoned watchers said that he had really matured in all aspects of his game. His batting was beautiful, a pure balance of defence and attack.

Game on. England need 220 to win and level the series 1-1.

After losing the toss England would likely have taken that. They used six spinners in total and kept plugging away on a stodgy surface. Sri Lanka couldn’t really break the shackles all innings but they have posted a reasonable score. 220 will take some getting on this surface with Sri Lanka’s experienced and talented spin attack. It could be something of a griper.

Time for me to skedaddle. Tanya Aldred will be along very shortly to expertly call England’s chase. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy your Saturday. Ta-ra!

49th over: Sri Lanka 218-8 (Wellalage 20, Pramod 1) The wonderfully named Jeffrey Vandersay arrives in the middle, he survives an appeal for caught behind first ball, was there glove in it? England send it upstairs but it comes back down again. Not Out. Wellalage swishes Rehan’s final ball away for four to keep Sri Lanka ticking into the final over.

48th over: Sri Lanka 212-7 (Wellalage 15, Pramod 8) Seven off the over as the batters try to put Dawson off his length with some Martha and the Vandellas - dancing in the crease. The old pro keeps his cool and finishes with 1-41 off his ten overs.

47th over: Sri Lanka 205-7 (Wellalage 12, Pramod 4) Wellalage deploys the reverse-sweep off the red face Jacks and picks up four, Sri Lanka move beyond 200.

“Surely this is already a challenging score...we are talking about England away from home in an ODI.”

Brendon Large holds me immediately accountable. Quite right.

46th over: Sri Lanka 196-7 (Wellalage 5, Pramod 2) Jacks drops a sitter in the deep! He can’t return the favour to Liam Dawson who looks crestfallen when the ball plops onto the turf. Wellalage pulled in the air and Jacks had to rush in from the edge but once he got his hands to it should have clung on.

45th over: Sri Lanka 193-7 (Wellalage 4, Pramod 0) Pramod Madhusan is the new batter, Sri Lanka have five overs to haul themselves up to a challenging score.

44th over: Sri Lanka 186-6 (Rathnayake 24, Wellalage 2) Rashid’s last over is taken for just four runs – he finishes with 2-34 off his ten overs and pulled off that fantastic low catch to get rid of the dangerous looking Liyanage. Get him back into the cryogenic chamber pronto.

43rd over: Sri Lanka 182-6 (Rathnayake 21, Wellalage 1) Just one run off Will Jacks as Sri Lanka’s innings starts to really run out of steam. England lose a review going upstairs for a spurious LBW shout that pitched outside leg.

42nd over: Sri Lanka 181-6 (Rathnayake 20, Wellalage 1) Dunith Wellalage is the new man. Rashid has 2-30 off his nine overs.

Gary Naylor is on the money:

“England should play Adil Rashid in every white ball game for which he can raise his arm above his head and then, when he can’t, make him a coach - Professor Emeritus of one day bowling. What a player he is.”

41st over: Sri Lanka 178-5 (Asalanka 45, Rathnayake 18) Liam Dawson returns for the final powerplay. What can Sri Lanka muster? In the short term – five runs off the over.

40th over: Sri Lanka 173-5 (Asalanka 44, Rathnayake 14) Sri Lanka can’t get Rashid away. Just four runs off the over. Lovely to hear the laconic tones of David Gower on TNT’s coverage. They should have had him in for the Ashes, not the biggest of regrets for that series I grant you but a regret all the same. I had a spot of lunch with the silver stoat a few months ago and it was something of a career highlight:

39th over: Sri Lanka 169-5 (Asalanka 42, Rathnayake 12) Five singles and a wide from Jacks’ seventh. That man Adil Rashid is coming back with three overs left up his sleeve.

38th over: Sri Lanka 163-5 (Asalanka 39, Rathnayake 10) Rathnayake bunts an Overton full toss for four. That was a bit of a gift from the big fella. Six in total off the over.

“Hi Jim. In a world full of fear and anxiety we do at least get to watch Adil Rashid playing cricket. I love the guy.”

