Sri Lanka thrash England to claim consolation win

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella and skipper Dinesh Chandimal set up a crushing 219-run win via DLS method over a much-changed England on Tuesday to end their one-day international series on a high.
Batting first Sri Lanka scored 366/6 in 50 overs as in reply England scored 132/9 in 26.1 overs as applied by DLS method.
Dickwella smashed 95 and Chandimal 80 to help Sri Lanka register their highest-ever ODI total against England and the tourists slumped to 132-9 when rain stopped play in the 27th over. It was only a consolation victory for the hosts as England, who suffered their biggest ODI defeat, took the weather-plagued five-match series 3-1.
England’s previous heaviest loss came against the West Indies by 165 runs in Kingstown in 1994. England captain Eoin Morgan, who received the man-of-the-series award for accumulating 195 runs in four games, rested himself for the final match, with opening bowlers Chris Woakes and Olly Stone also given the day off, while Jonny Bairstow was still missing after suffering an injury playing football.The two sides will next play a Twenty20 international on Saturday before a three-Test series. (AFP)