SL vs ENG Ball by Ball Commentary

No run, that is driven straight back but it is stopped.

Good length on the pads, flicked down to fine leg for acouple of runs.

Oh, any sort of deflection on that, and Tom Banton would have been out.

Back of a length and outside off, Banton stands tall and hits it down to the right of sweeper cover for just one more.

Fuller and pace off, at just 108 kph, pushing it wide of the off stump. Duckett smacks it square on the off side and picks up a single to sweeper cover.

Just short of a good length and in the channel. This is patted down wide of the mid off fielder for a single.

FOUR! Three boundaries in the over, and England are now flying. Just back of a length and around off, Duckett presses back and gets his hands through the ball, hammering it wide of mid off for four more runs.

FOUR! Malinga is the one who loses his patience early, and Duckett takes full advantage of the slip-up. Another short ball that is too straight and not high enough. Duckett crunches the pull, hitting it in front of mid-wicket for another boundary.

On a good length, on leg, and hitting the deck hard. Duckett gets a bit cramped for room, and stabs it down in front of short mid-wicket.

Full and straight now, Duckett nudges it across to square leg.

Malinga goes a bit fuller now, attacking the off stump, and Duckett blocks it off.

FOUR! Ben Duckett brings up his FIFTY in style, and the 100 is also up for England. Banged in a bit short and over middle, sitting up nicely for the batter. Duckett employs the short-arm jab and nails it in front of square leg for a boundary.

Floated up around off, Duckett stays back and pats it down the ground for a run more. England are cruising at 99/0 after the first 15 overs.

Bowled from around the wicket and flighted on the pads, Banton works it 'round the corner on the leg side for a single.

SIX! High and handsome! Tossed up, on a dragged length and on off. Banton skips down the pitch and hits with the turn, whacking it over wide long on for a biggie. 12 off the over already.

Good length on off, sliding back on with the arm. Duckett pushes it out onto the off side and rotates the strike.

A touch fuller again, around off and sliding on. Banton drives it sweetly to extra cover, where the fielder makes a sharp stop down to his left, parrying it to mid off for a single.

FOUR! Up and over! Tossed up outside off, Banton decides to step down the track and hammers it flat over extra cover for a boundary.

Floated up on the stumps, Tom Banton backs away a bit and drags the lofted shot back over the bowler's head for just a single. No timing on that.

Pushed through quicker now, and around off. Banton rocks back and forces it out to covers.

A tad shorter now, straighter too, and Duckett hops back to tuck it through mid-wicket for a run.

Nagging length around off, Duckett hangs back and stabs it down to extra cover.

Drifted in on middle, Banton stands tall and punches it with a vertical bat to long off for another single.

Good length on the pads, worked away square through the on side for a single.

Flatter delivery, on a length and on off. Banton camps back and pushes it back to the bowler.

Held back a bit and then pushed through flatter at the stumps, Banton opts to rock back and jams it out to extra cover.

Fractionally shorter, angled into the legs. Duckett wrists it away through square leg and turns the strike over.

Slower at just 80.6 kph, on a nagging length and drifted in from outside off. Banton goes back and across, shovelling it down to wide long on for a run.

Floated up around off, not all that full and this is punched down to long off for one more. It's all too easy at the moment for the English openers.

A nicely flighted delivery to begin with. This is full and straight, and Banton hits it down to long on for a single.

Flatter one on a length, punched away from the crease and down to long off for one more.

Wellalage drops the length short around off, Banton backs away and smacks it down through extra cover for a run.

Tossed up again, full and drifted into middle and leg. Banton clips it away to mid on.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Duckett eases it along the carpet and down to long on for a single.

FOUR! That's a superb shot. This is flighted up at the stumps, Duckett sits down for the reverse sweep and nails it away just behind point for a boundary.

Good length at the stumps, worked away to the on side for a single.

Back of a length, in and around off, blocked off by Duckett.

Short ball on off, around head height. Duckett reaches up and gets on top of the bounce, pulling straight down towards the mid-wicket fielder.

Good length, a bit too straight. Duckett walks inside the line and flicks it wide of the fine leg fielder. Eshan Malinga moves to his right and dives in to save the boundary. Two more added to the total.

Full of a length, outside off and nibbling away. Duckett leans on and plays it down with soft hands to backward point.

Pitched fuller and attacking the front pad. Ben Duckett clips it away through mid-wicket and picks up a couple of runs.

Short and wide, Banton stands tall and slaps it away to sweeper cover for a single.

Wide! Well directed but just too short. Banged in halfway down the pitch, right at the batter, but this one sails over Banton's head.

A tad short and outside off, Banton presses back and punches it along the ground to long off for a single. England rumbling along nicely with 62/0 after the first Powerplay.

Drifted down leg, on a length, Tom gets across and whips it to left of short fine leg. The fielder in the ring there, dives and makes a sharp stop. Surely saves a few runs there.

Flat and full on leg, Duckett walks down a couple of steps and works it to long on for a single.

Full and quick outside off, Duckett lunges and drills it to short cover.

Length and around off, stabbed to short cover.

On the stumps on a length, Duckett smashes it down the ground with a flat bat. The man from long on cuts it off before the ropes. Two runs taken.

FOUR! Pierces the gap! Back of a length but with plenty of width on offer. Banton hangs back, lets the ball arrive and jabs it through cover for a cracking boundary. Such a delightful shot.

Very full on off, driven with a straight bat to mid off.

A little bit of inswing on a length, and this is nudged to short mid-wicket.

Full again, on off, Banton pings it straight to the fielder at mid off.