And I don’t Dean Kinsella?

*I do.

37th over: Sri Lanka 157-5 (Asalanka 38, Rathnayake 5) Brook shuffles, Jacks returns. Two runs scored. Yes I know, Hemingway-esque.

36th over: Sri Lanka 155-5 (Asalanka 37, Rathnayake 4) Pavan Rathnayake joins Asalanka and Overton gifts him a wayward short ball that is duly glanced away for four. Sri Lanka spluttering slightly, England will want to pick up a few more quick ones and keep this target as low as possible. Well, durr.

35th over: Sri Lanka 150-4 (Asalanka 36, Liyanage 12) Sri Lanka bring up the 150 with three runs off Dawson’s seventh over.

34th over: Sri Lanka 147-4 (Asalanka 34, Liyanage 11) Runs glorious runs! Liyanage has come out for the traps with gusto, sweeping Rehan for a couple and then getting another paddle away fine for four. The run rate is now at the dizzy heights of 4.47. I’m only slightly joshing, 250 on this wicket would probably be a very challenging score.

33rd over: Sri Lanka 138-4 (Asalanka 32, Liyanage 4) Janith Liyanage is the new man and he makes quite the entrance, dancing down and whipping Dawson away for a delicious four through midwicket. Might we see a change of tack here? That’d be fun wouldn’t it?

32nd over: Sri Lanka 132-3 (Dhananjaya 39, Asalanka 31) Hold the front page, it is raining boundaries in Colombo. Well there were two in a row from Dhananjaya off Joe Root which counts as a deluge in this match where there have just been nine fours and the one six. Dhananjaya smeared a length ball through the leg side and then showed a velvet touch with a clip away fine for four more. Is your nose bleeding yet?

31st over: Sri Lanka 121-3 (Dhananjaya 29, Asalanka 30) Something’s gotta give soon. Rashid is in and out of his over in a blink, just two off it. Root is coming back for another, the pressure cooker is hissing.

30th over: Sri Lanka 119-3 (Dhananjaya 28, Asalanka 29) Stand by your beds. As if England didn’t have enough spin options, Joe Root is tossed the ball by Harry Brook. Root gets some darting turn immediately and fizzes one past Asalanka’s edge. Oh Joseph. Just a single off the over too, he’ll get another.

29th over: Sri Lanka 118-3 (Dhananjaya 28, Asalanka 28) Rashid into his sixth over. A more productive one for the home side with six runs worked off it. The old master has 1-21 from his work so far though.

28th over: Sri Lanka 112-3 (Dhananjaya 25, Asalanka 25) Jacob Bethell recalled for a dart. For some reason he really reminds me of Rufiooooo from Hook. A splosh of red in that Peacocking barnet would finish the job. He drops short though and is spanked for the first four in what has felt like an eternity. Asalanka the man to break the interminables.

27th over: Sri Lanka 105-3 (Dhananjaya 23, Asalanka 20) Rashid has a leg slip in place for the nudge off the face. Nowt doing this over, just three more added to the total.

26th over: Sri Lanka 102-3 (Dhananjaya 22, Asalanka 19) We’re over the half way mark and it is fair to say we are in a holding period. A headlock period. Three singles poked off Rehan and the hundred is breached by Sri Lanka.

25th over: Sri Lanka 99-3 (Dhananjaya 20, Asalanka 18) Four more off Jacks to move Sri Lanka to the delicious precipice of three figures. Say that three times fast.

24th over: Sri Lanka 95-3 (Dhananjaya 18, Asalanka 16) Apologies for the delay, I was just rudely interrupted by the postman. I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparra’s too, it gives me a sense of enormous wellbeing. Anyway, four runs worked off Rehan Ahmed.

23rd over: Sri Lanka 91-3 (Dhananjaya 17, Asalanka 13) Just three runs off Jacks, England rattling through their overs, it’s hard going out there and therefore on here. Anyone got any exciting weekend plans? More exciting than a Dhananjaya clip for a single anywho?

22nd over: Sri Lanka 88-3 (Dhananjaya 15, Asalanka 12) Rehan Ahmed is introduced for his first twirl of the day. Four runs picked off the over once again. Have we chanced upon a glitch in the matrix?

21st over: Sri Lanka 84-3 (Dhananjaya 14, Asalanka 9) Four more nudged off Jacks’ latest. I’ve got no idea what a decent score is on this track. That’s why they pay me the big bucks.

20th over: Sri Lanka 80-3 (Dhananjaya 13, Asalanka 6) Four off Dawson’s over which is exactly Sri Lanka’s run rate in this innings with twenty overs now completed.

Tom van d Gucht has been pondering:

“We’ve been really spoilt to have enjoyed both Bazball’s rollercoaster cricket ride and Morgan / Bayliss masterminding our ODI side. But in 20 years, when the dust has settled, and Root is on a Sky Sports retrospective documentary looking back over it all as their Gower-esq elder statesman commentator, I wonder which will be more fondly remembered.

I suspect that posterity will shine more favourably on the ODI side as it had a less insular selection policy, proved more adaptable and ultimately (for all the blustery about exciting cricket) backed the best players to perform without fear of dropping people for misdemeanours (such as Hales), selecting and supporting the most attacking spin option (Rashid) or dropping squad members for more talented prospective players (Poor Willey for Archer). Also, they didn’t bottle it in the end...”

Those first two years of McCullum and Stokes’ tenure were quite something though Tom. But yes, in terms of hard achievements the 2019 World Cup win stands out as the crowning moment in the last 15 years of men’s English cricket.

19th over: Sri Lanka 76-3 (Dhananjaya 12, Asalanka 3) Five dots from Will Jacks but a full one is pounced on by Dhananjaya and driven through the off side for a welcome boundary.

18th over: Sri Lanka 72-3 (Dhananjaya 8, Asalanka 3) Charith Asalanka is the new batter with plenty of work to do for the home side. He’s off the mark with a hard sweep, England looking to apply the clamps.

17th over: Sri Lanka 68-2 (Mendis 26, Dhananjaya 7) Just two off Rashid’s over, he’s into his groove now, tossing one up beautifully and deceiving Kusal Mendis with drift and turn.

16th over: Sri Lanka 66-2 (Mendis 25, Dhananjaya 6) Liam Dawson recalled after his first two miserly overs. Copybook blotted slightly by Dhananjaya as a clip into the deep is fumbled onto the rope by a combinayshun of Root and Overton. See ya later innovator! That’s four.

15th over: Sri Lanka 60-2 (Mendis 24, Dhananjaya 1) Dhananjaya de Silva is the new man, he works his first ball into the leg side for a single. England have a spring in their sky blue step.

14th over: Sri Lanka 57-1 (Nissanka 26, Mendis 23) Bethell is slapped through the off side behind point by Mendis, too short and wide and duly dispatched. He straightens up and is swept fine for four more. Fifty up for Sri Lanka, Mendis coming to the party.

13th over: Sri Lanka 49-1 (Nissanka 26, Mendis 15) Rashid hasn’t looked that threatening so far but nearly squeaks a quicker ball under Nissanka’s bat with his final delivery. Sri Lanka rebuilding nicely, not a rocketing run rate so far, this pitch looks lower and slower than the one in the first match.

12th over: Sri Lanka 45-1 (Nissanka 25, Mendis 12) Brook shuffles again and tosses the ball to Jacob Bethell, resplendent with bleached mullet. Nissanka and Mendis are watchful and pick off five from the over.

11th over: Sri Lanka 40-1 (Nissanka 23, Mendis 9) Harry Brook introduces the Ace in his pack – Adil Rashid, four singles off his first over.

10th over: Sri Lanka 36-1 (Nissanka 21, Mendis 7) Will Jacks in introduced for the final over of the powerplay. He drops short and is hammered away for four by Nissanka. I think I’ve just come out in a cold sweat, memories of Brisbane and Adelaide far too fresh in my addled mind.

9th over: Sri Lanka 29-1 (Nissanka 16, Mendis 5) Dawson is nudged and nurdled for three singles but also finds a bit of bite off the surface, beating Nissanka’s forward poke with his final ball. I know what you are thinking and you’d be right.