Full and speared around off, Banton knocks it to mid off.

Length-delivery on the stumps, Duckett steers it to deep square leg for a single.

Wide! Back of a length, pushed down leg. Duckett lets it be.

FOUR! Very creative from Banton and that brings up the 50 for England! Flat and quick on the middle stump, Banton employs the reverse sweep and nails it through the cover-point gap for a boundary.

Full on the sticks, Banton pushes it back to Dunith.

Quicker and fuller around off, Duckett lunges and drags it with a flick to deep square leg for a single.

Action replay of the previous ball. Duckett flicks this full ball to short mid-wicket.

Over the stumps to the left-hander. Full and outside off, flicked to short mid-wicket.

Bowls from 'round the stump. A full ball, on off, laced away to long off for a single.

Full on middle and leg, whipped down to mid on. 9 runs off the over, 19 from the last 2 for England.

FOUR! Crunched away! A long half-volley, on off, Duckett hits through the line and creams it into the gap at cover for a boundary. Duckett is just dealing in boundaries right now as he gallops to 29!

An attempted yorker outside off, Duckett swings hard and fails to dig it out.

FOUR! Poor ball and it gets the treatment! Short and angled wide outside off, Ben Duckett latches on it and nails the square cut powerfully through cover and point for a boundary. And to make things worse for Asitha, it is called a No Ball as he has overstepped. Free Hit up next.

On leg and full, shaping in a touch, Duckett flicks it on the bounce to short mid-wicket.

Very full at 135.7 kph, swinging in on off, Duckett forces the drive to mid on.

Length ball, outside off, Duckett camps back and knocks it to short cover.

Short of a length, on middle and leg, Banton rocks back and whips it to the short mid-wicket region where the fielder makes a diving stop.

Good length on middle, nipping in, nudged off the back foot to short mid-wicket.

FOUR! And again! Length-delivery angled at the leg stump. Banton picks the length early, hangs back, rolls his wrists and tucks it marvellously between short mid-wicket and mid on for another boundary. Brilliant batsmanship from Banton so far.

FOUR! Stand and deliver! On top of off, on a back of a length, Banton presses back and times it beautifully through short cover and mid off for a boundary.

At the armpits on a good length, Duckett tickles it behind to deep fine leg for a single.

Starts with a full ball, outside off, Banton drives it off the front foot. More of a slice off the outer portion of the bat so it rolls behind backward point for a single.

Length on leg with a bit of bounce, Duckett misses the flick off the back foot and is hit on the thigh pad. The ball deflects to square leg.

Full on the leg stump, Duckett flicks off the pads and places it wide of mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

At 137.9 kph, bashed hard on the pitch, rising at chest height, Banton swivels and pulls it to deep fine leg for an easy single.

Nagging length, on top of off, Banton waits back and knocks it to short cover.

Good-length delivery, outside off, Duckett hangs back and punches it between cover and backward point. The ball teases both fielders and slows in the outfield. The backward point fielder gets there first and flicks the ball to the converging fielder, who relays the throw to the keeper. Three runs taken.

Fuller on middle, swished across to short mid-wicket.

In the channel, on a length, going straight on. Well watched and well left by Banton.

Onto the pads and full, Duckett whips it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Fuller one around off, Duckett drives it to mid off.

FOUR! Don't bowl him there! Wide outside off on a length, Ben Duckett gets the width on offer and just frees his arms by standing tall. Bisects the cover and point gap to perfection for a boundary.

On a length, angling in, Ben knocks it off the back foot to the left of mid-wicket. Dasun Shanaka moves across and stops it with a slide. Two runs taken.

Length ball, outside off, moving away, Ben taps it to backward point.

FOUR! Crisp and neat! Hits the deck hard, outside off, Banton rides the bounce and punches it through the gap at cover for a cracking boundary. No need to run for that.

A gentle outswing on a length, wide of off, Banton lets it go through.

On a good length, angling in and then shaping away. Banton is squared up as he looks to whip it to the leg side but gets it sliced to point.

Good length in the channel, Banton rocks back and dabs it to cover.

Length-delivery, outside off, Banton hangs back and punches it through backward point and cover-point for a couple of runs to get off the mark.

Beaten! Back of a length, shaping away around off, Banton loosely wafts at it and is beaten on the outside edge.

Fuller in length, outside off, Duckett drills it to mid off.

FOUR MORE! Duckett goes back-to-back! Short of a length, climbing on the batter. Duckett pulls it with a little bit of a top edge, but gets it over square leg and picks up another boundary.

FOUR! England and Duckett are off the mark! Too straight on the pads, full in length, Duckett flicks behind square - beating square leg to his left and deep fine leg to his right - for a boundary.

A little bit of outswing on a short length, outside off, Duckett stabs it to short extra cover.

Full and on the fourth stump, Duckett defends off the front foot.

Short of a length, at the body, Ben rocks back and pats it to the mid-wicket region.

Brilliant start for Fernando - a maiden! Outside off on a length, skidding off the pitch. Banton plays it late and chops it on the bounce to the second slip fielder.

Nagging length, on middle and leg, Tom tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Fuller now, around off, Banton presses in front and defends it to cover.

Swings away again, a fraction fuller, outside off, Banton shoulders arms.

Closer to the off stump, on a length, shaping away. Banton lets it through.

Edged, but just short! Asitha generates a fair bit of outswing on a good length, outside the off stump. Tom Banton does not move his feet and throws his bat at it to thrash it to the off side but gets a thick outside edge. The ball just dies on the first slip fielder and goes on the bounce. Asitha starts on the money!