8th over: Sri Lanka 26-1 (Nissanka 15, Mendis 3) Curran attempts his loopy moon ball and it is spotted and whacked for SIX over long on by Nissanka. That was a bit like the old donkey dropper your nan used to serve up in the back yard. Duly dispatched, take no prisoners. Octogenarian or otherwise.

7th over: Sri Lanka 18-1 (Nissanka 8, Mendis 2) Liam Dawson is given an early twirl and sends down a probing maiden. Could have done with that sort of thing in The Ash.. don’t say it don’t say it don’t even think about it…

“Morning Jim.” Hello Simon McMahon!

“Been raining incessantly here in Dundee all week, and no sign of a let up today, so following the OBO and dreaming of sunny Columbo is just the ticket. Let’s hope it’s a good ‘un. You can tell your pal Nick that parenthood does get easier. It’s just the first thirty years that are the hardest.”

Ah ha. A favourite saying of my own dear old pa. He’ll be tuning in no doubt, making sure I haven’t slept through my alarm or said anything career endingly libellous. Never off the clock, hello Pops!

6th over: Sri Lanka 18-1 (Nissanka 8, Mendis 2) Curran stitches together five dots in a row to Mendis who manages to break the shackles off the final ball, albeit only with a single through midwicket which sees him keep strike.

My four year old has just burst into the room with a question:

“If human beings die why don’t cuddly toys die?”

How’s your morning going?

5th over: Sri Lanka 17-1 (Nissanka 8, Mendis 1) The key man for Sri Lanka - Kusal Mendis - arrives at first drop. His 93 not out anchored his side to victory in the first match. He punches a single into the covers off Overton to get off the mark.

4th over: Sri Lanka 12-0 (Nissanka 8, Mishara 1) Curran hasn’t got his line right yet, he’s picked off for a couple of twos through the off side by Nissanka and spears down a leg side wide to boot.

3rd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 1) A decent maiden from Overton who beats a driving Mishara with one that jags away late off the seam. Bright sunshine beating down in Colombo, it looks a scorcher. If England have to chase leather for 50 overs they could be a bit cooked later on.

2nd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 1) Sam Curran zips in from t’other end. He starts with a wide outside off and then is too straight, flicked off the hip by Mishara for a single.

1st over: Sri Lanka 5-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 0) Oh. Don’t bowl there Jamie old son. Overton serves up a full and wide half volley with a little Alice in Wonderland label saying ‘HIT ME’ and Nissanka duly does, spanking a drive away through the covers for four off the first ball of the game. Overton tightens up for the rest of the over but does send down a leg side wide. Five off the first.

Shout out to my pal Nick who *might* be tuning in through the fug of early fatherhood. What more could you want after a sleepless night than Jamie Overton thundering in and hammering away back of a length on a biscuit coloured Colombo wicket? These truly are the days my friend. Well, better than white noise at least?

Righto, the players are out there. It’s 30 degrees in Colombo, only 23 degrees warmer than here in deepest Sussex. Pah! Jamie Overton is going to start with the new ball, Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara open up for the hosts. Play!

I’ve just read this and am now exhausted. Puts your piffling Saturday morning Park Run in to perspective doesn’t it?

We’ve got just under ten minutes until the start of play/ the ‘travelling circus rolls on’.

England will need to take some early wickets with the new ball and keep their target manageable.

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (c) , Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando

England: Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid

Sri Lanka field the same XI from the first match, England have the one change, Jacks in for the injured Crawley. We’ll have to wait to see Rehan Ahmed carving it up at the top of the order for England, he has done the job before for Leicestershire, last summer he scored 203 runs at 67.66 a makeshift opener for a few matches when teammate Rishi Patel was out with injury. He’s certainly got all the shots, girds loinded for that later on.

Taha Hashim is our man on the ground in Colombo. I imagine he’s looking sumptuous in linen as I type this in my crumb flecked joggers.

This was penned before Crawley did his knee, still counts.